This is my 2024 watch list of living history events. More will be added along the way.
I have been very quiet on the blog during 2018 as I have been promoted and have had much more work to do than usual as I have been trying to get my head around my new position. Life happens, I guess.
However, I have not been completely left my historical interests behind. During 2018 I realized a long time dream, I joined a reenactment group doing WWII, the WW2Tommies. As part of that I have attended an event and many more are coming up this year, so here is my list of those to watch.
I hope this list can inspire other people to enjoy history as much as I do. I will link to events, I have previously written about in the blog.
Historiske Dage (Days of History), March 9-10
In the weekend of March 9-10 Øksnehallen in Copenhagen is the centre of a major historical event. With more than 170 shows, lectures, debates and pressentations under one roof this is like a big history convention. The exhibitions are very varied with museums, publishers of historical books, travel agencies to historic places, reenactors and so on. It is not the most children friendly show as it can be quite academic. It is very focused on learning and many smaller publishers attend so for picking up new books and knowledge, it is very good.
I will be there to talk about life on the British Homefront
Nyvang Become Occupied, Holbæk, May 4-5
The open air museum Nyvang is not the most war-like place as it specializing in preserving old buildings and display craftmanship from around 1930-1960s through living history, but in the weekend of May, it will form the backdrop of a major reenactment event. Reenactors dressed as Germans will occupy this otherwise peaceful area and over the day reenact events from the occupied Denmark.
The visitors are treated as the ordinary Danes trying to get by during the long years of occupation. You may experience being stopped at check points etc, so hold on to your ticket which also serves as your identity papers. There may be options to help the resistance or the occupiers. This is a total impro teater and everyone could be playing their part including you. Expect approximately 1 hour in play will be a year in history.
There will be lots of smaller plays during the day in addition to the big scenes, so watch out for characters as they develop through the 5 years of occupation, a lot of the minor characters such as one of the girls getting sweet with the Germans, a police officer who disappears, a down British pilot trying to survive and many more things etc.
Below a video made during the event in 2022:
Whitsun
Whitsun will be a very busy period this year with both Copenhagen Medieval Market, TimeWinder and Græsted Veterantræf. 3 days off, 3 events on Sealand?
Copenhagen Medieval Market, May 17-20
The Copenhagen medieval market is back but in a new venue in Ballerup as it has grown out of its home in Valbyparken. It covers everything from the medieval period, from the vikings and to high medieval with shows, shops, (some historical) food and fighting. Two years ago saw the visit of the Battle of the Nations medieval fighting teams. Copenhagen Historical Fencing Club (my HEMA club) will be present.
More info on: http://kmm.dk/?lang=en
What is very interesting about the market is the large representation of viking reenactment, something I think is unique to Scandinavia. The market basically covers 700-1536 AD. 1536 is chosen in Denmark as the year where the Danish king broke with the Catholic church and is thus a very important year.
I went there in 2018 with Copenhagen Historical Fencing Club. It was a good day. I do have some gripes with it though. First of all, it is too much of a market, with too little focus on learning, secondly I do not understand the need to blend it with medieval fantasy. While it may be good for children, it does feel very out of place, if they wanted to be a serious history event.
See: https://playinghistory.wordpress.com/2017/06/05/hema-at-the-copenhagen-medieval-market/ for more.
Græsted Veterantræf, May 18-20
I have only attended Græsted Veterantræf once but that really got me interested in reenactment. The displays they had back in 2015 and the battle demonstration convinced me that it was something I wanted to do. However I would find historical fencing before I ended up doing reenactment.
It is a collectors’ event focused mostly on old vehicles and machines with some of them having military origins.
TimeWinder in Hundested, May 18-20
TimeWinder is an event similar to Græsted Veterantræf. This is an interesting mix of old machines, airplanes, military reenactment, vintage camping etc. The key rule is that it has to be more than 50 years old. This is quite a lovely, slower paced event for enthusiasts of technology and design more than warfare and I highly recommend it for the whole family.
More info at: http://www.timewinder.dk/
War History Festival: 2000 Years of Military History June 8-9
Ejby Bunker houses a festival with several hundreds of reenactors from the Roman legions to Soviet special forces. It is hosted by Experience Centre: West Wall (Oplevelsescenter Vestvolden) which sits on part of the old defences of Copenhagen built in the 19-20th century. Last year boasted many different reenactment groups including WWI, WWII, American Civil War (with a special Scandinavian focus), the Napoleonic Wars and even Romans.
This is the big one and I am very much looking forward to it. This is particularly interesting because they create a timeline with the Romans in one end and the Cold War in the far end so one can literally walk though the history. It is completely free as well. I like it because it is across periods which makes it very unique and I will be hard pressed to figure out whether I would like to join it with HEMA fencing or with WW2Tommies.
Åben Hede, Oksbøl June 19 (Expected)
“Open Moor” is an event for the army and several collectors to show off what they have got. It is a mix of an exhibition as well as a day where the army does live firing exercises for the audience. It takes place on the moor around Oksbøl (Jutland) which is a military training ground.
If you have not heard the roar of tank live fire, I strongly recommend going. Do bring ear defenders, it can get loud. I went there in 2014 and it was unforgettable.
I have been unable to find futher information, but I will update when I do.
1864 Days, Sønderborg, June 29-30
The fortifications at Dybbøl outside of Sønderborg was pivotal for the 2nd Schleswig War. 1864 Days is an updated event, Battle of Als which I have covered it in in more details in a blog post: https://playinghistory.wordpress.com/2017/04/10/the-battle-for-als-1864-reenactment/
The new event consists of displaying camp life on both sides (Danish and German) with minor battles and shows. This is one of the few pure black powder events in Denmark.
For more info please also see: http://1864dage.dk/kampen-om-als/
Egholm WW2 Event, Western Sealand, July 6-7
Egholm Museum in Western Sealand is already one of the biggest private collections of WW2 items but once a year they even take their tanks/vehicles out for a drive. This is a good a very family friendly event and also well attended by reeactors. I highly recommend the museum but on these days it is even bigger and better.
Last year I have a talk on The Roles British Women during WW2 and I am sure they got many more exciting things this year.
Museum webpage at egholmmuseum.dk
Military Days, Western Sealand September 7-8
Panzermuseum East, a museum which focuses mainly on Warsaw Pact during the Cold War, has an annual show where they invite exhibitors from all over Europe. It is a big event where they have a tank track, so there is a chance to actually see tanks driving around near Copenhagen.
Silkeborg Bunker Days, September 14-15
The small bunker museum hosts a massive WW2 reenactment event during the weekend. This is one of the better events where the audience can get really close to the displays and get a good feeling of what is going on.
Copenhagen Culture Night, October 12
As part of Copenhagen Culture Night several museums usually hosts living history related events. I am typically involved at the Museum of Liberation where we talk about rationing and life during war time as well as they British troops who came to liberate Denmark.
We have a couple of vehicles and display tents in front of the museum.
Playing with History 