April 29, 2024
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Ottawa Military Show set for this weekend

4th annual event features World War II reenactments, parade of military vehicles

By Charlie Ellerbrock
Spectators who attended the Military Show north of Ottawa were able to view a variety of vintage military equipment from many countries Saturday, July 23, 2022, at the Military Show.

The Ottawa Military Show, conducted at 3277 E. 18th Road, will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday and is free of charge. Donations to help defer the costs would be appreciated by organizers. (Tom Sistak for Shaw Media)

There will be an opportunity this weekend to catch a glimpse into a major part of what made “America’s Greatest Generation” so great.

The fourth annual Ottawa Military Show will feature World War II reenactments complete with soldiers from both sides of the conflict in Europe, vintage military vehicles and encampments, convoys of those machines, and displays from other war eras. It will take place on Saturday and Sunday just north of Ottawa.

The show, conducted at 3277 E. 18th Road in Ottawa, will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday and is free of charge. Donations to help defer the costs would be appreciated by organizers.

“We’re going to have a lot of excitement here,” said event organizer John Krug. “We’ll have a lot of reenactors and military vehicles, vendors selling military memorabilia, and food vendors, too … We’re very excited about this.”

Nearly 70 reenactors, many of whom are either veterans or even active duty military personnel, have volunteered to take part in mock battles. A tactical convoy battle will be at 11 a.m. and again at 3 p.m. on Saturday. Reenactors will not only portray American GIs in the battles, but also assume the roles of the German, Polish and Russian military units involved.

There will be an opportunity to ride in some of the roughly 40 vehicles expected on hand as they participate in the battles.

Krug explained the vehicles and equipment involved in the convoy date from back in World War I through the Vietnam War.

They will all participate in a convoy through downtown Ottawa at noon Saturday. The vehicles will leave the encampments at noon, travel down to Champlain Street, cut across Norris Drive to La Salle Street and then return north via Columbus Street to 32nd Road.

In between the battles, reenactors will be available at their respective camp sites to display their equipment and answer questions about it and military life in the 1940s.

There also will be a World War I display and an American Revolutionary War reenactor on hand to explain what military life was like in the 18th century and answer question about that era.

On Sunday, the day will begin with a service at the church in nearby Lost Creek. That will be followed by another convoy and tactical convoy battle at 11 a.m.

“It’s going to be a lot of very interesting two days here and some very comfortable weather,” Krug said, “so we’re looking forward to it.”