May 18
11am - 5pm

Market and Music for Queen Victoria’s Birthday at Fort Nisqually

Period handicrafts and French-Canadian music will be featured May 18 during Fort Nisqually Living History Museum’s annual celebration of Queen Victoria's birthday.

"Visitors can learn 19th century games and play croquet with the Fort's re-enactors," said Mike McGuire, Education Curator. "Festivities also include cannon salutes, musket volleys, and complimentary tea and cookies."

Artisan's Market
A dozen artisans will be selling traditional arts and crafts in the 19th Century Artisan and Garden Market.

The array of wares from local artists includes:

• Iron work by John Simpkins
  
• Cedar bark baskets by Judy Bridges
  
• Handspun and hand dyed wool work by Elaine Thompson

Plants for the Garden

• Plants from the Fort’s gardens will also be for sale
  
• WSU Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer questions.

Live Music!

Olympia-based Les Gens des Chutes will be fiddling French-Canadian music through the early afternoon. They will teach willing visitors an easy group dance from old Quebec.

The music reflects the heritage of many of the original Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) laborers at Fort Nisqually. 

(photo courtesy of Bennett Photo Arts)

All Buildings Open

Re-enactors will answer visitor’s questions as they cook in the kitchen, hang out the laundry, hammer in the blacksmith’s shop, and elsewhere bring the Fort to life.

About Queen Victoria's Birthday

The birthday of Queen Victoria (May 24, 1819-1901) was celebrated by her subjects throughout the British Empire. At HBC forts across North America, the custom usually called for the declaration of the day as a holiday — all the laborers and servants had the day off.

Queen Victoria ascended the throne in 1837. She ruled for almost 64 years, longer than any other British monarch to date, and was the reigning monarch for most of Fort Nisqually's active period (1833-1869).

Admission Charged