Site Last Updated on

August 4, 2011

Bent’s Old Fort 2011 Schedule of Special Events

Here’s a list of special happenings and doings at Bent’s Old Fort that are coming up in2011.  

 

Trails and Rails Trips:  Come aboard Amtak’s Southwest Chief departing La Junta, Colorado, Mondays and Fridays for an overnight trip to Albuquerque, New, Mexico.  Along the way, volunteers give a narrated  description of the history and countryside through which the train passes.  Seasonal training will take place in April for any new volunteers wishing to become involved with the program.  Contact Program Coordinator Rick Wallner at 719 383 5042 or at rick_wallner@nps.gov

 

Living History Encampment:  This is a multi day training event for teachers and historians and anyone with an interest in history.  Many students of this training go on to participate in special living hisroty events at the fort.  The training program includes classroom instruction as well as hands on living-history training which takes place as you live and work in the fort in your role.  The training program runs from June 1-5, 2011.  For more information you can contact Greg Holt at Greg_Holt@nps.gov or if you know this is something you are interested in an application form can be found here.  Photos from the 2009 Encampment can be found here.  

 

Kid’s Quarters:  This is a one-half day event scheduled for July 9th.  Children ages 7 to 11 work with volunteers to “step back in time” and learn the skills and experience what life was like in the first half of the 1800’s.  Children will experience the life of a trapper, trader, laborer, craftsman, Indian, soldier or other roles.  

 

Santa Fe Trail Encampment:  This is the park’s main living history event, taking place this year September 17-18.  Volunteer living historians will provide interpretations of life along the Santa Fe Trail and at the fort as it was experienced by Army soldiers, Plains Indians, buffalo hunters and the denizens of the fort.  Camps will be set up near the fort and will be open for visitors.  

 

Holiday Celebration:  Fort staff and volunteers provide a glimpse of life beyond the frontier as it was lived at the time of the holidays.  Evening candlelight tours will showcase special holiday activities, while during the day visitors will have a chance to observe everyday life in the fort.  Special activities and demonstrations which will take place during the celebration include wagon rides, games, toy making, taffy pulls and other festivities.  The event commences with candlelight tours Friday evening, December 2,  culminating in another evening of candlelight tours on Saturday, December 3.