Grab the Kids and Some Powdered Wigs for the Brookeville Bicentennial Celebration

Here’s a chance for you and your family to relive (and possibly participate in) a key part of our nation’s history!  For two days in 1814, President James Madison and several other Washingtonians took refuge in the town of Brookeville, MD when the British occupied the capital during the War of 1812. In doing so, Brookeville stamped its name in history as the nation’s “Capital for a Day.”

To commemorate the 200^th anniversary of Brookeville MD’s role in the War of 1812, the town is hosting a yearlong bicentennial celebration that will include several events throughout 2014 including presentations at Montgomery County History Day, a children’s play, musical performances, and a re-enactment.  If you and your family are looking for a fun and educational excursion, grab the kids and some powdered wigs and head down to Brookeville for some of the special events:

• On Saturday August 30^th, there will be a full re-enactment of the events that took place during the two historic days in Brookeville in August of 1814 with living historians playing the roles of local scientists, engineers, teachers, tradesmen, and craftspeople and re-creating the arrival of President Madison guarded by 20 mounted militiamen. On Saturday evening, the town will welcome visitors with a period dinner and musical entertainment.

• On Sunday August 31^st, there will be Brookeville Bicentennial Reunion dinner at the Longwood Community Center for descendants of those townspeople and refugees who were there in 1814.

If you hurry, you and the family can even volunteer to participate in the re-enactment!  For more details on the Brookeville Bicentennial Celebration, please visit here.