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Sunday, October 4, 2009

BOOM!! BOOM!! BANG!!

Those will be frequent sounds in Marianna this weekend as the Re-enactment of the Battle Of Marianna begins!

By Sid Riley

It begins Friday morning with “Living History” demonstrations for area school children at the Civil War encampment at Citizens Lodge Park. These are open to the public Friday afternoon. At 4:00 the soldiers will put on a drill demonstration followed by a cannonade. Musical entertainment will be on the stage Friday evening, and vendors will be there selling a wide variety of products and food.

The real action starts Saturday morning at 9:00 A.M. with a special ceremony with historical characters as the Confederate Monument Memorial Ceremony is conducted. Then strike up the bands and watch the Marianna Day Parade. Immediately behind the parade the war starts!

Beginning at the point of first conflict between the valiant “Home Guard” and the invading Yankee forces coming from the West, at Ely Corner in front of the Russ House, the battle will progress down Lafayette to the Episcopal Church where the major battle occurred, ending with the burning of the church. Finally, in a holding action, another conflict occurred on the lawn of the old court house, in order to give the fleeing ruminants of the Home Guard time to escape across the Chipola River Bridge.

After the downtown events have ended, the crowd will move out to Citizens Lodge Park for the Marianna Day Bluegrass Festival. Locally produced arts and crafts will be on display and for sale in the Lodge, vendors will be selling a wide variety of unusual bargains and food vendors will be making the entire valley smell like a delicious kitchen. The soldiers will be doing their routines at their encampment, and five well known Blue Grass Bands have been escorted into town to entertain the crowd from noon until late that evening.

It will be a great weekend, filled with history, local culture, great music, great food, excitement, and fun! Be There! Friday’s events are free. Saturday there is a $3.00 per person charge. Off site parking and shuttle service will be used when the main lot fills.

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