SALEM — The parks department is set to host an encampment of historical re-enactors next fall as part of the city’s America 250-Ohio celebrations.

During its July meeting Wednesday the Parks Commission was presented a proposal to host a two-day educational program by the Brigade of the American Revolution Northwest Department on Aug. 18-19, 2026 as part of the city’s programming celebrating the nation’s semiquincentennial on July 4, 2026 as an official America 250-Ohio Community. Private Brian Egli said that the event would feature an overnight encampment at Waterworth Memorial Park, including approximately 50 volunteers in revolutionary-era costuming running educational programming. He also stressed that the Brigade is fully insured and compliant with all state regulations and that all the volunteers would be professional educators, noting that his own background was in serving with the National Park Service.

“We have a background and understanding of park situations,” said Egli.

Commissioner Don Yeasted asked if the re-enactors would have weapons and if they would be operable. Egli said that they would have flintlock muskets, which are not legally considered “full firearms” due to their flintlock ignition and “a small artillery piece” which would be fired for demonstrations without any musket balls. Egli also stressed that the Brigade never fires for demonstrations with bayonets attached to the muskets, and that they do not use ramrods.

“I’ve been doing this since 1969, I’ve been in films, and people have got excited and forgotten when they put the ramrod down. We don’t use the ramrods, but we do explain, and we do fire the muskets,” said Egli.

Egli told commissioners that while the proposed spot for the encampment would be near the band shell, the department could choose an alternate location as long as it had access to water and restrooms. Parks Director Kelli Pastore suggested a location near the duck pond instead citing concerns of a potential scheduling conflict with the Summer Concert Series.

Mayor Cyndi Baronzzi Dickey said that she was in favor of the proposal, describing being selected as a host community for one of the Brigade’s re-enactments as an honor. Also, since the muskets would be fired that an exemption for the city’s ordinance prohibiting any projectiles from being fired within city limits would need to be obtained from the city council. However, she said that as the event would not be held until next year there was ample time to seek the exemption and that she didn’t expect there to be any issue in receiving approval from city council.

Egli said that they would work with the city to ensure that any necessary permits or exemptions were in order ahead of the event, and the commissioners voted unanimously to approve the proposal once all necessary exemptions were obtained from the city.

The parks commission will meet next 5 p.m. on Aug. 27.