Time periods collide at Military History Fest in St. Charles
World War I soldiers swapped stories with Vikings, Nazi officers shopped for new clothes, and 1950s housewives passed the time in a fallout shelter all in the same convention center Saturday during the annual Military History Fest/Re-enacting and Trade Faire.
The annual convention, at Pheasant Run in St. Charles, offers seminars on topics relevant to military re-enactors such as "How not to die," along with live performances of bagpipes and Civil War-era ballads.
"A lot of times, re-enactment people work in their own period," Antina Richards-Lennock, who runs a company making and selling sundries for the re-enactor, said. "This is a place where different periods coexist,"
Richards-Lennock, who was dressed as a historic Viking woman, said part of the reason so many members of the re-enactment community come to the event every year is because the season doesn't really get going until April, so everyone is eager to get back into re-enacting.
"Not to mention, you get to see everyone's cool clothes," Richards-Lennock said. "I used to change my clothes every two hours."
Vendors like Richards-Lennock sold their wares - which included authentic and reproduced clothes, weapons and accessories - on one half of the convention floor. The other half of the floor featured twelve 400-square-foot "encampments," each designed to look like a different period.
One encampment, styled to look like a World War I battlefield, featured a replica of a tank that was built from scratch in Lakemoor by a group of re-enactors.
"We talked about doing it for at least 10 years," said Doug Strong, one of the builders. "In November, we finally said, 'Let's stop talking about it, and let's do it.'"
Around six weeks later the replica, which is made of wood and steel, was complete. Strong said next they are hoping to raise money to build an all-steel tank they can drive around. They are raising money at gofundme.com/ft-17.
The all-inclusive nature of the fest has provided funny and not-historically accurate moments for re-enactors.
"Last year at the bar, I saw Gen. Grant and Gen. Lee side-by-side in full uniform," said Chip Buerger, a World War II Royal Airforce re-enactor from Oak Park.
Folo Watkins, a vendor who uses techniques from 1,000 years ago to bind books, do woodworking and make jewelry, said the re-enactors played "Jeopardy!" Friday night, using history answers. He was on a team with a fur trader and a Civil War soldier. He said the all-era ball provides great moments as well.
"Until you've seen someone in an Elizabethan hoop skirt swing dancing, you haven't lived," he said.
The fest finishes its three-day run on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.