History comes alive at the Fort Jennings Park during Fort Fest. Come down to tour our timeline of encampments (1812 through Vietnam). We welcome new and familiar faces year after year to our historic banks of the Auglaize River. Cannon and musket fire will light fill the air throughout the weekend!
Our 1812 encampment features reenactors from Colonel William Jennings’ 2nd Regiment of Kentucky Volunteer Militia and the 1st U.S. Light Artillery. We also have representation from the White River Guard, 5th Indiana Volunteer Rifles, and Davis’ Rangers.
Our Civil War encampment is represented by the 12th Georgia Circle D Rangers. We will have representation for both WW1 and WW2 encampments as well as military vehicle displays.
We welcome back the Vietnam Living History Groups of the 1967-1970 Wolfhounds and Black Lions. The Wolfhounds are made up of handpicked individuals from Michigan, Indiana, and Wisconsin, portraying the 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, Charlie Company. The Black Lions portray the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division. These groups will be joined by the American Huey 369 organization and membership flights are available to the public.
Other attractions for this year’s event includes the weekend kick off as hundreds of motorcycles escort the final pieces of our military displays at 5:00 on Friday. The Tunnel to Towers 9/11 NEVER FORGET Mobile Exhibit, featuring retired FDNY Firefighters from ground zero in NYC. The high-tech 83-foot tractor-trailer unfolds and transforms into an 1100 square foot exhibit with World Trade Center steel, aluminum façade from the buildings, radio transmissions from first responders, and items found int he rubble after the Twin Towers collapsed. We will be hosting a classic car show, craft beer and wine event, live entertainment, a golf cart poker run, 30 gun raffle, kids fun zone, and live duck races.