Beer Tasting Amid 18th Century Reenacters at Fort De Chartres, IL Oct 9

Fort de Chartres State Historic Site located along the Mississippi River in Southern Illinois will host it's First Annual Fete October 9th featuring beer-tasting. Numerous small and large breweries will participate, their booths bracketed by British redcoats, French Marines, cannoneers, Native Americans, bagpipers, and drum and fife corps.

It is all sponsored by Save Illinois History which appealed to brewers with the promise of being able to showcase their products in a unique 18th century environment. Some are already endorsing the event such as Anheuser-Busch, Schlafly Beer, Boulevard Brewing, and Big Muddy Brewing. There will be popular as well as period music at the event throughout.

About 3,000 visitors are expected to buy tickets, with the first 1,500 receiving a commemorative Fort de Chartres sampling glass to use in collecting beer samples. Hours are 11am to 4pm. A VIP dinner in an 18th century tavern is scheduled for the Friday evening prior to the event.

Fort de Chartres was civil and adminstrative headquarters for the French colonies in the upper Mississippi River valley after its establishment in 1720. The current stone fort with it's impressive front wall, broken by gateway and overhead guardhouse, is similar to the third fort built at the site. Two previous forts were brought down by the Mississippi River nibbling at their foundations. The British inherited the fort and the colonies after the French and Indian Wars and George Rogers Clark led an incredible lightning campaign which took the former French possessions from the British during the Revolutionary War.

For ticket information, check the website at http://www.feteatthefort.com/index.html although tickets will be available at the event.

Save Illinois History supports The Historic Sites of Illinois with emphasis on the Illinois Historic French District to include Fort de Chartres, the Cahokia Court House, the Menard Home, and Old Fort Kaskaskia.

Fort de Chartres State Historic Site is located less than an hour from downtown St. Louis