Tour Civil War camp, meet reenactors, see band on horseback, more at Civil War Winter Camp
A military band playing on horseback, Model-T rides and a fife and drum corps are among the popular offerings returning to the annual Civil War Winter Camp on Saturday, Oct. 24, at the Hayes Presidential Library & Museums.
The 2nd Cavalry Brigade Brass Band, which plays on horseback, will return for its second year at the event after its wildly popular debut last year at Civil War Winter Camp.
The event includes performances by Camp Chase Fifes and Drums and guitarist Steve Ball, Model-T rides by Firelands Timeless Ts, tours of the winter camp with Civil War reenactors demonstrating what life was like in camps like those President Rutherford B. Hayes’ regiment kept and presentations by the 5th U.S. Colored Troops and military firing demonstrations.
There will also be reenactors portraying Civil War veterans in the Grand Army of the Republic, a veterans’ organization of which President Hayes was a member, on the Hayes Home verandah.
Kids’ activities — such as a traveling trunk of Civil War replica items, games from the era, Lincoln logs, a photo area and more — will be available from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Maumee Valley Heritage Corridor’s root beer stand and Jimmy G’s Barbecue food truck also will be on site to sell refreshments during the event.
Tours of the winter camp require paid tickets. Tickets for non-members are $10 ages 13 and older, $7 ages 6-12 and free for ages 5 and younger. Tickets for Hayes Presidential Library & Museums members are $8 for ages 13 and older, $5 for ages 6-12 and free for ages 5 and younger.
Tickets are available below. Members will need to log in to receive their discount.
Tickets will be available online until 11:59 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23. They will be available the day of the event, pending availability.
The band performances, Model-T rides, military firing, presentations and kids’ activities are free. Events are outdoors. Please dress for the weather.
Civil War Winter Camp is sponsored by Mosser Construction.
Tours of the Hayes Home and museum are not included with the Civil War Winter Camp tickets. However, Hayes Presidential is offering a 20-percent discount on site passes that include admission to the home and museum throughout the day on Saturday, Oct. 24.
The schedule of events is as follows:
- 10, 10:30, 11, 11:30 a.m. and noon – Tours of the Civil War Winter Camp. Paid tickets are required and available above.
- 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. – Model-T rides by Firelands Timeless Ts. Free
- 10:30 a.m. – 2nd Cavalry Brigade Brass Band, which plays on horseback, performance in the Rose Garden. Free
- 11 a.m. – 5thS. Colored Troops demonstration in the performance tent. Free
- Noon – Camp Chase Fife & Drums performance in the Rose Garden. Free
- 1 p.m.– Marching and firing demonstration in the Rose Garden. Free
- 1:30 p.m. – 2ndCavalry Brigade Band performance in the Rose Garden. Free
- 1:30, 2, 2:30, 3 and 3:30 p.m. – Tours of the Civil War Winter Camp. Paid tickets are required and available above.
- 2 p.m. – Camp Chase Fife & Drums performance in the Rose Garden. Free
- 2:30 p.m. – 5thS. Colored Troops demonstration in the performance tent. Free
- 4 p.m. – Camp Chase Fife & Drums performance in the Rose Garden. Free
- 6 – 7 p.m. – Hayes Presidential Library & Museums members can tour the winter camp and talk with the reenactors as their monthly member perk.
Parking will be available on-site at Hayes Presidential. Overflow parking will be available on the street and in the ProMedica Memorial Hospital Rehab parking lot and in the lots by Buildings A and B on Third Avenue. Parking is not permitted in the parking lot by the main entrance and emergency room entrance.
Hayes Presidential is America’s first presidential library and the forerunner of the federal presidential library system. It is partially funded by the state of Ohio and affiliated with 
the Ohio History Connection. Hayes Presidential is located at Spiegel Grove on Buckland Avenue.
For information, call 419-332-2081, or visit rbhayes.org. Like Hayes Presidential on Facebook and follow on Instagram at rbhayespres and on Bluesky at rbhayespres.bsky.social.