Elgin history comes to life this weekend with 35th Bluff City Cemetery walk
From a former Rockford Peach to a 45-year police veteran, historical figures from Elgin's past will come alive this weekend during the 35th Bluff City Cemetery Walk in Elgin.
Like last year, the Elgin History Museum-sponsored event will take place over two days, with performances for the 70-minute tours starting at 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Co-chairs Rudy and Lillian Galfi said the switch to having two days of performances was a hit last year.
“Last year was really excellent,” Rudy Galfi said. “We've found a template that works really well to make for the best possible experience for our guests.”
The cemetery, which has been the final resting place for Elgin-area residents since 1889, will serve as the backdrop for seven performances this year.
Galfi said they've upped their game in the last couple of years by using professional actors and writers.
“With professional scripts and the caliber of actors this year, it is just going to be far superior than we have had in past years,” he said.
Actors in period costumes will share stories about historic residents from the Elgin area, including Charlene “Barney” Barnett, an Elgin High School graduate who played in the All-American Girls Baseball League, and Louis Freeman, a 45-year veteran of the Elgin Police Department.
Tickets are available for $15 at brownpapertickets.com/event/5503930.
Visitors will choose which showtime they wish to attend. There will be a shotgun start of seven groups — one at each presentation. A recorded version of the event will be available online starting Oct. 2 for one month for the same $15 ticket price.
Knowing that their demographic skews older, organizers have added a 20-person tram that can help people with mobility issues experience the walk.
“We have many people who have been coming for years and may not be able to walk anymore,” Galfi said.
Anyone interested in reserving a spot on the tram should call the Elgin History Museum at (847) 742-4248.
“We've got some die-hard fans,” Galfi said, no pun intended. “People come for the history, but they also want to be entertained. I think the guests will definitely be entertained by the walk this year.”