Out & About: Compass Inn midsummer revel harks back to 1812

They were partying like it was 1812 on July 15 on the grounds of the Compass Inn Museum in Laughlintown.

The event was the annual Midsummer’s Night Ball, a highlight of a living history weekend featuring reenactors from Ship’s Company, an organization dedicated to preserving America’s maritime heritage.

The group interprets the periods of the Revolution, the Civil War and the War of 1812, with the latter being the weekend’s focus.

Members portray Navy sailors, Marines, civilian naval contractors, craftsmen and laborers of the period, dressing in their finest early 19th-century regalia for the evening festivities.

Several troupes specializing in early American dance were on hand to demonstrate their talents.

Dancing master Brett Walker, a historic shoemaker by trade, also offered instruction to guests interested in taking a turn around the dance floor. Walker has been doing 18th- and 19th-century dance since 2002, including four years as part of the Colonial Williamsburg Dance Ensemble.

Dancers and non-dancers fortified themselves with period-inspired cocktails and hors d’oeuvres as the reveled on into the warm midsummer twilight.

Guests were welcomed by Theresa Gay Rohall, executive director of the Ligonier Valley Historical Society, which operates the historic stagecoach stop, and had a chance to meet the new head museum interpreter, Tamra Steiner-Niida.

Seen: Ron Rohall, Jeff and Halina Gronsky, Heather Kaufman, Michelle Gay, Ray and Tami Meloy, Colleen Caldwell, Carole Waterhouse, Jason and Michelle LaFosse, Tadeusz Zajac and Ilona Fijal-Zajac, David Resek, Katie Stupar, Beverly and Tom Ravida and Ship’s Company members Brian Brady, Ben Bartgis, Will Knight, Sean Lowman and Phil Hosea.