Victorian Days in Grand Ledge

Additional Information

You are invited to take a stroll back in time with us. Come get a feel for what life was like in Grand Ledge in the Victorian Era. Saturday, May 2 from 10:00 AM until 11:00 PM and Sunday, May 3 from 11:00 PM until 5:00 PM.

Both days:
• the Grand Ledge Historical Museum will be open from noon until 5:00 featuring the theme "Farm to Table".
• river boat rides (loading on the hour at the boat dock on Island Park) for a fee of $8.00 per adult and $3.00 per child
• carriage rides (loading on River Street, beside Ledge Craft Lane) from noon until 5:00 pm for a fee of $5.00 per person.

Saturday:
Begins with a Civil War “Firing Squad” 10:00am and ends with a Grand Victorian Ball at the Opera House from 7:00 pm to 11:00 pm. Many businesses will have specials in their stores. We encourage everyone to visit the shops. Pick up a copy of our newspaper, the ‘Gazeeater’, and the Event flyer at various shops around town for more complete information of the when and where for each event.

From 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM:
• Quilt show will be in the terrace level at the Opera House
• Period craft demonstrations and activities including spinning, weaving, blacksmithing, and a Victorian General Store; a replica 1899 Curved Dash Oldsmobile and a 1903 Pie Wagon: mMusic, drama and food at Bridge Street Plaza.
• Plant exchange - you are invited to bring plants, bulbs and seeds from the spring cleaning of your garden (please label them!) for a plant exchange.
• Civil War units (representing both the Confederate and Union armies, as well as civilians) will be camped at Island Park in the heart of downtown Grand Ledge.

Just for the youngsters:
11:00 AM till noon - kite flying and other games on the commons at the Grand Ledge Opera House
11:00 till 2:00 - make a May basket at Ledge Craft Lane
11:00 AM - Grand Ledge Public Library presents a “Frozen” tea party
Noon - Maypole Dance
3:00 till 4:00 - make Victorian head pieces or moustaches
4:00 - Maypole Dance

School-aged youngsters are invited to sew a Victorian outfit to fit an 18" doll and bring it to Ledge Craft Lane between Wednesday, 29 April and Friday, 1 May, from 10am – 5pm. Awards will be given at 2:30 on Saturday (location to be announced!).

For kids of all ages:
• Noon - witness an 1860s Rules Base Ball game at Fitzgerald Field
• 1:00 PM - A High Tea is offered in the ball room at the Opera House
• 11:00 till 1:30 - A Chautauqua Assembly in the Gazebo on Island Park. Scheduled topics and speakers are:
• The Language of Flowers (a Victorian Tapestry), by Mrs. Cindy Langenburg
• Johnny Clem: The Drummer Boy of Chickamauga, by Mr. Dorian Dye
• A portrayal of Michigan’s first governor and a talk on policy & politics of the day with a twist of humour, by Mr. Joseph Schmidt
• Undergarments worn by the Victorian lady, by Sylvania Dye
• a group presentation comparing elements of Victorian culture, by Aimee Chauvin, Destanie and Allison Perkins, and Olivia O'Keefe
• 2:00 PM - A Civil War skirmish for control of the Island Bridge
• 2:45 PM - A Moustache contest will be held in the gazebo on Island Park (registration begins at 2:00)
• 4:00 PM - A Gilbert & Sullivan Sing-a-Long at Trinity Episcopal church
• 7:00 PM - A Grand Victorian Ball will commence in the ballroom at the Grand Ledge Opera House. The cost is $30.00 per person.

Civil War Sunday features:
• Muster & Encampments including members from
• the 8th Arkansas & 22nd Michigan
• the 12th South Carolina & 4th Michigan
• the 102nd USCT Co. B
• the 15th Michigan
• the 21s Michigan
• several civilian reenactors
• The Emerald Peacock Civil War Saloon
• Demonstrations by Civil War artisans & craftsmen
• Guided walking tours of the encampment during which you can experience the daily life of soldiers and vignettes of the Civil War experience.
• 1:30 PM - A skirmish between "the North and the South" for control of the Island Park bridge
• 2:30 PM - A Chautauqua Assembly in the Gazebo. Scheduled presentations are “Threads of Honor: Civil War History Lives”. These are a series of brief stories of soldiers who actually lived in the Grand Ledge area.
• Hovey Campbell - who served with the 4th Michigan Infantry
• Edwin Orastus (EO) Russell - who served as an enlistment officer under Governor Bair before joining Company D of the 7th Michigan Infantry
• John E. Simpson - who enlisted in Ionia in Dec. ’61 as a Private in Co. I, 1st Berdans U.S. Sharp Shooters then reenlisted in June of ‘63 with Co. M, 7th Michigan Cavalry as a sergeant.
• Benjamin Hulce who served with 7th Michigan Calvary
• Women During the War: sketches based on:
• Emma Edmonds (solider/spy/ author from MI)
• Clara Barton (Union nurse, founder of Red Cross)
• Rose O'Neal Greenhow (aka "Wild Rose," Washington socialite/ Confederate Spy)
• Sally Lousia Tompkins ( Nurse, humanitarian, only woman officially commissioned by Confederacy)
• The Presidents Debate: Lincoln -v- Davis. Serious but with plenty of the legendary and humor thrown in.
• 4:00 PM - A firing demonstration

Please visit our Web site: www.victoriandays.org or our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/VictorianDays for more complete details of each scheduled event.