SeeCalifornia.com

United State Civil War (1861-1865) battles in California are hosted each April in Costa Mesa, Woodland Hills, Mariposa and Chino.  See dates for these events!

Californians share a fascination for the Civil War with the North and the South. Our very own citizen soldiers aided in the battle, sometimes from afar. But what was key in ending this war was the vote–who would California side with?  Though history lovers like to delve into our role in the becoming a state and its importance in the national scene, at the mock Civil War battles played out each year in parks throughout California, the focus is mostly on the battlefields and battles between the North and South. Costumed actors dress in replica, period costumes and set up encampments in public parks and venues. All the way down to their tents, participants strive to remain as authentic as possible to the mid-1800s Civil War era, though their guns aren’t loaded with real bullets and their cannons aren’t equipped with cannon balls. If you’ve never been to a Civil War reenactment, they are quite amazing. If you have kids, take them. They’ll find it’s a blast–literally!