Fort Walla Walla Days planned June 11-12

Historic re-enactors, live demonstrations, music, dancing, children’s pioneer games and more are planned June 11-12 for the 17th annual Fort Walla Walla Days.

Also scheduled to appear are the Buffalo Soldier re-enactors, who will portray black soldiers from the 9th and 10th Cavalry and 24th and 25th Infantry.

“Having the Buffalo Soldiers represented is significant for the community because despite their presence for a period at Fort Walla Walla, there are very few artifacts left from their time here,” said a news release. “These re-enactors are perennial favorites due to their fine horsemanship and annual cemetery tribute to fallen soldiers, and the group is celebrating the sesquicentennial of the start of the Buffalo Soldier’s unit in 1866.”

Fort Walla Walla Days is included with the price of museum admission, and visitors will have access to the museum’s regular exhibits in addition to the event. The museum’s exhibit is Walla Walla and the World Wars, showcases more than 400 artifacts, including uniforms, weapons, and stories from local men and women who served during World Wars I and II. Also on display are more than 200 images, many taken by Tech. Sgt. William “Bill” Mach, an Army photographer stationed at the Walla Walla Army Air Base during the 1940s.

Fort Walla Walla Museum is on Myra Road in Fort Walla Walla Park. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. March through October and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November through February. Admission is free to museum members and children under 6, Tamástslikt Culture Institute Inwai Circle members, and Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation members with ID card. It costs $3 for children ages 6-12, $7 for those 62 and older and students; and $8 general admission.

For more information, go to fwwm.org, call 509-525-7703 or email info@fwwm.org.

This story was originally published June 2, 2016 at 1:47 PM with the headline "Fort Walla Walla Days planned June 11-12."