Les Amis du Fort de Chartres announces the 53rd Annual Fort de Chartres Rendezvous

Prairie du Rocher, IL — The two-day popular annual Rendezvous, held the first weekend in June, features shooting competitions, military drills, dancing, music, food, and traders of eighteenth-century-style goods.

The boom of cannons, the smell of campfires and a parade of colorful uniforms will transport visitors back to the 1700s on Saturday & Sunday, June 3 & 4, 2023 at Fort de Chartres State Historic Site’s annual Rendezvous, the largest gathering of its kind anywhere in the Midwest, attracting many thousands to the site during this 2-day special event. Visit the 53nd Annual Fort de Chartres Rendezvous page at www.fortdechartres.us. The event is open and free to general public with special event parking for this event just $5 a car. Donations welcomed.

Fort de Chartres State Historic Site’s annual Rendezvous, is the largest gathering of its kind anywhere in the Midwest. The event attracts many thousands to the site during this two-day special event. This annual event is presented by Les Coureurs des Bois de Fort de Chartres and sponsored by Les Amis du Fort de Chartres. The 53rd Annual Fort de Chartres Rendezvous is made possible through the dedication of the Fort’s many volunteers and support organizations and through donations by businesses and individuals in our surrounding communities. Additional site support is given by the Illinois Historic Preservation Division of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Fort staff.

Opening ceremonies occur both days at 10 a.m., and closing “retreat” ceremonies take place at 5 p.m. The Fort de Chartres Annual Rendezvous features 1700s military units, traditional craft demonstrations, period music and dancing – all from the time when France controlled what is now Illinois. Visitors can watch muskets and cannons being fired, throw a tomahawk, buy hand-made crafts, learn about French kitchen gardens, taste delicious food and much more.

Fort de Chartres State Historic Site, which includes its historic Powder Magazine structure, widely considered the oldest building in Illinois, is located only an hour from downtown St. Louis, at 1350 IL Route 155, 4 miles west of Prairie du Rocher, Illinois.

The site is operated by the Illinois Historic Preservation Division of the Department of Natural Resources. IDNR protects the state’s historic resources, which contribute to education, culture and the economy. IDNR sites include ancient burial mounds, forts and buildings erected by settlers, and homes connected to famous Illinoisans. For more site information, call Fort de Chartres State Historic Site at 618-284-7230 or visit www.fortdechartres.us.

Les Amis du Fort de Chartres, “Friends of Fort de Chartres,” is a not-for-profit organization made up of volunteers striving to preserve, protect, and interpret the physical structural and cultural heritage of Fort de Chartres in the 1700s. More information about Les Amis du Fort de Chartres and its efforts sponsoring special events at Fort de Chartres, can be found at http://www.fortdechartres.us/les-amis-du-fort-de-chartres/