Since 1978, during the first full weekend in June, cavalry troops and infantry units have converged on the grounds of Fort Sisseton for the state park’s Historical Festival.
The annual three-day event set for this Friday through Sunday draws more thousands of visitors and hundreds camping units. Activities start Friday with shooting demonstrations beginning at 1 p.m. and wrap up late at night with a movie under the Big Tent. Events Saturday start at 9 a.m. with the flag raising ceremony at 9:15. Sunday’s activities start at 8 a.m. and wrap up around 4 p.m.
The festival covers the whole gamut of frontier life and settlement. It includes fiddle music, historic figures, an art and craft show, melodrama stage show, songs and music from the Civil War, period dance instruction classes, and a military costume ball. Colorful costumes, tall tales and unique system of bartering will bring history to life.
The festival also has new events planned for this year. Throughout the weekend, visitors can learn about the life and times of President Teddy Roosevelt from Teddy himself. He will also be bringing his whole encampment and authentic artifacts. Spectators can cheer on new Minnesota and Wisconsin teams in an 1860’s baseball game on Saturday. Hoop dancer Starr Chief Eagle will perform. The kids can burn some energy during a stick horse rodeo on Saturday as well. On Sunday, Representative Tamara St. John will speak about the 1862 Massacre and how Fort Sisseton came to be.
Other new activities: an antique tractor display, workshops on writing family history and researching genealogy, gypsy history and fortune telling, and concert Saturday night featuring the bank Plan B.
Britton’s Community Theatre will once again provide the melodrama show. This year’s production is, “ See the photo on page # for more information on the melodrama. For a full schedule of weekend events see www.marshallcountyjournal. com.
