The 160th anniversary reenactment of the Battle of Bentonville will take place March 15-16, 2025. Tickets for the event, “A Terrible Storm,” are now on sale.
The battle scenarios on Saturday and Sunday are the only events that require tickets. The commemoration also has numerous free activities planned. Visitors can walk through the soldiers’ camps, smell period cooking, listen to lectures, tour the Harper house, learn about 19th-century medicine, shop the dozens of “sutlers” — vendors selling Civil War-related items — or just relax while listening to old-time music.
Concessions will be available for purchase from food trucks and the Bentonville Volunteer Fire Department.
Visitors are strongly encouraged to purchase tickets well in advance of the event as tickets will be limited. Advanced tickets for a single day are $15 or $25 for a two-day pass. At the gate (if available), tickets will be $20 per day. Children 10 and under attend free.
For more information and to purchase tickets visit www.bentonvillereenactment.com. Tickets can be purchased online, at Bentonville Battlefield, or by calling (910) 594-0789. Checks can be mailed to Friends of Bentonville Battlefield, c/o 160th Event Tickets, P.O. Box 211, Newton Grove, NC 28366.
The battle of Bentonville (March 19-21, 1865), was the largest battle fought in North Carolina and was one of the last major engagements of the Civil War, with over 80,000 troops engaged covering 6,000 acres of farmland in eastern North Carolina. More than 1,000 re-enactors and 30,000 spectators are expected to attend the event, which includes two battles, military and civilian encampments and special educational programs during the weekend.
The 2025 event is being sponsored by the Friends of Bentonville Battlefield, Inc., the Johnston County Visitors Bureau, and the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. All proceeds from ticket sales benefit battlefield interpretation and preservation.
About Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site
Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site interprets the battle and the Harper House, a farmhouse used as a field hospital where surgeons treated nearly 600 men wounded in the battle. The site is located at 5466 Harper House Road, Four Oaks, NC 27524, 3 miles north of Newton Grove on S.R. 1008, about one hour from Raleigh and about 45 minutes from Fayetteville.
For more information, visit https://historicsites.nc.gov/all-sites/bentonville-battlefield or call (910) 594-0789.
Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site is part of the Division of State Historic Sites in the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.