Events
Cemetery Tours
The 1850 Manatee Burying Ground is the oldest public cemetery in Manatee County. It was the first burying ground for the Village of Manatee, the first established community between Tampa and Key West dating to 1842. The Burying Ground was in use from 1850-1892 with a few family burials occurring up until the 1960s.
Here is your chance to schedule a daytime tour in advance and visit the Burying Ground with a member of staff. Appropriate clothing and footwear is encouraged. Tours take place outside with natural elements and will include long periods of standing and walking, uneven ground, and exposure to sunlight and rain. At staff discretion, tours may be cancelled due to inclement weather. Tour content will vary by staff member - each staff member has chosen certain stories that they find the most interesting. Please view the SignUp to see which tours are given by each staff member:
“Passing Ways” with Allyson - how some people in the Village of Manatee passed on.
“Wealth & Misfortune” with Krystin - some of the more surprising stories of the Village of Manatee.
“Veteran Virtues” with Jeff - information about military personnel related to the Village of Manatee.
“Dignified After Death” with Rachel - how life in the Village of Manatee is reflected in death and burial.
When: These tours will be available only on select days: March 1-5 and March 15-19. Tours will be approximately 20 minutes in duration and will take place at 9:30am and 10:30am on these dates. Space is limited. There will be four (4) slots per tour and must be scheduled in advance. Tours are FREE but reservations are required.
How To Sign Up: Reservations can be made online at the link below:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0B4FABAB28A3F58-cemetery5
You may also call us and a staff member will assist you over the phone at (941) 749-7165.
Cost: There is no cost to sign up and attend a cemetery tour.
Manatee Village Historical Park is a part of the Manatee County Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller Historical Resources Department. Programs are offered in conjunction with the Manatee County Historical Commission, Inc. For more information, click here.
Digital Lecture: Medicine in Manatee
Only available on March 6th
Join Dr. Jeffrey N. Brown, Curator at Manatee Village Historical Park, for a digital lecture to supplement the new “Medicine in Manatee” exhibit.
When & How to Watch: This digital lecture is meant to supplement the new exhibit about the history of medicine in the Village of Manatee. This lecture is a pre-recorded digital video. The digital video will be available for one day only. It can be accessed at the start of the day on March 6th and watched any time that day or evening. Access to the digital video ends at 11:59pm on March 6th. A link will be provided below:
Link Coming Soon
How To Sign Up: Members of the public may sign up to receive a reminder email with a link to the digital lecture or simply visit this webpage on March 6th. To receive an email with the link, members of the public must sign up before 12:00pm (noon) on Friday, March 5. To sign up to receive a reminder email with the link to the video, please click this link:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0B4FABAB28A3F58-digital
Cost: This video is free to the public to enjoy in their own homes.
Please know that you will need a device with internet access and internet speed fast enough to play the video. This is a digital event and video will not be played or held at Manatee Village Historical Park. Manatee Village Historical Park is not providing device(s) or internet access. Manatee Village Historical Park is a part of the Manatee County Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller Historical Resources Department. Programs are offered in conjunction with the Manatee County Historical Commission, Inc. For more information, click here.
A Digital Old-Fashioned Christmas
Manatee Village Historical Park normally holds the event “An Old Florida Christmas” on site in December. Due to COVID-19, this year will be different. While the museum will NOT be having an in-person event, we are excited to offer a different, free digital event called “A Digital Old-Fashioned Christmas.”
This special event for 2020 will include a story time, a craft, and a recipe. The public is invited to watch and listen to “A Digital Old-Fashioned Christmas” from the comfort of their home. Those who access the digital event will be able to enjoy our version of “The Night Before Christmas” which includes a funny twist. We'll show how to make orange & clove pomanders, an easy and refreshing Holiday decoration that smells fresh and spicy. We'll also introduce a special cookie tutorial that’s both sweet and fun.
How to Sign Up: Signing up is no longer required. Watch anytime by clicking the "Watch Now" button below.
When: “A Digital Old-Fashioned Christmas” will be available starting at 12:00PM (noon) on December 16th, 2020. This video will be approximately 15 minutes in duration.
Cost: There is no cost to play “A Digital Old-Fashioned Christmas” on your device.
Please know that you will need a device with internet access and internet speed fast enough to play the video. This is a digital event and video will not be played or held at Manatee Village Historical Park. Manatee Village Historical Park is not providing device(s) or internet access. Manatee Village Historical Park is a part of the Manatee County Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller Historical Resources Department. Programs are offered in conjunction with the Manatee County Historical Commission, Inc. For more information, click here.
Tombstone Tour
Manatee Village Historical Park is hosting “Tombstone Tour”, a digital event about the 1850 Manatee Burying Ground. Learn about the history of the cemetery, the meaning of tombstone symbols, and listen to some of the stories of those who were buried there.
The 1850 Manatee Burying Ground is the oldest public cemetery in Manatee County. It was the first burying ground for the Village of Manatee, which was the first established white settlement between Tampa and Key West, dating to 1842. The Burying Ground was in use from 1850-1892, with a few family burials occurring up until the 1960s.
How to Sign Up: Signing up is no longer required! Watch anytime by clicking the "Watch Now" button below.
Please note: Please know that you will need a device with internet access and internet speed fast enough to play the video. This is a digital event and video will not be played or held at Manatee Village Historical Park. Manatee Village Historical Park is not providing device(s) or internet access. Manatee Village Historical Park is a part of the Manatee County Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller Historical Resources Department. Programs are offered in conjunction with the Manatee County Historical Commission, Inc. For additional details about this event, click here.
Manatee Village Historical Park is excited to offer our first digital event, “Suffragette Tea”!
Watch us celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The 19th Amendment granted certain women the right to vote and was one of many righteous milestones in history. For visitor safety and the safety of our staff members, this event will be digital. “Suffragette Tea” will be pre-recorded and made available through a video platform. Staff members will be in costume and will discuss how tea rooms influenced social and political change while inside a beautiful 1905 house. The house is an antique store and tea room called Charms of Leffingwell, located in Ellenton, FL.
Let us transport you through “tea time” and celebrate with us from the comfort of your home!
How to Sign Up: Signing up is no longer required. Watch anytime by clicking the "Watch Now" button below.
Please note: This is a digital event and video will not be played or held at Manatee Village Historical Park. Manatee Village Historical Park is not providing device(s) or internet access. Manatee Village Historical Park is a part of the Manatee County Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller Historical Resources Department. Programs are offered in conjunction with the Manatee County Historical Commission, Inc. For more information about this event, click here.