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Search Results for: History of the trees

Oatlands Garden Soirée

Rose-covered garden entrance at Oatlands

Oatlands Garden Soirée

Join us for an afternoon of seasonal cocktails, generous hors d’oeuvres, special tours featuring living history interpreters with period attire, and lawn games celebrating the preservation and history of Oatlands.

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Date Sunday, September 20, 2026
VIP Access 2–3 PM
General Access 3–6 PM
Location 20850 Oatlands Plantation Lane
Leesburg, VA 20175
Join Us

For An Afternoon Unlike Any Other

Experience the beauty of Oatlands through garden games, seasonal hospitality, historic interpretation and an exclusive VIP Greenhouse reception.

Oatlands' Signature Hospitality

The Beauty of Oatlands

Explore the artistry, stories, and craftsmanship held within Oatlands’ gardens and architecture.

Garden Soirée Lawn Games

Lawn Games

Enjoy classic garden games including badminton, croquet and lawn bowling.

Lawn games at Oatlands

Seasonal Cocktails

Enjoy garden-inspired drinks and signature refreshments in a beautiful historic setting.

Generous Hors d’oeuvres

Generous Hors d’oeuvres

Gather with friends and supporters over seasonal bites designed for an elegant afternoon event.

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An Elevated Garden Soirée Experience

The VIP Greenhouse Reception

VIP guests are invited to begin the Garden Soirée with exclusive early access from 2–3 PM in the historic Greenhouse, offering a more intimate start to the afternoon before the full event opens to all guests.

This elevated experience is designed for guests who want a deeper connection to Oatlands, with signature cocktails, special menu offerings, early access to the estate, and a refined setting surrounded by the beauty and history of the gardens.

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Matching Grant

The first $15,000 raised will be amplified through a generous matching grant supporting critical preservation work at Oatlands.

Support Now

VIP Landscape Circle

$5,000

A leadership investment in preserving Oatlands while sharing the experience with family, friends and fellow supporters.

  • Admission for two (2) hosts plus up to eight (8) guests — 10 total
  • Includes VIP Early Access and the exclusive Greenhouse reception from 2–3 PM
  • Early access to the property and VIP access throughout the event
  • First viewing of the commemorative plaque unveiling
  • Signature cocktails and special menu offerings
  • Exclusive Oatlands gift package featuring items crafted from Oatlands trees
  • Recognition during the VIP program honoring Mrs. Jacqueline Mars
  • Recognition in event materials, donor listings, print program and website
Select This Circle

VIP Garden Circle

$2,500

A meaningful sponsorship level for introducing friends and family to Oatlands while supporting the preservation of its historic landscape and architecture.

  • Admission for two (2) hosts plus up to six (6) guests — 8 total
  • Includes VIP Early Access and the exclusive Greenhouse reception from 2–3 PM
  • Early access to the property and VIP access throughout the event
  • First viewing of the commemorative plaque unveiling
  • Signature cocktails and special menu offerings
  • Exclusive Oatlands gift package
  • Recognition in event materials and donor listings on the print program and website
Select This Circle

VIP Mansion Circle

$1,000

Ideal for those who wish to support Oatlands’ preservation efforts while enjoying an intimate and memorable experience with family and friends.

  • Admission for two (2) hosts plus up to four (4) guests — 6 total
  • Invitation to the exclusive VIP reception in the historic Greenhouse from 2–3 PM
  • Early access to the property and VIP access throughout the event
  • First viewing of the commemorative plaque unveiling
  • Signature cocktails and special menu offerings
  • Special Oatlands gift
  • Recognition in donor listings on the website
Select This Circle

Companion Ticket

$325

A simple way to attend the Garden Soirée with a guest.

  • Admission for two (2) guests
  • Public access beginning at 3 PM
  • Seasonal cocktails
  • Generous hors d’oeuvres
  • Music, garden games and special tours
Select This Ticket

Individual Ticket

$175

Individual admission to the Oatlands Garden Soirée.

  • Admission for one (1) guest
  • Public access beginning at 3 PM
  • Seasonal cocktails
  • Generous hors d’oeuvres
  • Music, garden games and special tours
Select This Ticket
History & Garden Tradition

An afternoon rooted in the story of Oatlands.

The Garden Soirée brings together the beauty of Oatlands’ formal gardens with the stories, traditions, and craftsmanship that make the estate such an important historic place.

Garden hospitality with historic character

Throughout the afternoon, guests will experience the estate through seasonal hospitality, classic garden recreation, and curated moments that connect the celebration to Oatlands’ long history. Lawn games hosted by a living history interpreter will bring period traditions and garden-party recreation to life in a way that feels both relaxed and meaningful.

Preservation brought into the present

More than a gathering, the Soirée is an opportunity to connect with the ongoing care of Oatlands. From the gardens and historic dependencies to the architectural details of the Mansion, each guest helps support the stewardship of a place that continues to educate, inspire, and welcome future generations.

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Oatlands Logo
Event Details

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Garden Soirée?

The Garden Soirée will take place on Sunday, September 20, 2026. VIP Early Access is from 2–3 PM, and All Access is from 3–6 PM.

Where is the event located?

The event will be held at Oatlands Historic House & Gardens in Leesburg, Virginia. Specifically the Mansion Lawn, The Terrace Gardens and the Greenhouse.

20850 Oatlands Plantation Lane Leesburg, VA 20175

What does my ticket include?

Guests will enjoy seasonal cocktails, generous hors d’oeuvres, music, garden games, and special tours highlighting Oatlands’ gardens, architecture, and preservation work.

What is included with VIP Early Access?

VIP guests are invited to arrive early for an intimate reception in the historic Greenhouse from 2-3 PM.

What should guests wear?

Garden party attire is encouraged. Period attire is welcome, too! Comfortable shoes are recommended as guests may be walking through the gardens, gravel roads and uneven ground.

What does the event support?

Proceeds support preservation priorities at Oatlands, including work on the Mansion’s Corinthian capitals, the historic Smokehouse and Garden Dependency, and broader stewardship initiatives.

Is there a matching grant?

Yes. A generous matching grant will amplify the impact of the first $15,000 raised for this preservation effort.

Who should I contact with questions?

Please contact Oatlands directly for questions about tickets, accessibility, sponsorship opportunities, or event logistics. Email us at info@oatlands.org

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Imagine Well Being: Twilight Tranquility: Nature, Lanterns & Sound

As twilight settles over the historic gardens, rolling landscape and centuries-old trees of Oatlands, join Imagine Well Being for a gentle forest therapy experience that invites wonder, reflection and connection with the natural world. Guided by lantern light, we’ll move slowly through this storied landscape, engaging our senses and exploring the beauty of a place shaped by generations of human and ecological history.

The evening concludes with a restorative sound bath, offering a peaceful opportunity to relax, reflect and immerse yourself in the serenity of twilight.

Audience: Ages 16+

Register here

Tent

Tent


The Tent offers views of a historical landscape.


Tablescape in tent, Pure Perfection Catering
Tent, Pure Perfection Catering
Privacy. Views. History.
EleganT Setting for up to 200 Guests

The Tent at Oatlands offers a multitude of options for guests utilizing this expansive space. You will have privacy with unobstructed views of Oatlands’ surroundings, open natural landscape and trees.

Our Tent may accommodate up to 200 guests comfortably seated with additional space for walking the tranquil surrounding lawns and gardens. The Tent is a short walk from our main parking lot and houses several electrical outlets for either a caterer’s set-up, or audio-visual equipment. Portable restrooms need to be arranged by the guests, with ample space for closeby set-up. The Tent is ideal for weddings, birthday celebrations and corporate events. Larger events requiring space for seating, dining buffets and congregating people are ideal for the Oatlands Tent.

Contact Us

Welcome—from the Executive Director

A National Treasure in the heart of Loudoun County

Welcome to Oatlands—one of Loudoun County’s most cherished historic landmarks.

Oatlands stands on the ancestral and unceded lands of the Manahoac and Piscataway peoples. For generations before this estate was established, Indigenous communities stewarded this landscape, shaping and sustaining the land in ways that resonate today.

Here, land, history, and community come together across 418 acres of natural beauty, formal gardens, winding trails, and 28 buildings spanning the 19th and 20th centuries. Established in 1798 as a plantation and site of enslavement, the beauty of Oatlands is inseparable from the lives, labor, skill, endurance, and humanity of the men, women, and children who were held in bondage here. This landscape holds layered stories—of Indigenous sovereignty, of bondage and emancipation, of aspiration and exclusion, of resilience and reinvention.

At Oatlands, we ask an essential American question: What does it mean to be free?

Freedom meant land and opportunity for some—and survival, resistance, and the long pursuit of dignity for others. It meant legal emancipation, but also the unfinished work of belonging and equity. Across generations, the meaning of freedom has expanded, been contested, and been reimagined.

Today, Oatlands is a place where those evolving meanings of freedom are explored openly and thoughtfully. We preserve this historic landscape not only to honor its beauty, but to examine its complexity—and to create space for reflection, learning, dialogue, and shared stewardship. As we care for the gardens, preserve the historic structures, and welcome new generations, we invite you to consider how the past continues to shape our understanding of freedom and community today.

Discover Oatlands in your own way: take a tour, wander through the gardens, explore the trails, or picnic beneath centuries-old trees. Join us for theatre and talks, hands-on workshops, family programs, or our beloved seasonal teas. Each visit offers both beauty and perspective—an opportunity to engage with history and to reflect on the freedoms we inherit, protect, and define together.

Here, the past meets the present, and every visitor becomes part of the unfolding story of this remarkable place.

We can’t wait to welcome you!

Margaret Salazar-Porzio, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Oatlands, A Site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation

Margaret Salazar-Portio

Gardens & Grounds Donation

Bring history to life for thousands of visitors and students. Your contribution fuels school programs, oral history initiatives, and inclusive storytelling for all ages.

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20850 Oatlands Plantation Lane
Leesburg, VA 20175
Tel: 703-727-0670

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