BOOM! The sound of a canon echoes through the entire forest preserve. This is the soundscape of a dying hobby.
There is a wide variety of hobbies and activities for people to immerse themselves in; from relaxing puzzles to adrenaline-pumped marathons, there is something for everyone to enjoy. An incredibly niche yet fascinating hobby that occupies the minds of the most dedicated history nerds is historical reenacting. Reenacting is where people of all backgrounds come together in order to portray periods of time in history and do so by collecting artifacts from that period to enhance the public’s education and their performance.
Approximately, 100 events take place around the country throughout the year. The time period most often portrayed is World War II. The people who represent soldiers, civilians, and everything in between are known as reenactors.
Reenactors pride themselves of their impressions, or who they portray, and how accurate they are. All the uniforms, tents and items are funded by the reenactor themselves. Most people in the hobby spend not only money but huge amounts of time researching who they are portraying and how to most accurately educate the public on them.
I am a part of one of these units, composed of young women who portray and educate the public on the role of army nurses during WWII. We attend events around the midwest, mainly in Wisconsin and Illinois, from the months of April to September. My unit specifically focuses on the women who were a part of the 45th Evacuation Hospital during the war. They were all over Europe but served in the Battle of the Bulge and the D-day invasion.
A typical reenactment, for me, starts on Thursday night when all the reenactors attending the event arrive on site to set up. Women will roll their hair in intricate designs and most men will take this time to meet as units to create a plan.
Friday starts bright and early for most, as everything needs to be perfect for the school kids who arrive about 8:30 A.M. in the morning. Reenactors spend all day educating elementary, middle, and high school age children about who they are portraying and the significance they played during the war. Meals are typically made over a campfire or an original stove although some may choose to fully immerse themselves and eat rations.
Saturday morning starts at the same time and the day goes very similarly to the one before. They are typically when the battle scenarios happen so more people from the public tend to come visit the event. To finish off the weekend, on Sunday there is a smaller lineup of battles and the event ends around 2 PM.
This hobby is all encompassing and can be greatly beneficial. You meet so many people from all over the country by attending events. One of the best parts is being able to talk to veterans and hear their stories and how grateful they are for us keeping the history alive.
If you are interested in attending an event or even potentially becoming a reenactor, Lockport holds an event every year in September at Dellwood Park. There is no official date at this time but be on the lookout for the weekend of the event on the park district’s website. Don’t be scared to talk to the reenactors, we love shooting the breeze with the public and sharing all the knowledge we have gathered through hours of research!
