A sleepy green field lined by trees and a mossy fence lies idle at the end of a vacant parking lot.
Birds chirp over the distant hum of Colonial Parkway traffic, but that will soon give way to the rocking rhythms of a concert or the chatter and buzz of an arts festival.
The Palace Farms site across the street from Colonial Williamsburg’s Visitors Center will be transformed into an event venue, as City Council unanimously approved a request from the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Thursday.
The venue could be used for live events such as concerts, movie nights, lectures and festivals, said Jeff Duncan, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation vice president of real estate, in a letter to city staff filed with meeting documents. He expects the venue will host events that will draw several hundred to several thousand guests, with grass seating for up to 5,000.
The property was previously used for the Great Hopes Plantation interpretive site, which has closed, according to the meeting agenda.
“This is a piece of property that once was used and now is not,” Vice Mayor Doug Pons said at the meeting. “Market forces have changed, and what Colonial Williamsburg has introduced here will be attractive to a new market moving forward.”
Temporary installations, including a stage, fencing, food and beverage tents, and restrooms, will be set up before and removed after each event. The size of the stage and tent would vary from event to event, but would be similar in style to those used for Summer Breeze Concert Series and Funhouse Fest.
Duncan told the Planning Commission in October that there are no plans to move the Summer Breeze Concert Series from the lawn of the Art Museums to the newly-approved venue.
No outside alcoholic drinks will be allowed in the venue, but will be available for purchase inside for certain events. Parking will be available at the site and at the Visitor Center.
The foundation applied to change the wording of the city code to allow for special events in conjunction with a permit in the Museum Support District, which is how the Palace Farms property is zoned. The district is designated for areas used to support the Historic Area.
Colonial Williamsburg also applied for the special use permit necessary to host events. The permit will last for two years, and if the events are successful Colonial Williamsburg will have to request renewal once it expires.
Mayor Paul Freiling abstained from the vote because he is an employee of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
