Battles and Beverages
Mar 23, 2024
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The French and Indian War Society of Lake George and the Fort William Henry Corporation, with the cooperation of the Lake George Battlefield Alliance, are pleased to announce that we will be bringing back the popular March event “Battles and Beverages”. This one-day event will be held on March 23rd, 2024! This event is the first of many that will help to celebrate 70th anniversary of the opening of The Fort William Henry Museum.
There will be three parts to the event.
A Sutlers’ Fair and Reenactor Meet will take place all-day in the Fort William Henry Conference Center. The Fair and Meet will feature sutlers, authentic crafts, and reenactor groups from all historical periods through WWII. It will also include tastings and sales from local craft breweries, wineries, and distilleries.
The second part of the event will be morning and afternoon French and Indian War reenactments on Lake George Battlefield Park. Participants should bring their period snowshoes, should weather require. The Battlefield Visitor’s Center will be open for viewing as well. Reenactment participants, guests, and spectators can then return to the Sutler Fair and Meet to warm up.
In the evening, the event will conclude with a guest speaker. Dr. Steven C. Eames, professor of history, reenactor, and author of the book Rustic Warriors: Warfare and the Provincial Soldier on the New England Frontier, 1689-1748, will address the topic of warfare along Northeastern frontier during the French and Indian Wars. Discounted rooms will be available at the Fort William Henry Hotel for all participants on both Friday and Saturday nights, as well as a 10% food discount at Fort William Henry Hotel restaurants for any reenactor and sutler in historical uniform/clothing
Fort William Henry was built in 1755 by American provincial forces during the French and Indian War. It protected the northern end of what Natives called "The Great Carry", the sixteen-mile portage between the Hudson River and Lake George. As such, it commanded a key junction along a water corridor that stretched from New York City to Montreal. This corridor would be a pathway of communication and conflict for centuries. Fort William Henry would be attacked twice, falling only after a lengthy siege in 1757. Following the surrender, the British and colonial forces would endure what became known as the "massacre at Fort William Henry". Fury over this event would spur new efforts by the British and their colonies to defeat the French in North America once and for all, which they would achieve just two and a half years later. These events and this location would also inspire James Fenimore Cooper to write The Last of the Mohicans. Although the fort itself was destroyed, the pathway could continue to serve in times of war, as cannon from nearby Ticonderoga passed the fort's ruins on their way to help George Washington expel the British from Boston in 1776. After extensive archeological work during the 1950's, the fort was rebuilt on the original site, using the original plans. It is open from the end of April through October, seven days a week.
Lake George NY Attraction: The Fort William Henry Historical Fortress & Museum (fwhmuseum.com)
PLEASE NOTE: The Battles and Beverages is not organized by Milsurpia. Milsurpia is an event directory. All questions pertaining to the event should be directed to the venue or organizer
Mark your calendars today so you don't miss the next Battles and Beverages in Lake George, New York in March
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