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Start Date
Saturday, October 21, 2023
End Date
Sunday, October 22, 2023
Title
2023 Fort Massac Encampment
Description
The popular Fort Massac Encampment, which has drawn thousands of visitors to southern Illinois every fall for nearly 50 years, will return to Fort Massac State Park in Metropolis Oct. 21 and 22.
Since 1974, the encampment festival has provided visitors with a chance to experience what life was like at Fort Massac during the 18th and early 19th centuries. The fort served as a frontier outpost along the Ohio River for personnel from France, Britain, and the early years of the United States from 1757 to 1814.
Event times are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21 and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 22.
Hundreds of military re-enactors and other participants wearing period clothing will present the roles of explorers, traders, settlers and soldiers on the early Illinois frontier. The encampment features an opening "Posting of the Colours" ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Both afternoons, mock military battles and tactical demonstrations will be performed by re-enactors on the Fort Massac grounds beginning at 3 p.m. A military retreat ceremony will close the event at 5 p.m. Saturday and at 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
Family and children's activities, musical entertainment, and period craft makers demonstrating blacksmithing, basket-making, weaving, and other skills will be staged throughout the encampment grounds.
Food and drink from dozens of vendors will be available for purchase. Options include such popular items as burgoo, barbecue, chili, stew, chicken and dumplings, ham and beans, apple crisp, sausage and kraut, burgers, homemade root beer and lots more.
Admission is free. Parking is available at the Old Fairgrounds adjacent to the park. Trams will be available. Fort Massac State Park is closed to public vehicle traffic during festival hours.
Event Type
Family Event, Festival, Historic Site, History, Outdoor Event, Reenactment, State Parks
DNR Region
Southern IL
DNR Park
Fort Massac State Park
Address
1308 E. Fifth St.
City
Metropolis
State
IL
Zip
62960
Map