50th Fort Ligonier Days October 9-10-11, 2009 Rain or Shine!

Fort Ligonier Days, a very popular 3-day festival, commemorates the Battle of Fort Ligonier, a key engagement of the French and Indian War, fought on October 12, 1758. 2008 is the 250th anniversary of that event and the founding of Ligonier! On the grounds of the Fort you will find a living history encampment showing frontier life, military tactics, drills, cannon firing, ceremonies, Highlanders, redcoats, French troops, frontier men and women, Indians and music from 1758. Visit Fort Ligonier's official web site for Fort information. A favorite at the fort is the re-enactment of the Battle of Fort Ligonier at 2 & 4 pm Saturday and Sunday. A LARGE community parade winds its way down Main Street around Ligonier's picturesque Diamond at 11:00 AM on Saturday. The parade will include historic units, floats, costumed characters, the shrine units and special guests, including local TV personalities, high school and college bands.    See last year's Schedule of Events PLEASE, for safety reasons, do not place any chairs along the parade route before 6pm on Friday. Free outdoor entertainment includes something for everyone -- Civil War era music, Big Band music, South American folk music, bagpipes and drums, footstompin' bluegrass, and Gospel. There is also an old-fashioned band concert on the Diamond to close things out Sunday evening. Dozens of community food booths line the Diamond and other locations throughout town. The variety will satisfy the hungriest of appetites! Sit-down meals are available at several local churches. Approximately 150 craft booths in 3 locations are linked by shuttle bus service. Talented artisans will display and sell their wares including pewter figures, wicker and wood, dolls, dried flowers, paintings & prints, stained glass, jewelry, leather, baskets, pottery, blacksmithing and lots more!! Ligonier merchants move their wares outside for sidewalk sales. Interesting and colorful window displays all over town. Prizes are awarded for the best window displays! Parking Guests are advised to follow the signs to designated parking areas around town. No parking is allowed in town or along Route 30 during the event, so be sure to follow the signs to official parking areas. All official parking areas are handicap accessable. Parking is $5.00 per car in officially designated lots. Free shuttles are available to main festival sites all day. FREE BUS SHUTTLE SERVICE will be provided all three days from Ligonier Valley High School. The shuttle will run from 8 am to 6:30 pm Friday 8 am to 6:30 pm Saturday 11 am to 6:00 pm Sunday CRAFT LOOP SHUTTLE service will run among the craft display areas from 8 am to 6:30 pm Friday 8 am to 6:30 pm Saturday 11 am to 6:00 pm Sunday See map inside program for bus stops. (Note: Craft booths close at 6:00 pm Friday & Saturday 5:00 pm Sunday.) Please Note: Pets are not allowed in the festival areas. IMPORTANT FACTS TO REMEMBER ABOUT FORT LIGONIER DAYS... Visitors will be directed by signs to special parking areas. Parking is $5 with free shuttle bus service provided all three days from Ligonier Valley High School. The shuttle will run from 8AM to 6PM Oct. 9 and 10 and from 11AM to 5PM Oct. 11. We love our pets however; dogs, cats and /or other pets are prohibited at the festival. Visitors are reminded that parking is prohibited on the shoulders of Route 30 within the borough of Ligonier. All the normal restrictions concerning parking are in full effect including: no parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, no parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk/intersection, no parking within 30 feet of a stop sign and no parking in any place where official signs prohibit parking. All violators will be ticketed and, if necessary, towed. For your safety...Chairs may not be placed on the parade route or Diamond area until Friday, Oct. 9 after 6PM. Ligonier Borough and Fort Ligonier Days Committee are not responsible for missing chairs.

2008 Schedule of Events
(Shown as an example until 2009 schedule is released)

Sit-down dinners shown in Green

Friday October 10, 2008 2009 schedule will not be available until late August
7am - 1pm 9am - 5pm 11am - 6pm	Pancakes and Sausage, Heritage United Methodist Church, on the Diamond Hot dogs & Sauerkraut and Haluski, Pioneer Presbyterian Church, West Main Street. Ligonier Lodge 331 F & AM Chicken and Biscuits. Located near Ligonier Library
9:00 AM	Community food booths open, Craftsmen's Fair opens at several locations Runa Pacha - Music of the Andes Mountains - Lower West Main Street
10:00 AM	Fort Ligonier Museum & Gift Shop opens Ligonier Merchant's Old Fashioned Sidewalk Sales begin
NOON	OFFICIAL OPENING CEREMONY on the Bandstand
1:00 PM	Second Wind Band – Country/Rock – Bandstand Stage
3:00 PM	Dr. Langford & The Jedzie Polka Band - Bandstand Stage
5:00 PM	The Jaggerz – Oldies, blues, rock, funk – East Main Street Stage
6:00 PM	Craft booths close
7:00 PM	The U S Marine Corps Band from Quantico – Ligonier Valley High School Auditorium
Saturday October 11, 2008 2009 schedule will not be available until late August
7am - 1pm 9am - 5pm 11am - sellout 8am - 1pm	Pancakes and Sausage, Heritage United Methodist Church, on the Diamond Hot dogs & Sauerkraut and Haluski, Pioneer Presbyterian Church, West Main St. Ligonier Lodge 331 F & AM Chicken and Biscuits. Located near Ligonier Library Coffee & Donuts, Pulled Pork Sandwiches, St. James Lutheran Church, West Main St.
9:00 AM	Community Food Booths Open - Craftmen's Fair continues Runa Pacha - Music of the Andes Mountains - Lower West Main Street
9:00 AM	Fort Ligonier Museum and Gift Shop opens
10:00 AM	Ligonier Merchants move their bargains outside for sidewalk sales Garrett Highlands Pipes and Drums - On the Diamond before the parade
11:00 AM	COMMUNITY PARADE BEGINS on Main Street
2:00 PM	Battle Re-enactment at Fort Ligonier
2:30 PM	Girlz in Black Hats - Country - Bandstand Stage
4:00 PM	Battle Re-enactment at Fort Ligonier
4:30 PM	Dead Irish Blues - Traditional Celtic Music - Bandstand Stage
6:00 PM	Craft booths close
Sunday October 12, 2008 2009 schedule will not be available until late August
10:00 AM	Fort Ligonier open to the public
Noon	Craft and Food Booths open Runa Pacha - Music of the Andes Mountains - Lower West Main Street
12:30 PM	Covenant Praise Band featuring Noel McLeary – Contemporary Christian Music – Bandstand Stage
2:00 PM	Neon Swing X-perience – Big Band Sound – Bandstand Stage
2:00 PM	Battle Re-enactment at Fort Ligonier
4:00 PM	Gashouse Band - Country/Rock - Bandstand Stage Battle Re-enactment at Fort Ligonier
5:00 PM	Craft booths close
5:30 PM	Carillon Concert from Calvary United Methodist Church Bell Tower, Shirley Benner at the keyboard closes Fort Ligonier Days

Planning Ahead??
Fort Days 2010 Oct. 8-9-10