W3R-NJ March to Yorktown Day 2024
W3R-NJ
The Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route New Jersey (W3R-NJ) announces Annual March to Yorktown Day Commemoration & Encampment Festival in Westfield, NJ on Sunday, August 18th from 11:30 – 4:00 pm in Mindowaskin Park. The event is dedicated to the 1st Squadron, 102ndCavalry from Westfield currently serving in Syria.
The event will kick off at 11:30 with an opportunity to meet living historians and listen to patriotic music and follow at 12 noon with an opening ceremony at Mindowaskin Park on Mountain Ave. There, remarks by Westfield Mayor Shelley Brindle, State Senator Jon Bramnick, New Jersey State Society Daughters of the American Revolution State Regent, Diane Waugh Oliver West Fields Chapter Sons of the American Revolution President, Jay Hershey and others will talk about the importance of Westfield commemorating when the French and Continental troops marched from Newport, Rhode Island to Yorktown, VA (an almost 700 mile, nine state, land and water journey) in the summer of 1781 taking them through Westfield on August 29, 1781. The route is designated as the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail, which is administered by the National Park Service.
At 12:30, the community is invited to watch or join-in the symbolic march re-enactment into an Mindowaskin Park accompanied by the Generals Rochambeau, Washington and Major General Chastellux and General Lafayette, the New Jersey Sons of the American Revolution Color Guard, the Daughters of the American Revolution, the New Jersey Fifes and Drums, the 2nd Regiment Light Dragoons with horses, the Miller-Cory Museum colonial living history group and New Jersey Militia Heard’s Brigade.
From 1:00 to 4:00, a history themed festival will be set up in Mindowaskin Park with children’s’ games, musket firing, military drill on horseback and history items and information provided by local history organizations such as the Forgotten Victory Trail Association, Miller-Cory House Museum, Princeton Battlefield Society, Union Township Historical Society, Chatham Historical Society, Westfield Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution and the Washington Association of New Jersey had informational tables set up and interacted with the public to share information, sell history books and engage new members. An encampment with tents, cooking demonstrations, fife and drum music, musket firing and marching drills will occur during the festival. Food trucks will be available for food and drink purchases.
This event was made possible by support from the Mayor Shelley Brindle, the Town Council, the Town of Westfield, a grant from the Union County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs, The Westfield Inn, Chez Catherine, the West Fields Chapter SAR, the Westfield Chapter DAR, the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route Association, New Jersey (W3R-NJ), the National Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route Association (W3R-US) and the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail, administered by the National Parks Service.
For more information email info@W3R-NJ.org. Visit w3r-nj.org.
