History will come alive Friday-Sunday, Aug. 28-30, when Living History Days are celebrated in Napoleon.

For the third annual festival, new activities and events have been added. “We have a group out of Canada, who are retired teachers, Faire Tyme Toys .... who will have a lot of games and toys from the Civil War period,” reveals committee member Jane Link.

Children can play with the toys, notes committee member Pat Hicks. There will be a fancy dress ball (please see schedule in box), which is “nothing more than a square dance,” she explains. “You don’t have to be in costume” to participate. Cake walks, where patrons have a chance to win desserts, will be held during intermission. “It’s an old thing they used to do,” she adds.

“The ladies High Tea with Queen Victoria will have music .... (and) a three-course meal.” There will be two carriage rides, one an historical tour.

Tunes from days gone by will be remembered during a hootenanny, when the audience joins in singing American, African, English, Irish and Scottish folk songs.

Entries for the quilt show can be turned in from 9-10 a.m. Saturday at the St. John’s Lutheran Church, Napoleon, side door. They will be displayed in church, with judging beginning at 10 a.m. and quilts released at 4 p.m.

The four categories are applique, cross-stitch or embroidered, pieced and other, including wall hangings or baby quilts. Prizes: first place in each class, $10; second place in each class, $5; best of show, $40. For more information, persons can contact Margie Harmeyer at 934-5469.

Last year’s fourth-grade students, who studied Indiana history, also got involved. They were invited to draw pictures or write paragraphs about Napoleon’s or Ripley County’s history. Two school participated, St. Louis School, Batesville, and Jac-Cen-Del Elementary School, Osgood, says Link.

“Entries are being judged by Ripley County educators .... Ribbon awards will be awarded to students in two or three categories and (participating) schools will be awarded a gift card so those teachers and students can purchase something for their rooms.”

Flyers were distributed to schools, and “we really got a lot of kids to come last year” to the festival.

Member Patty Carson, an amateur antique doll collector, will display her 150 dolls because “I love them so much and there may be some other people who might enjoy them .... Around my house, nobody saw them.” She has wooden one from the 1840s-1950s and many old china dolls.

All proceeds from the fest are used to maintain and operate Ye Olde Central House, an historic building, Hicks announces.

She is looking forward to the grand ball and encourages the public to attend the various events because “it’s all historical .... Kids think history starts somewhere else, but it has been here all along.” Referring to slaves who used the Underground Railroad, she stresses, “We need our children to know what sacrifice these people gave to become free.”

Carson admits the festival is “going to be a wonderful event .... to help people learn how things were back then .... There’s a lot of neat stuff to do and see.”

Link feels the youth will learn great lessons by attending. “They might come up with questions to ask their parents and grandparents .... It’s important for them to know we haven’t always had texting and technology .... There were a lot of things many years ago that were enjoyable for kids and their families .... (and) a lot of historic events have happened in Ripley County.”