Crestview WWII Commemoration

05/08/2026

Let's pause for a moment and remember all those who made today's Victory in Europe observances possible. And bless these young people who honored them in their re-enactor portrayals and by sharing materials from their personal collections to further our visitors to Race to the Rhein's understanding of World War II.

04/30/2026

On today's date in 1945, the world learned that Adolf Hi**er had shot himself. Oopsy...my mistake, the world learned that Hi**er had died a hero's death fighting Bolshevism. The BBC had an interesting article on their website today about it.

Karl Lehmann was working for BBC Monitoring when he heard German radio announcing the N**i leader's death.

04/23/2026

Hey folks. We're on-site and getting ready for the Race to the Rhein living history weekend! We just found out the parking lot next to the Senior Activity Center will be closed off Friday and Saturday, 24 and 25 April. If you're a vendor or exhibitor or re-enactor bringing your gear or displays to the Senior Center, you will enter the grounds NOT from the parking lot, but at the bend in the road, then drive the track down to the Senior Center parallel to the closed-off road. Got all that? We're going to try to put up signage. But we're getting ready for this weekend's Race to the Rhein! See you there!
(Photo: Event volunteer homeschooler Graham fastens a zip tie in one of the 20 history panels in the History Pavilion.)

04/21/2026

We're just two days away from this year's Race to the Rhein living history weekend here in Crestview, Florida. Did you know we'll have an Honor Table set up on which you may display a framed photo of a family member who served in the military or on the Homefront during the war? The table will be set up inside the onsite WWII History Museum in the Senior Activity Center in Spanish Trail Park throughout the event. You may bring your framed photos (8"x10" preferred) to the Crestview History Museum today or tomorrow, April 21 or 22. Starting Thursday, April 23, take your photos to the Senior Activity Center. They will be treated with loving care and respect. You may pick them up at the Crestview History Museum starting Monday, 27 April. Who will YOU honor?

04/18/2026

We're less than a week out from this year's Race to the Rhein! We're steamrolling toward the Friday, 24 April, starting date like Gen. Patton plowing through France! Free parking is in the Spanish Trail Park field off Stillwell Boulevard in Crestview; gates open at 0900. We have some new cool stuff to see, including new exhibits in the onsite WWII Museum. Admission is free. Militaria vendors will be onsite, and Saturday, the Boy Scouts from Troop 30 will be grilling up tasty burgers and hotdogs for sale. After the event is over at 1700, we reopen at 1800 for a USO-style big band dance. (The scouts will have even more goodies for supper!) There might even be schtick! See you next weekend!

04/08/2026

Hi re-enactors, exhibitors and military vendors for our annual Race to the Rhein living history weekend. At last, I have the registration up and active. I had a couple bugs to work out. Attached is the flyer. Here's the link to the Zeffy registration form. THERE IS NO REGISTRATION FEE except for vendors! (And there's no online registration fee to use our Zeffy sign-up.) We just ask re-enactors and history organizations to register so we know how many of you to expect. Please feel free to share this with your friends. See you soon!
Zeffy link: https://bit.ly/4viThnI

03/30/2026

We're getting ready for the April 24-25 Race to the Rhein living history weekend! Over the last couple days, Crestview History Museum volunteers Mia Bartlett and Montavius Diamond have been driving grommets into our history panels, which will facilitate creating the info pylons in the onsite WWII History Museum. They will also facilitate anchoring the panels on either side of the History Pavilion columns.

03/30/2026

Our annual World War II living history weekend will again feature the Door Table, a dignified and respectful opportunity to recognize your elders and ancestors who served in World War II, either on the front or on the Homefront. Bring your FRAMED photo of your loved one to the Bush House/Crestview History Museum, 198 South Wilson St., by Wednesday, April 22. After that date, take your framed photo directly to the Senior Activity Center in Spanish Trail Park. Your photo will be treated with all honor and respect as it is placed on the Honor Table.

03/24/2026

As we prepare for this year's Race to the Rhein, here are a few memories from last year's living history event.

01/26/2026

Greetings friends and neighbors! As you can see by our FB page header and the attached flier, we have changed the dates of our annual Race to the Rhein living history weekend. (Turns out we had originally planned to do it Easter weekend. Oops!) Please mark your calendars accordingly as we observed the year when War Came to America.