The Intermountain Re-enactors and Living History Conference returns to the American West Heritage Center in Wellsville next week (Friday-Saturday, April 30-May 1). This is the fourth annual event. “There are people who on the weekends dress up like pioneers or civil war re-enactors or old-fashioned mountain men,” said American West Heritage Director David Sidwell. “They gather together and do fun stuff together. This conference brings all these re-enactors together as well as others interested in interpretation in addition to museum docents who want to know how to present themselves and their subject matter more effectively. “We learn from each other, we teach each other and we have a great time together. ” Sidwell said the weekend includes many workshops on all kinds of things related to living in the past. “People who do family history work and genealogy love to come and see old-time woodworking skills because their great-great grandfather was an old-fashioned woodworker. Or, maybe he was a blacksmith.” Sidwell said several hundred have attended each of the first three conferences. “We switch around each year,” said Sidwell. “Last year this was at This Is The Place Heritage Park in Salt Lake City. Two years ago it was here and now it’s back.” Keynote Speaker is Clive Romney. “A lot of LDS people know him for writing some of the Primary songs children sing in LDS churches. He’s perhaps better known for playing in some folk bands in the area including Enoch Train. He’s also the head of the Utah Pioneer Heritage Arts organization. They’re very involved in promoting Utah’s pioneer heritage arts throughout the state and trying to preserve some of these arts.” Sidwell said Romney has gathered folk artists performances from all over the valley and they will be performing a variety show as he talks about the importance of the arts in learning and preserving our heritage. Friday’s schedule includes longer workshops in addition to the fourth annual Living History Dutch Oven Cook Off. “When you pay for the conference it comes with three meals and you couldn’t buy three meals in a restaurant for the price of the conference itself,” said Sidwell. He said there is an attempt at the conference to keep prices low because a lot of families attend. More information is available by

<a href=”http://www.livinghistoryconferencesite.org/”>clicking here</a>

.