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'Family' rules at Fort de Chartres Rendezvous

Posted June 02, 2017 11:00 pm

By Pete Spitler Editor@heraldtrib.com

EDITOR'S NOTE: See more photos from Rendezvous inside the June 7 print edition of the Herald Tribune

PRAIRIE DU ROCHER -- Visitors to the annual June Rendezvous at Fort de Chartres are treated to all the usual sights and sounds of 18th century military units.

But for the reenactors of the many drum and fife corps that highlight the two-day event in Prairie du Rocher, Rendezvous means something else.

"Family," said Elizabeth Sherfy. "It's an extension of our family. You have your blood family, but you have your friend family that you get to spend these holidays with and we've raised all our children essentially together to be part of it and it's wonderful."

"Recreate history," added Charissa Igo. "That's part of it, but it's family. We enjoy it."

Sherfy and Igo are part of the Great River Fife and Drum Corps out of Godfrey, wearing handmade uniforms styled after the Fort Ticonderoga 3rd New York Regiment and waving the American flag in a place that, historically, was never occupied by Continental Army soldiers.

Fort de Chartres was built in the 1750s and served as France's headquarters in the Illinois Country. France surrendered the fort to Great Britain as part of the Treaty of Paris in 1763 and it was occupied by British forces from 1765 until 1771, when it was abandoned.

Sherfy noted that one of the draws of the event for drum and fife corps is to have fellowship with each other and the other regiments that attend the festivities.

"A large majority of the musicians have grown up together," Sherfy said. "Going through junior corps until age 18 and then graduated and kept on doing it as adults.

"Most of us end up married and having children of our own, so then the children with the different corps spread out across the Midwest still come together and play together and it's very enjoyable."

After rain created a soggy Rendezvous in 2016, sunshine and bearable temperatures welcomed crowds to the fort on Saturday. A variety of vendors and merchants in period-specific tents dotted the grounds outside the fort's walls.

"It's a fantastic event that people should come out and enjoy," Sherfy said. "The best part of it is there is no cell phone service, so nobody runs into you walking."

In addition to the Great River Fife and Drum Corps, the Lewis and Clark Fife and Drum Corps (St. Charles, Mo.), Tippecanoe Ancient Fife and Drum Corps (Lafayette, Ind.) and 42nd Royal Highlanders Band of Pipes, Fifes and Drums (Lafayette, Ind.) also took their turn marching across the fort's parade ground.

All drum and fife corps are scheduled to perform again on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. (Lewis and Clark), 12:30 p.m. (Great River), 1:30 p.m. (Tippecanoe) and 3:30 p.m. (42nd Royal Highlanders).

Saturday's events also included a rifle and smoothbore competition, a performance by Booneslick Strings, a parade and a nighttime dance for all participants and visitors. Sunday's schedule includes a Catholic mass and Protestant service at 8 a.m., followed by a performance by La Guiannee Singers at 10:30 a.m.

Dennis Stroughmatt et L'Espirit Creole is scheduled to take the fort's stage at 2 p.m.

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