YORKTOWN — A public screening of segments of filmmaker Ken Burn’s upcoming documentary will be featured at the Revolutionary Festival on Saturday at the Yorktown Battlefield.
Sponsored by Colonial National Historical Park, “We the People: A Yorktown Battlefield Event” will feature — starting at 3 p.m. — live music, living history demonstrations and hands-on activities. At 7 p.m. there will be musical performances by the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, The Old Guard, and the Fifes & Drums of York Town.
Never-before-seen excerpts — some created specifically for the event — of Burns’ documentary, “The American Revolution,” will spotlight the pivotal Siege of Yorktown on the battlefield where history was made 244 years ago in October 1781. This program is similar to other Burns’ presentations earlier this year in Richmond and Williamsburg.
The entire 12-hour, six-part documentary, which will premiere on PBS on Nov. 16, and is co-directed with Burns by Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt, who was raised in Williamsburg. Schmidt is scheduled to attend the event.
Battlefield parking opens at 3 p.m. at 2100 Cook Road at the intersection with Ballard Street, with ride sharing drop-off near the Victory Monument. The free Yorktown Trolley runs from 10 am until 9 pm. Lawn chairs and coolers may be brought to the event, which will take place rain or shine.
The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required at nps.gov/colo/planyourvisit/we-the-people-a-yorktown-battlefield-event.htm. For more information, call 757-898-2410.
Wilford Kale, kalehouse@aol.com
