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Ottawa Military Show takes visitors back in time · Illinois Valley - Shaw Local

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  Speaker 1: Ottawa Military Show takes visitors back in time. Written by
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  Speaker 1: Matthias Werner, this article is being read by an automated
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  Speaker 1: voice brought to you by Everlett. In the past, they
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  Speaker 1: were found on the beaches and on the landing grounds,
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  Speaker 1: and this weekend they fought in the fields and streets
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  Speaker 1: near Ottawa as the seventh annual Ottawa Military Show took
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  Speaker 1: attendees back in time. War reenactors from across the Midwest
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  Speaker 1: converged in northern Ottawa to battle, educate, and exhibit an
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  Speaker 1: authentic World War II experience. For a lot of us,
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  Speaker 1: it's about family ties or interest with World War II.
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  Speaker 1: Reenactor Teelor Smith said it's great to be able to
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  Speaker 1: provide historical information and education in a fun way like this.
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  Speaker 1: While they participated in different events and aren't part of
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  Speaker 1: a single group, all of the reenactors are members of
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  Speaker 1: the Living History Reenactment Association. Period accurate uniforms, weapons, equipment,
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  Speaker 1: communications and language place spectators in World War II during
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  Speaker 1: field and town battles. Reenactors in camp answered questions from
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  Speaker 1: visitors while recreating what an Allied or Axis military camp
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  Speaker 1: from the period might have looked like. Details down to
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  Speaker 1: the reenactors, morning cuisine and cooking utensils gave visitors the
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  Speaker 1: impression that they had stepped into the past. Various vendor
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  Speaker 1: stands featured original and refurbished artifacts from wars of the past,
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  Speaker 1: dating back to World War I. Authenticity runs throughout the
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  Speaker 1: military show experience. The makeshift village built for the street
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  Speaker 1: fighting demonstration included authentic or refurbished items to bring places
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  Speaker 1: like a bank, gas station, bookstore, and post offices to life.
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  Speaker 1: I think this just shows that people have a love
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  Speaker 1: and fascination for World War II, Smith said. The battles
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  Speaker 1: are held within a safety script, where reenactors operate within
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  Speaker 1: a framework while traying a World War II battle. The
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  Speaker 1: kids love the tanks and the jeeps, so we can
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  Speaker 1: give them rides and answer all their questions. Reenactor Joshua
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  Speaker 1: Hudson said, for some of these shows, we get into
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  Speaker 1: the darker elements of war that aren't suitable for kids.
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  Speaker 1: Saturday's other events featured a convoy of military vehicles taking
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  Speaker 1: visitors through downtown Ottawa. While the different groups of reenactors
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  Speaker 1: that come together typically have a set of tools and
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  Speaker 1: equipment that pigeonhole them into one unit from one country.
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  Speaker 1: There is freedom to switch and try different roles out
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  Speaker 1: if there are enough participants, Hudson said. Over the weekend,
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  Speaker 1: Hudson stayed with his main Ukrainian group, a cast of
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  Speaker 1: characters that he said were like a family to him.
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  Speaker 1: Regiments representing six different countries combined in the war efforts,
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  Speaker 1: giving spectators a glimpse into the rear view mirror of history.