Don’t miss this historic event with a wide variety of living history demonstrations, exhibits, and engaging activities that reenact the Civil War in the spring of 1863. The fourth “Rally for Norlands” Civil War Reenactment weekend of June 8-9 at the Washburn-Norlands Living History Center in Livermore is organized by the 3rd Maine Company A and 15th Alabama Company G to benefit the Norlands, Maine’s oldest living history farm and museum.

The 445 acres of rolling hills surrounding the historic Washburn mansion, gothic library, meeting house, cape house, sap-house, and one-room schoolhouse make Norlands an ideal place to experience the battles once fought in similar communities to the south and the impact of war on the families who remained on the rural home front.

Visitors to the Civil War reenactment will become engaged in the lives of soldiers and civilians. Close to 200 living historians will be camped on the grounds for the weekend. Living historians interpreting Confederate and Union Infantry will scrimmage with replica weaponry. The 6th Maine Battery will be on hand to fire their Parrott Rifle/cannon.

A battle will be staged each day on the hay fields of the Norlands. The two-day event also includes a battle surgeon demonstration, farm-life living history in the Norlands mansion, farmer’s cottage and one-room schoolhouse, hands-on activities in the military and civilian camps, guided tours of the 1867 Washburn mansion, dress-up tent with Civil War clothing, wagon rides, blacksmithing, exhibits and demonstrations of traditional crafts. Also, a Victorian fashion show, special programs on the Washburns and Livermore Civil War soldiers, an organ concert and sermon in the 1828 Meeting House, a scavenger hunt, campfire cooking, musket firing demonstrations, and more in the Confederate and Union camps and on the homefront at the Norlands’ museum.

A pig roast and bean supper and gala contra dance featuring the sounds of The Racket Factory round out the activities on Saturday night. The contra dance begins at 7 p.m. Don’t miss the lively dance with twirling hoop skirts and uniformed reenactors. Admission to the dance is free. There is a separate charge for supper.

Gates open at 9 a.m. daily. Daily rate is $9 for adults; $6 for children under age 12. Discounted weekend pass $16 for adults; $10 for children under age 12. Tickets for the pig roast are $13/$7 for children under age 6. Limited seating for supper.

Call 207-897-4366 for advance admission or supper tickets. Watch for developing details and schedule of activities on the Norlands’ website at www.norlands.org. The Norlands is just 90 minutes from Portland; 45 minutes from Augusta or three hours from Boston.

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