The Freedom Dinner

The Hampton Roads Convention Center, in partnership with Hampton VA250, Hampton Master Gardeners, and Hampton City Schools, proudly presents “The Freedom 250 Dinner,” an engaging historical five-course dining experience celebrating America’s 250th anniversary. This unique event, taking place on Friday, January 16, 2026, at the Hampton Roads Convention Center, will transport guests back to 1776, through immersive food, design, and storytelling of the Revolutionary era.

What makes this event truly special is that the concept and menu were developed entirely by students in the Phoebus High School’s Hospitality & Tourism Academy. This student-designed experience is the culmination of months of extensive research and creativity, including menu development aligned with authentic 18th-century ingredients grown locally with support from the Hampton Master Gardeners. This collaboration alongside the Hampton Roads Convention Center’s professional chefs, event managers, and banquet staff, which began as a mentorship, has blossomed into a full display of student ingenuity, reflecting the innovation and future leadership being developed right here in Hampton. 

Guests, during this unforgettable evening, will enjoy a five-course dinner with wine pairings, historical reenactments and interpreters bringing 1776 to life, and live entertainment creating a colonial ambiance. Students will also be leading presentations on their creative and historical process.

Tickets are available for $125 per guest, inclusive of dinner, wine pairings, live entertainment, and an unforgettable community celebration bridging the past and present. Dress to impress in your finest semi-formal or, if you'd like, Regency-inspired attire and join us!

Table sponsorship opportunities are also available. For more information, contact Samantha Snead via email at [email protected] or via phone (757)315-2200.