Gettysburg re-enactments: What you need to know
The historic Battle of Gettysburg will be brought to life once again.
Re-enactments of the battle are slated for the first few days of July to commemorate the anniversary of the infamous Civil War clash.
Gettysburg National Military Park and the Gettysburg Anniversary Committee plan to hold events from July 1 to July 3 — exactly 153 years after the battle — for an annual remembrance.
Gettysburg National Military Park
Gettysburg National Military Park will feature battle walks that will “follow the battle action, moment-by-moment,” according to a news release from the park. These walks will give visitors the opportunity to "see the battlefield from the perspective of the men who actually fought here," said Christopher Gwinn, the acting chief of interpretation at the Gettysburg National Military Park.
Authors, historians and National Park Service rangers will be holding discussions and book signings over the course of the battle anniversary. This will include a new panel event called the Sacred Trust lecture series, which will examine the experience of combat from the Civil War to today.
"It’s a combination of historians but also combat veterans," Gwinn said.
The Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center will also house a “Hands on History” station to showcase original and reproduced artifacts from the Battle of Gettysburg, among other programs.
The festivities will additionally include campfire programs at Pitzer Woods on July 2 and 3 with hour-long presentations, “offering unique perspectives on the events of 153 years ago,” according to the news release.
The anniversary is a treat for visitors, who get the chance to connect with history, and the staff, who look forward to interacting with attendees every year, Gwinn said.
"I think there’s something inherently powerful about being on the battlefield where the battle happened," he said.
Gettysburg National Military Park events
What: Battle of Gettysburg Anniversary
Where: Gettysburg National Military Park
When: July 1 through July 3
Cost: Free to the public
For more information, visit www.nps.gov/
Gettysburg Re-enactments
The Gettysburg Anniversary Committee’s re-enactments will take place at Yingling Farm overlooking the Round Tops and historic Sachs Mill Covered Bridge adjoining Gettysburg National Military Park.
"This really is an all-day family event," said Adams County Commissioner Randy Phiel, who serves as principal and operations manager for the Gettysburg Anniversary Committee. "Beside the battles, which are great, there’s so much more to see and do."
The packed three-day schedule will include demonstrations of fiery artillery and live mortar fires, re-enactments of famous battles and Gettysburg ghost tales to celebrate the battle's 153rd anniversary. The committee's patriotic and youth activity tents will return this year as well.
Phiel said this year's re-enactments will provide a more intimate setting than some of the bigger events the committee puts on every five years.
"We’re almost a fixture to our summer community," he said.
The re-enactments will include 20 full-size cannons and 80 cavalry, which is impressive for the event's smaller scale, Phiel said.
Phiel also mentioned the living history village and discussions with re-enactors as popular attractions during the anniversary.
"Gettysburg is just an iconic destination for many of our visitors," Phiel added.
Re-enactment events
What: 2016 Battle of Gettysburg Re-enactment
Where: Yingling Farm at 965 Pumping Station Road
When: July 1 through July 3
Cost: Tickets are on sale now. For more information, visit www.gettysburgreenactment.com
Seminary Ridge
The Gettysburg Seminary Ridge Museum will celebrate two anniversaries — the third year since its opening and a remembrance of the battle — on July 1 and 2 with a slew of activities.
On July 1, the museum will host a "Sunset Talk with the Generals" at 7 p.m. This event will feature a discussion from living historians and "generals" of Gettysburg, with plenty of time for questions and answers.
The following day will feature programs, like accounts from soldiers that fought at Seminary Ridge and a narrated re-enactment of the assault at the barricade during the battle, among other planned events.
Seminary Ridge
What: Gettysburg Seminary Ridge Museum anniversary programs
Where: 111 Seminary Ridge in Gettysburg. Most activities will take place at the west side of Seminary Ridge near the museum's parking lot.
When: July 1 and 2.
Cost: Commemorative activities are free and open to the public.