Re-enactors invade Fort George
The sound of cannons and gunfire rang through Fort George in during the weekend, more than 200 years since the last battles were fought at the historic Niagara-on-the-Lake landmark.
Parks Canada teamed up with the Lincoln and Welland Regimental Museum for a demonstration of Canada’s military heritage over the past 200 years, dating back to 1812.
“Re-enactors came out in droves,” said Peter Martin, Parks Canada special events co-ordinator, shortly after a crowd of hundreds of spectators watched a battle from the Second World War take place before them.
Although Martin said the Echoes of Niagara’s Past event has been an annual feature at the fort, he said it grew substantially this year as Canada celebrates 150 years of history.
“We’ve had a lot more people coming through, a lot more visitors for the 150th anniversary,” said Martin, dressed in a wool uniform Sunday from the First World War.
In addition to the growing collection of historic military vehicles from the Lincoln and Welland Regimental Museum and 1812 artifacts normally displayed at the fort, Martin said many of the meticulously restored military vehicles and tanks that were part of the displays and demonstrations were part of private collections of members of the Niagara Military Vehicle Association.
“They have a lot of vehicles as well, and this is the first time they showed up,” he said. “We have tons of vehicles.”
Lincoln and Welland Regimental Museum manager Drew Neufeld said Echoes of Niagara’s Past has grown significantly in the years since it began, to become the regiment’s largest event.
“It allows us to bring out the vast majority of our larger pieces to showcase them,” he said. “Our collection is constantly developing and getting bigger so we’re able to bring out new things.”
Neufeld attributed the extend of the museum’s collection to the volunteers, describing them as “the best out there.”
“They’ve done some great work restoring these vehicles, and a lot of them are done in record time. If it weren’t for them, we wouldn’t be able to do this now.”
Steve Torok, the regimental museum’s education co-ordinator, said the event fits in “perfectly with the museum’s mandate — to educate, to remember and to preserve our military heritage.”
“This really promotes our educational programs because it brings what you’d traditionally see static in a museum, not only outside of that structure, but it brings it to life,” he said.