Battle of Pea Ridge Civil War Heritage Festival

The Third Annual Battle of Pea Ridge Civil War Heritage Festival will be held June 12 - 13, 2009. The Festival begins Friday, June 12, at 6:30 p.m. with the “Civil War Soldier’s Dream Supper” reception and banquet at the Clarion Hotel and Convention Center, Bentonville, Arkansas. Banquet entertainment will be provided by Jonathan Storey at piano with a violin accompanying, tableaux by the Washington County Historical Society, and a special arrival by “Sessie” – Ms. Sesquicentennial.  Tickets for the Dream Supper are $45/person or $350 for a table of 8. War Eagle Mill is a sponsor of the banquet and will cater the event.
 

On Saturday, June 13, period events, demonstrations and lectures will be held at Pea Ridge National Military Park. This year’s festival is entitled, “Pea Ridge on the Home Front.” Activities for the festival include: period music by Gum Springs Serenaders, a coverlet program, demonstrations by spinners, weavers, blacksmith and farrier, an available lunch at Elkhorn Tavern provided by War Eagle Mill, and a period photographer on-site.  Speakers for the festival include Tom Dillard from the University of Arkansas Special Collections presenting a lecture on civilian life before and during the Battle at Pea Ridge, Caroline Wallingford from the National Park Service presenting a workshop on archival preservation and Monte Harris from the Rogers Historical Museum with Civil War coverlets.  Admission to the park for the June 13 festival is $5 per car for the day’s events. Additional sponsors of the two-day event are KFSM, Channel 5 television, Bentonville Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the NWA Times/Arkansas Democrat Gazette. Sponsorships are available from levels of $100 to $25,000.
 
The Pea Ridge National Military Park is a 4,300 acre park located in Northwest Arkansas. The Park honors and commemorates the 26,000 soldiers who fought here on March 7 & 8, 1862. The sesquicentennial anniversary of the Battle of Pea Ridge is quickly approaching. The Pea Ridge National Military Park Foundation is commemorating the 150th anniversary with a series of Civil War Heritage Festivals to raise awareness about the park and raise funds to acquire the Andy Thomas collection of Pea Ridge Battle oil paintings.
 
The Park is easily accessible by car and the entrance is about 30 minutes from Interstate 540 (Exit 86 and travel east via U.S. Hwy 62) and is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. year round The $5.00 per vehicle permit is all that is required for entrance to the June 13 events and is for all non-commercial visitors. Additional information on this community event can be found on the Foundation website at www.pearidgefoundation.com.
 
The Foundation is working to improve the public’s experience at the Park and to raise community and national awareness. While visiting the Festival visitors can view “Thunder in the Ozarks,” a 30-minute film shown in the Park Visitors Center. The interpretive film recounts the battle and serves as a prelude to exploring the park.  The Foundation is raising funds to obtain 10 original oil paintings by Andy Thomas depicting the Battle of Pea Ridge which will be given to Pea Ridge National Military Park.  In 2008, digital versions of these paintings were incorporated into interpretive panels positioned throughout the park significantly improving visitors’ understanding of the battle.  These panels are one-of-a-kind interpretive Civil War exhibits and the first of their type west of the Mississippi.
 
For more information, tickets, or to sponsor the Festival, call Gene Williams at 479.903.6334 or contact the Foundation at PeaRidgeFoundation@gmail.com.

 

Current Festival Sponsors
Tom C. Morris III, P.A. (Bugler), Eugene Williams (Brigade) and McClelland Consulting Engineers, Inc. (Sentry)