Lest We Forget is already hard at work planning this summer’s war reenactments in St. Joseph, and with this being America’s 250th birthday, they’re taking the event back to the beginning of it all.

Lest We Forget’s Lee Scherwitz told St. Joseph City Commissioners this week they’re holding Revolutionary War reenactments at Riverview Park on July 18 and 19. He said they’ve already found a great group of reenactors.

“We’ll bring in probably 150 to 200 is what we’re guessing,” Scherwitz said. “So it’s going to be a really big event. Cannon fire, home tenting.”

This will be the first time Lest We Forget has held its program at Riverview Park, and Scherwitz said if the park is flooded, they’ll move over to the Southwest Michigan Regional Airport. But for now, he said the park should provide plenty of space for everything.

“Closer to the river would be where the battles and the artillery will take place. Plenty of standing room. The public will be standing basically on the roads. We’ll tape off the area so that based on where they set up, we’ll have enough room for the public to see everything going on.”

Lest We Forget also requested approval for a Field of Flags display with 250 U.S. flags in the grassy area at Whirlpool Centennial Park, and they’re planning to have a slate of speakers at Lake Michigan College.

Commissioners approved the group’s event application, moving this year’s program, “A Republic, If You Can Keep It,” ahead.