Reenactors have a ball - literally - at Military History Fest in St. Charles
This weekend, at Pheasant Run in St. Charles, Military History Fest will be a bonanza for re-enactors, costumers, and history buffs.
Visitors will be able to see a number of military vistas, side by side, that, most likely have never been seen in a grouping before.
"There are 12 20-by-20 (foot) encampments," explained director Mike Bollow of Aurora. "Last year the Roman group created a Roman tavern, with wine and olives and figs, with 10 Roman citizens and soldiers walking around this tavern. Next to it is a World War I machine bunker they built it out of logs and barbed wire, full of World War I Germans, and next to that is a colonial artillery placement from Valley Forge full of fake snow and they're all wearing wool coats and shivering and they painted their feet black."
This year, Marie Lobbezoo, who has a master's in history, is part of a group straying a bit from the military theme to present a 1950s era fallout shelter.
"We're going to be a somewhat typical American family," she said. "We'll do a mock up with a lot of civil defense things and a lot of the original items that would have been in a fallout shelter.
The details are what are important to DeKalb resident Lobbezoo and other exhibitors. The correct toilet paper is the holy grail of the fallout shelter.
Lobbezoo will be re-creating typical recipes of the era as well.
"I'm working on a Jell-O mold recipe," she said. "It has lemon and lime Jell-O in it and crab meat, salad dressing, chopped eggs and celery."
Some presentations come with built-in difficulties, such as Kevin Williams' group, which re-enacts a Caesar-era encampment.
"It takes a lot more research," Geneva resident Williams said. "All we have to go by is archaeological evidence and some things don't last 2,000 years."
"That's the kind of detail we and other re-enactors have to look at when we put on a show, to make sure that Mike (Bollow) has a quality product for the public to see," said Lobbezoo, who remembers wishing for an inflatable tank as a child.
The show has evolved over its 12 years, according to Bollow.
"It started out as a show for re-enactors and it's grown to become a general military history/ historical costuming convention," he said. "For people who are re-enactors and costumers, it's a no-brainer, you can come and dress up and walk around. It's full of vendors: costume components, swords, medals, helmets, and gear like that. But, for a military enthusiast there's also books and videos and authentic military items for sale, ranging from $1 to $10,000."
"I have several collections I've amassed by shopping. Usually there are really hard-to-find war or military DVDs. You can find anything here; pipes, eyeglasses, gloves, scarves belts, coins, etc.," said Jeffrey Wade of Bartlett, who participates with two encampments and creates a scavenger hunt for children.
"I will draw a map of the camps where there are scavenger hunt items hidden in the camp," said Wade. "There will be items we've used in the past - like skulls, golden key on a chain, a squirrel - and they'll be stashed in camps, and the kids will walk around. If they can find which item is in which camp, there will be a little prize."
There are also seminars, live historical music, sword fighting demonstrations and workshops, and, for an extra $10, a ball at 8 p.m. Saturday.
"Mike puts on a heck of a show," said Lobbezoo. He works very hard and we're all very excited about it.
The festival runs Friday through Sunday, Feb. 5-7, at Pheasant Run in St. Charles. For details, visit www.reenactorfest.com.
If you go
What: Military History Fest
When: noon to 7 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 5-7
Where: Pheasant Run Resort and Conference Center, 4051 E. Main St. (Route 64), St. Charles
Admission: $20 per day or $30 for all three days. Veterans admitted free on Friday and kids age 15 and younger admitted free each day.
Details: <a href="http://wwww.militaryhistoryfest.com">wwww.militaryhistoryfest.com</a>