Advertisement
This two-day public war re-enactment is back for 2025!Midway Village Museum will host The Great War: World War I, featuring over 200 re-enactors portraying soldiers and civilians from the United States and Europe in the museum’s historic village.
Visitors engage in this unique historic, immersive experience with the opportunity to enter encampments, tour a reproduction 150-yard trench system, and watch narrated battle reenactments.
Re-enactors will be portraying soldiers from the US, Britain, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russia, Greece, Turkey and even Ireland.
Visit encampments and see WWI uniforms, memorabilia, weapons and equipment including:
> a Russian armored car
> a replica WWI era tank
Learn about :
> Camp Grant
> Trench Warfare and tour a replica trench
> Blacksmithing
> Conscientious Objectors
> The American Homefront
> The 1918 Influenza Epidemic
> Knitting Spies
See military skirmishes reenacted! Shop sales vendors of military collectibles, reproductions and books.
Schedule of Events:
Saturday 10am-4pm
10:00 AM Event Opens
11:00 - 11:30 AM Field Battle
11:30 AM - 2:30 PM Trench Tours
11:45 AM - 12:45 PM The 1918 Influenza Pandemic
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM Second City Celebrates the Music of WWI
1:00 PM - 1:20 PM Woods Battle: Camp Grant goes to War
1:30 - 1:50 PM Woods Battle: The Great War on the Eastern Front
2:00 - 3:00 PM Suffragettes during WWI
3:00 - 3:15 PM Suffragette Rally & March
3:00 PM Silent Film Band Arrival
3:30 - 4:00 PM Field Battle
4:00 PM Village Event Closes
4:30 - 6:00 PM Buster Keaton Silent Film Double Feature in the Museum Center (separate admission price)
Sunday 10am-3pm
10:00 AM Event Opens
10:30 - 11:30 AM Suffragettes during WWI
11:30 - 11:45 AM Suffragette Rally & March
12:00 PM – 12:30 PM Field Battle
12:30 - 2:00 PM Trench Tours
12:45 - 1:45 PM The 1918 Influenza Pandemic
1:00 - 2:00 PM Second City Celebrates the Music of WWI
2:00 - 2:20 PM Woods Battle: Camp Grant goes to War
2:30 - 2:50 PM Woods Battle: The Great War on the Eastern Front
3:00 PM Event Closes
Food Vendors:
> Sassy Mac Boys
> Bing’s Food Truck
> Lulu’s Roasted Corn
> Vintage Goose Café
> Pig Mind’s Brewery (Beer only)
Performances (Lectures and Music):
2nd City Chorus Celebrates the Music of WWI (12:00 PM - 1:00 PM Sat. & 1:00 - 2:00 PM Sun.)
Song selection:
> Armed Forces Medley
> Coney Island Baby
> All Outta Step But Jim
> Roses of Picardy
> Over There
> World War I Medley
> You're a Grand Old Flag
> Yankee Doodle Boy
The Influenza Epidemic of 1918-19 at Camp Grant, Illinois presented by Paul Reith, MD (11:45AM -12:45 PM Sat & 12:45-1:45 PM Sun.). In September 1918, the “Spanish Flu” invaded Camp Grant in Rockford, Illinois, causing 10,739 cases and resulting in 1,034 deaths (including 41 caregivers, of whom 7 were nurses). This is the heroic story of how a community and an army training camp worked together to deal with an unforeseen health crisis of epic proportions. Dr. Paul Reith is retired faculty at the UIC College of Medicine in Rockford. He practiced general internal medicine and clinical endocrinology for 20 years at the FW Shappert UIC Clinic in Belvidere, Illinois (now closed), where faculty and students were fortunate to have experienced medical care in a small town and rural environment. His hobby is medical history.
Suffragettes during WWI presented by Cindy Herman (2:00 -3:00 PM Sat., followed by rally and march at 10:30-11:30 AM Sun., followed by rally and march). The history of the Suffragettes and how they impacted WWI. What is a suffragette? Who were they? How did Illinois play a big part to help women get the right to vote? Fashion of a suffragette woman and her accessories.
Special this year:
We are offering tours of our trench system, built to replicate the trenches used throughout Europe in World War I. Trench Tour tickets ($3 ea) are available with pre-ordered tickets and will be for sale at the general admission tent on the day of event. Tours run Saturday from 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM and Sunday 12:30 - 2:00 PM. The last tour will be 20 minutes before the end of that time frame (2:10 Sat and 1:50 Sun).
Also special this year:
Buster Keaton Silent Film Double Feature, accompanied by Professor Sprocket's Traveling Nickelodeon Band. Saturday from 4:00 - 6:00 PM in the museum center (House Opens 4pm, Program Begins @ 4:30pm, End 6pm).
Admission rates for Silent Films (separate from World War I event): $10 for adults, $5 for children & registered adult reenactors, and $3 for registered child reenactors.
Silent Film program: Begin the evening by hearing the Camp Grant March live!
Then watch THE BELL BOY. Buster Keaton and Fatty Arbuckle are a couple of incompetent bell hops working in a hotel. Fatty falls in love with the new manicurist and enlists Buster's help to impress her. The hotel also features a barber shop featuring some unique hair cutting and shaving styles. Meanwhile, robbers are trying to rob the bank next door.
Followed by THE HAUNTED HOUSE. Buster works as a bank teller and is framed for a robbery. He is chased and takes refuge in a vacant house that just happens to be haunted. Hilarious scares ensue until Buster captures the true bank robbers and wins the girl.
Professor Sprocket's Traveling Nickelodeon Band is a group of 15 musicians affiliated with the Rockford Wind Ensemble, and is led by Mark Rose.
Check back to midwayvillage.com regularly as the event date nears for up-to-date features and activities.
Admission tickets can also can be purchased upon arrival to the event. This is a Rain or shine event – no refunds.
Free parking is available. Bags will be checked by security upon event entry. No pets allowed, however service animals are permitted. Only registered re-enactors may wear historic military uniforms.
Vet Tank available for individuals with limited mobility. Call the museum to make a reservation at 815-397-9112.
Questions? Call 815-397-9112.
Advertisement
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
6799 Guilford Road, Rockford, IL, United States, Illinois 61107
Tickets
