When I was a kid, we were lucky enough to be living next door to a World War I veteran. By lucky, I mean that he was more than willing to share his experiences in "The War to End All Wars." I also learned that World War I wasn't the end of wars, as my dad went off to fight World War II.

My neighbor told me about having french fries for the first time, pointing out that "they should have been called Belgian fries, because that's where we got 'em. Nobody offered up anything like that in France!" We talked about trench warfare, gas attacks, artillery battles, and so many other things that fascinated 12 year old me.

World War I was raging one hundred years ago, and since we can't lay hands on a decent time-machine, our best bet to learn more about that period of time is to head over to Midway Village Museum this weekend as they host their 4th annual Great War Event.

According to the release from Midway Village Museum that I'm looking at, this year's event will be bigger and better than ever:

Midway Village Museum will host the 4th annual Great War Event, a World War I military event will feature re-enactors portraying soldiers and civilians from the United States, France, Great Britain, Belgium, Russia, Germany and Austria-Hungary in the museum’s 13-acre Village on the museum grounds. Visitors engage in history with the opportunity to walk near encampments and tour a reproduction three-bunker trench, talk to over 220 re-enactors about life as a soldier, learn about the various military equipment and combat techniques of this war, and watch large-scale narrated battle reenactments.

Plus, they've added some really cool things for 2016:

  • The debut of the Trench Train, a full scale replica called a Tin Turtle and tracks to deliver munitions, supplies, and soldier to the trenches during WWI.  Midway Village Museum will be the exclusive venue to see full scale Trench Train!
  • For the first time at the event, a replica of a FT – 17 French Tank!
  • Large scale WWI model airplane demonstrations and displays
  • Movies from the 1910s shown on original equipment
  • Live musical performers with songs from the 1910s

For more info, call Midway Village Museum at (815)397-9112, or visit their website.

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