Feast of the Hunters' Moon

The Feast of the Hunters' Moon is an annual historic reenactment event held October 11-12, 2025, at Fort Ouiatenon in West Lafayette, Indiana. It recreates life in the 18th century at the first fortified European settlement in Indiana, featuring French, British, and Native American fur-trading posts with food, crafts, demonstrations, music, and dancing along the Wabash River. The festival runs Saturday from 9am to 5pm and Sunday from 9am to 4pm.

The atmosphere is immersive and festive, evoking the autumn homecoming and celebration of the period around 1717-1791. Visitors experience wood smoke scents, rifle fire reports, authentic historic foods, and lively music stages. Over 40 period-appropriate food booths are run by local nonprofits as fundraisers, offering a variety of historic dishes.

Activities and entertainment are spread across the 30-acre grounds with multiple arenas and stages hosting:

• French and Native American music and dance performances
• Fife and drum corps and military drills
• Historic living history demonstrations and fashion shows
• Games, contests, and hands-on activities such as candle-dipping, bead bracelet making, cross-cut sawing, axe throwing, storytelling, and costume try-on
• Children’s trade blanket activities designed for engagement with history and crafts

The event encourages visitors to fully engage with 18th-century daily life and culture in a family-friendly environment. Attendance requires paid admission with discounts for advance tickets and special pricing for children and families. Pets are not allowed except assistance animals.

A rough schedule highlights continuous programming on five stages, with periods designated for military drills, dance performances, and music concerts, alternating throughout the day on both festival days.

The Feast was established to commemorate the historic fall gatherings at Fort Ouiatenon, where French traders and Native Americans met. Over decades it has grown into a major cultural heritage event presented by the Tippecanoe County Historical Association with cooperation from local governmental departments, attracting thousands of reenactors and visitors annually.

The event combines education, entertainment, and community fundraising while celebrating the unique history of Indiana’s first European settlement on the Wabash River. It is considered a must-see fall event in the area with a vibrant, historically rich atmosphere.