Aliceville
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USO Dinner Dance Tickets-$30Saturday, May 4, 2023
6:00pm-10:00pm Aliceville City Hall Purchase your USO Dinner Dance Tickets securely on eventbrite.com |
Aliceville POW Camp Reenactment
From 1943 through 1945 over 6,000 German were housed at one of the largest Prisoner of War (POW) camps in the USA located near Aliceville, Alabama. To commemorate the arrival of the first POWs over 80 years ago, and to celebrate Aliceville’s major contribution to the war effort, reenactors portraying German POWs, American MP's and Alabama State Troopers will present a recreation of the WWII camp. Spectators are encouraged to get into the spirit of the event by wearing 1940s style clothing.
The festivities begin with a WWII movie at the Aliceville Entertainment Complex at 6:00pm on Friday. At 10:30 am on Saturday, the reenactors will stage an allied vs axis skirmish representing the Second Battle of El Alamein ending with the German surrender. From there the reenactors will be transported to the former site of the Aliceville Frisco depot at the railroad crossing on 3rd Avenue NW. From there, they will commence to march westward along 3rd Avenue, then eastward along Memorial Parkway to Broad Street, to the intersection of Broad and 2nd Avenue, where the welcome ceremony will be held. After a welcoming ceremony at 12:00 noon, am, the reenactors will proceed to the mock camp site along Memorial Parkway at the Broad Street intersection, where they will engage in a variety of activities depicting life at the camp. Spectators are encouraged to communicate with the reenactors through the fence as they carry on their daily activities.
Also on Saturday, in conjunction with the reenactment, the Aliceville Area Chamber of Commerce will sponsor the Dogwood Festival from 9:00am until 2:00pm. There will be activities for the whole family and vendors selling a variety of food.
At 6:00pm Saturday there will be a USO Dinner Dance at the Aliceville City Hall featuring swing music by the Drew White Orchestra for listening and dancing and dinner by a local caterer. 1940s era clothing encouraged, but not required. Admission $30 – tickets available online or at the Aliceville Museum.
The festivities begin with a WWII movie at the Aliceville Entertainment Complex at 6:00pm on Friday. At 10:30 am on Saturday, the reenactors will stage an allied vs axis skirmish representing the Second Battle of El Alamein ending with the German surrender. From there the reenactors will be transported to the former site of the Aliceville Frisco depot at the railroad crossing on 3rd Avenue NW. From there, they will commence to march westward along 3rd Avenue, then eastward along Memorial Parkway to Broad Street, to the intersection of Broad and 2nd Avenue, where the welcome ceremony will be held. After a welcoming ceremony at 12:00 noon, am, the reenactors will proceed to the mock camp site along Memorial Parkway at the Broad Street intersection, where they will engage in a variety of activities depicting life at the camp. Spectators are encouraged to communicate with the reenactors through the fence as they carry on their daily activities.
Also on Saturday, in conjunction with the reenactment, the Aliceville Area Chamber of Commerce will sponsor the Dogwood Festival from 9:00am until 2:00pm. There will be activities for the whole family and vendors selling a variety of food.
At 6:00pm Saturday there will be a USO Dinner Dance at the Aliceville City Hall featuring swing music by the Drew White Orchestra for listening and dancing and dinner by a local caterer. 1940s era clothing encouraged, but not required. Admission $30 – tickets available online or at the Aliceville Museum.
Schedule of Events
Spectators are encouraged to dress in 1940s attire!
Friday, May 3 |
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5:30pm-8:00pm |
Free Admission - Doors open at 5:30 - Movie starts at 6:00 WWII era Movie- The More the Merrier (Oscar award winning comedy, 1943) with Jean Arthur, Joel McRae and Charles, with a Cartoon, and Newsreel @ Aliceville Entertainment complex, 210 Broad Street NE, Aliceville |
Saturday, May 4 |
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9:30am-2:00pm |
Dogwood Festival Street Fair sponsored by The Aliceville Area Chamber of Commerce - Broad Street |
10:30am-11:00pm |
Reenactors stage Allied vs Axis Skirmish (Battle at El Alamein and German Surrender) - at Mock Camp on Memorial Parkway at Broad Street intersection |
11:30-Noon |
POW March - Commences at 3rd Ave NW Railroad Crossing westward to intersection with Memorial Parkway, then east on Memorial Parkway to Broad Street, then to intersection of Broad and 2nd Avenue. |
Noon |
Official Welcome - intersection of Broad Street and 2nd Avenue. |
1:00pm-4:30pm |
Reenactment Camp Site - Memorial Parkway & Broad St Watch Various Scenarios of POW activities - roll call, mock Rommel Funeral, escape attempt, music, soccer match, etc |
6:00pm-10:00pm |
Admission $30 per person USO Dinner Dance with Swing Music by the Drew White Orchestra @ Aliceville City Hall, 419 Memorial Parkway NE, Aliceville. Purchase tickets at the Aliceville Museum or securely online @ eventbrite. |