“A River Thru History --The
Des Plaines Valley Rendezvous.”
CELEBRATING THE DES PLAINES
RIVER VALLEY-
PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
September 29th & 30th
Jean Baptiste Pointe Du
Sable offers an unforgettable journey through
Chicago’s history. Chicago celebrities,
storytellers, and natives create an
unforgettable journey through Chicagoland’s
history.
Come and enjoy the brisk weather and beautiful
fall colors at “A River Thru History --The
Des Plaines Valley Rendezvous.” This is a
wonderful opportunity for families to come and
view Chicagoland in a way other than high-rises,
theatres, and ballparks. With school starting
back up, this Rendezvous offers an
opportunity to break away from the history books
and see first hand what early settlement life
was really like. Don’t just read about it or
watch on the History Channel. Live it for
yourself! Among the plentiful storytelling,
various activities will be set so that guests
may truly feel as though they were part of 18th
century America. On Saturday September 29th
from 10am to 5pm and Sunday September 30 from
10am to 4 pm all are welcome to the Columbia
Woods Forest Preserve in Willow Springs,
Illinois to live first hand what the History
Channel attempts to portray. This living history
event will be held on September 29 & 30, 2007 in
Columbia Woods Forest Preserve on the banks of
the Des Plaines River in Willow Springs,
Illinois. Admission is $8/Adults, $3/Children
6-12, $4/Seniors, $15/Family Pass. Free parking
is at the UPS lot, enter of 75th St.
only
or just follow the signs. For safety sake,
“drive-ins” or “walk-ins” to the Rendezvous site
are
not
allowed. A free shuttle bus from the UPS lot
will take you to the Rendezvous camps.
After
17 years of hosting the I & M Canal Rendezvous,
many felt that it was time to call it quits.
However, after taking a year off in 2006 and
after much support from the community and the
Forest Preserve Distract of Cook County, the
event is back with a new name, “A River Thru
History-- The Des Plaines Valley Rendezvous,”
with an impressive list of activities! For the
main attraction the Rendezvous cordially invites
back Chicago’s first celebrity and founder Jean
Baptiste Pointe Du Sable. In 1775, this French
Jamaican became the first permanent resident of
what was to become our “sweet home” Chicago.
Jean Baptiste takes his audience back over 300
years to when he built the first permanent
settlement on the Chicago River around the
present day Michigan Avenue. His boomingly deep
voice and amiable aura captures you into the
heart of his stories. What better way to learn
about Chicago than by the man who founded it!
Guests
are also invited to listen to Voyeur Story
Teller Extraordinaire Andy Talley as he takes
you on through the incredible journeys of the
earliest explorers while Lou Aiello offers
demonstrations of Native American crafts and
games which include fire making, rope making,
dream catcher making and much more! In addition
there will be an authentic Native American
village with five different wigwams
demonstrating daily life in such an encampment.
Also, one can witness the productions of cloth
from the carding of real wool through the entire
spinning wheel process. The Rendezvous has added
even more to activities to the festival. Now
visitors may take advantage of Sun Carving
demonstrations (only if the sun is shining) and
speak with an old fashion land surveyor and
listen to his presentation on how the country
was originally surveyed and laid out.
Unfortunately the Bears, Cubs, Sox, and Bulls
did not come about for about another 200 years
so the settlers had found a plethora of other
ideas to have fun. Guests are invited to play
the pre-1840s style of cricket, which they had
learned from the English. Tom Melville,
historian and American cricket player, will be
conducting the early 19th Century
form of Cricket tournaments. All are welcome to
relive this long lost sport at games that will
be run continuously on a walk up basis
throughout each day. There is no age limit and
absolutely no experience required!
Now,
what would a Rendezvous be without some
live music and great tasting food? Come and get
a taste of different music styles that developed
at this time. Innisfree offers a more
traditional Celtic style with instruments such
as dulcimers, a flute and acoustic guitar. Not
only will there be a professional Bag Piper, but
she will also offer demonstrations on how the
instrument is used and may even offer a few
lessons to those daring enough to give it a
shot! In addition, the forever a favorite River
Valley Colonial Fife and Drum Corp will march
and play through and around the event. While
enjoying the various artists and different music
sounds enjoy a mug of old fashioned root beer
and a bag of freshly made kettle corn! Other
delicious options include wild rice stew,
chicken and dumpling soup, and sausage on a
stick.
Another new component is the
“River Expo: Celebrating the Des Plaines River
Valley – Past, Present and Future.” In addition
to the traditional “Past” we are inviting a
number of organizations to showcase themselves
with regards to their “Present” activities and
their “Future” plans for the River Valley. Also
this year we are inviting modern day canoeist to
join the Voyageur canoes at the Rendezvous. If
they canoe in they get in free! But they must
put-in and take-out either up-stream or
down-stream from the Rendezvous. Canoes rentals
are available from “Will-U-Canoe” and they can
be contacted at 708-937-4945.
There are countless
opportunities to dive into the culture that
developed at the early beginnings of our
beautiful city. The Rendezvous offers the
chance to see first hand what the textbooks
cannot show you and let you live it for
yourself! Come take advantage of this wonderful
opportunity that is fun for the whole family.
With plenty activities, music, and wonderful
food, you may be entertained from morning to
night! For more information about “A River
Thru History -- The Des Plaines Valley
Rendezvous” please visit the website at
www.ariverthruhistory.com or call
800-926-2262
for general information or 708-937-0009 with
specific questions.
