Bartlett Heritage Days adds Civil War re-enactors, Band Bash for 6th year

This year's Bartlett Heritage Days will include new events as part of its effort to bring the "good old days" of family fun to friends and neighbors.

Now in its sixth year, this communitywide fall festival Friday, Sept. 11, to Sunday, Sept. 13., in downtown Bartlett is designed to honor and celebrate the area's rich history. The village was founded when the Bartlett station was built on the Chicago & Pacific Railroad in 1873. Today, Bartlett has grown to a village of more than 40,000 that takes pride in its rural heritage.

Two major new events are:

• The 1st Brigade, Illinois Volunteers will bring a Civil War re-enactment at Bartlett Park 102 N. Eastern, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. They will set up an encampment, perform drills, offer commentary and induct volunteer spectators into the Union Army. A skirmish takes place at 1 p.m., with the wounded tended in the field by medics at 1:30 p.m.

• The Bartlett Band Bash will feature The Plaza Folk Union Band at 5 p.m. Saturday, followed by '70s disco funk Motown tribute dance band the 7 Deez at 7:30 p.m. under the beer and wine tent at Banbury Fair.

Other new elements are:

• A five-block parade to Bartlett Park at 10 a.m. Saturday, with families invited to decorate their strollers, dress up their pets and highlight their community groups. Line up at 9:30 a.m. on West Bartlett Avenue just east of Oak Street.

• A cosplay costume party, with free pizza and soda, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, wit a 2 p.m. costume contest at Eternal Relic Games, 118 W. Bartlett Ave. Dress up as your favorite super hero or character.

• An appearance by the 144th Army Five-Star Brass Band between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday at Banbury Fair.

• In honor of 9/11, Hanover Township will provide transportation to the Bartlett Veterans Memorial at South Bartlett Road and Stearns from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Pickup locations are Bartlett village hall and Bartlett Park.

• Mr. D's House of Magic and Illusion will perform shows at 1, 2:30 and 4 p.m. Sunday at Town Center Park at Railroad and Main.

• Falconer Kathy Blecker will show off her red-tailed hawk 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday along Oak Street.

Returning attractions include trolley tours both Saturday and Sunday of historic downtown Bartlett with docents from the Bartlett Historical Society. The tours are free with a 2015 Bartlett Heritage Days button. New this year: Interesting and funny stories about events and people who once lived in Bartlett, plus a stop at Fire Station #1 to view the 1897 Howe Hand Pumper used by the Bartlett firemen from 1912 to 1929 and a Sept. 11 memorial with a piece of steel recovered from the World Trade Center. Tours begin at the information table at Bartlett village hall, 228 S. Main St., at noon, 1:30, 2:45 and 4 p.m.

Also returning this year is the Bartlett Antique Road Show with antique expert John Hilliard from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday at Arts in Bartlett, 215 S. Main St., as well as kids activities all over downtown.

Bartlett Heritage Days is an all-volunteer nonprofit created and managed by a small committee with the purpose of attracting visitors to downtown Bartlett through two annual festivals: Bartlett Heritage Days in September and the Halloween Fest in October.

For more information and an updated schedule, visit www.bartlettheritagedays.com or Facebook.com.

Here's a look at some of the other activities at the festival:

• Bartlett Park, Oak and North Avenues: Arts and crafts fair, jewelers row and business vendors from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; Bartlett Nature Center animal show from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

• Derango Family Dental, 104 S. Oak Ave.: Inflatable slide and free make-and-take-it crafts from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

• Bartlett Avenue: Pony rides at Associated Bank noon to 4 p.m. Saturday; antique/flea market 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; classic car show, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.

• Depot Museum, 100 W. Railroad Ave.: "Signals, Symbols, & Semaphore: Talking without Speaking" exhibit, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

• Banbury Fair, 211 W. Railroad Ave.: Fashion Show by New to U and Banbury Fair, 6 p.m. Friday; inflatables, DJ, food booths, mechanical bull rides, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; Grupo Folklorico dancers, noon Sunday.

• Fire Barn, 218 S. Main St.: Open house and touch a truck, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

• Bartlett Plaza: Brolin's Scoops & Maddie's Sips with Almost Home Foundation, pet nail trimming, dog grooming, pet photographs, pet adoptions, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.