After an absence of 200 years, invading British Redcoats will be back in town this weekend -- along with a whole lot of militiamen, camp followers, colonial crafters and out-of-town tourists here for the first big event of Wareham's Summer of Celebration.

Friday marks the 200th anniversary of the attack on Wareham by British warship HMS Nimrod during the War of 1812. To commemorate the event, reenactors representing both sides of the 1814 encounter will stage some mock battles and set up an encampment on and around the Town Green.

“It’s a chance to experience what life was like in the early 1800s, and part of it will be what it was like for the military in the War of 1812 as well as in the Revolutionary War,” said Malcolm Phinney, Captain of the Wareham Militia and historian in charge of organizing many of the weekend's events.

The weekend will kick off on Friday with an "opening ceremony" at 11 a.m. on the Town Green.

According to Summer of Celebration Vice President Nancy Miller, church bells will ring out letting everyone know the exact time the attack by the HMS Nimrod took place. An edited 1812-style church service, a description of the actual attack, entertainment by a children's chorus and a flag raising will follow.

Beginning Saturday, the “Redcoats and Residents” militia encampment will feature early American and British troops demonstrating military and camp skills from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to noon on Sunday.

It and all Saturday’s daytime events will take place in the Wareham Historic District Area on upper Main Street and in and around the Tremont Nail Factory on Elm Street.

Visitors will be able to see how early soldiers built their camps, cooked, and prepared for battle. There will be hands-on activities and period-specific crafters’ demonstrations at the Tremont Nail Factory.

“It’s living history,” said Phinney. “We’re going to give people a chance to look at the inside of Tremont Nail, and show an interpretive program around the nail and iron industry at that time.”

Along with military drills and a mock battle, there will be wagon rides and traditional music provided by the New Bedford Sea Chantey Chorus, The Jolly Rogues and others.

“We’re tying to do (the reenactments) as close to history as possible — we’re trying to make it as informative and as accurate as we can,” said Phinney.

On Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Tremont Nail Factory a “Redcoats and Residents” contra dance will allow visitors can dance (or learn to contra dance) with the militia troops. The traditional New England folk dance is a form of “line” or “square” dancing that was apopular form of entertainment in Wareham during the 18th and early 19th centuries.

On Sunday, the “Redcoats and Residents” militia encampment will continue with a church service on the Town Green at 10 a.m.

After the services, there will be a re-enactment of the 1814 British landing and related festivities at Besse Park from noon to 4 p.m. Music will be provided by the Wareham Fife and Drum Corps, there will be an appearance from members of the Wampanoag Tribe, and food vendors will be on hand.

The Wampanoags "will show what their culture was like at at that time," said Phinney.

He said that so far, preparations for the event have been going well.

“It’s going . . . and things are falling together pretty good,” he said. “We haven’t run into any major glitches at the moment.”

The Captain John Kendrick Maritime Museum, located at 100 Main Street, will also be open June 14 and 15 from 1-4 p.m.

Free parking and a shuttle service will be available at Redbrook Business Park, Rt. 28, West Wareham from 9:45 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday.

Eighteen months in the planning, this weekend's festivities are the first large, public piece of a summer of activities organized to recognize the 200th anniversary of the British encounter and the 275th anniversary of Wareham's incorporation as a town. For more on Summer of Celebration activities, go to www.wareham2014.com.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

Starting on Friday evening, the British troops will be camping on the Town Green while the Americans will be camping at Decas Elementary.

Starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday morning, the New Bedford Sea Shanty Singers will be performing next to the Methodist Meeting House on Main Street, alongside the Wareham fife and drum corps. At 11 a.m. there will be wagons rides at the Tremont Nail Factory and the fife and drum corps along with others will march down Main Street.

At 11:30 a.m. the Jolly Rouges will be on Elm Street and from 11:30 a.m. to noon the Sea Shanty singers will once again perform next to the Meeting House.

At 1 p.m. there will be an artillery demonstration on the Town Green. The Jolly Rouges will head down Park Street from 2 to 3 p.m. while the fife and drum corps play on Main Street.

From 3 to 4 p.m. there will be a mock battle along Main Street and Elm Street between the British and American militias. At 4:30 p.m. there will be a chance for attendees to come inside the encampment and see some living history exhibits until the camp closes to the public at 5 p.m.

The Contra Dance starts at 7 p.m. at Tremont Nail and reenactors will be firing off a canon at 8 p.m. on the Town Green.

On Sunday there will be a Church service on the Town Green at 10 a.m. before the British and American militias head to Besse Park at noon to reenact the the invasion of the HMS Nimrod, complete with ships on the water.