Fort Ligonier Days back in force with parade, period reenactments, spirits and wine tasting

Fort Ligonier Days returns this weekend with a full schedule of activities including a parade Saturday, craft and food booths, musical entertainment and battle reenactments.

The nonprofit organization that operates the festival in Ligonier expects the annual event to rebound after pandemic restrictions resulted in last year’s scaled-back version — which offered virtual features but lacked the parade.

“We’re preparing for very good crowds,” Chairman Jack McDowell said. “The town will be full.”

Food and craft booths will be open at several locations in town from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Parade highlights

The parade along Ligonier’s Main Street begins at 11 a.m. Saturday. The pandemic affected planning, so the procession includes just four floats. There won’t be any college marching bands.

“We have great high school bands that are coming from Pennsylvania, and two from West Virginia,” parade chairman Tom Stablein said.

One of the more unusual parade units will be an Ohio-based Rocket Car. The 28-foot-long vehicle is based on a swinging rocket ship amusement ride similar to the one that used to allow patrons to soar above Idlewild Park.

Sporting polished stainless steel panels, the rocket body from Cleveland’s closed Euclid Beach Amusement Park has been fitted on a Toronado sub-frame and equipped with a modified Oldsmobile engine. It has appeared in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade.

One of the country’s top show dogs, hailing from the Ligonier area, will have his day on Saturday. Golden retriever Daniel will appear as this year’s parade marshal.

Daniel, who took home Best in Breed and Best Sporting Dog titles at the 2020 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, is the first civilian canine to serve as grand marshal of the Ligonier parade. Police dog Blek, of the former Ligonier Township Police Department, was the marshal in 2015.

Now 7, Daniel recently retired from competition after racking up his 21st Best in Show title last fall.

“He’s won everything he possibly could win, so he’s enjoying his time off now,” said his owner, Tammy Tomlinson. “I think Ligonier is very proud of Daniel. I find it to be a great honor that they would consider having him as a grand marshal.”

Look for the prize-winning pooch to cruise down Main Street in a convertible and then hang out at the judges’ viewing stand.

Tomlinson collaborated on a children’s book, “Daniel, the Golden Retriever,” inspired by her dog’s experiences at the Westminster show. It’s slated for release in January, with sales benefiting some local pet rescue organizations. It can be preordered through Barnes & Noble, Tomlinson said.

Wine, beer, spirits featured

This year’s festival will feature a wine-tasting area on the lawn of Thistledown at Seger House, at West Main and Dice streets.

New is a designated area for tasting and purchase of distilled spirits and beer, at the Mellon Park craft lot at West Main and Walnut streets.

McDowell noted the borough has a strict open container law. “We’ll be watching it very closely. When it’s brand new, the first year is a trial.”

Walnut Street will be closed to traffic. Mutual Aid Ambulance Service will have a first aid station in the basement of Heritage United Methodist Church at the town’s central Diamond intersection.

Backpacks and pets are prohibited.

Mock battle set at fort

Fort Ligonier, the re-created 18th century British fort that gave rise to the town, will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. all three days of the festival.

Period reenactors will be encamped at the fort Saturday and Sunday, offering living history activities. At 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. Saturday, and at 1 and 3 p.m. Sunday, they will take part in artillery demonstrations and a reenactment of the battle the festival commemorates. On Oct. 12, 1758, British forces defended the unfinished fort against an attack by the French and Native Americans.

This year’s reenactment will more closely follow the original battle scenario, according to Julie Donovan, Fort Ligonier’s director of marketing and public relations.

“The British (reenactors) will be in the upper fort, and the French will be in the lower fort and will try to break through,” she said. “Visitors can decide if they want to watch from the British side or the French side.”

Regular admission fees apply for the fort, its related museum and the reenactments, Donovan noted. Face coverings are recommended while inside the museum.

On the museum’s front lawn, reenactor and chef Justin Cherry will use clay ovens to bake bread using a recipe from the Colonial era.

Music, races slated

Live music will be performed throughout the weekend at the Diamond bandstand and the wine-tasting area. Ligonier merchants will feature sidewalk sales.

Parking, with free shuttle service, will be available at Ligonier Valley High School on Springer Road and at Laurel Valley Golf Club on Route 711 south of town. Shuttles also will travel among craft areas.

A Fort Days 5K Walk and Run will begin at 8:30 a.m. Sunday at the high school. A Cannonball Dash for kids ages 3-6 starts at 9:30 a.m. In-person race registration is available at the high school, from 5 to 6 p.m. Friday or beginning at 7 a.m. Sunday.

Visit fortligonierdays.com for a complete schedule and festival map.