Taking turns dipping a string into a pot of bees wax, students from Blue Earth Middle School on Thursday disregarded the cold, windy, wet weather as they learned how to make candles.

For many, it was their first time doing so, and by the time they had to rotate to their next presentation, they had a candle that was about a half-inch thick.

It was just one of many presentations the students attended on Thursday during the first of two education days at the Big Island Rendezvous & Festival at Bancroft Bay Park. Children all over the region attended the event, which takes them a step back in time to learn firsthand about history.

Event coordinator and founder Perry Vining said the education days were expected to bring out about 3,000 children from a 200-mile radius on Thursday and Friday, even with the rainy weather.

For many students, seeing a cannon reenactment was a favorite stop.

“I like loud noises and stuff,” said student Kiley Loveng, from Blue Earth Middle School.

like the military,” added another student, Trenton Stindtman.

While the cannons were popular for many of the students, Vining said other popular presentations included one about tomahawk throwing and another about grave diggers.

Each group of students would visit about eight different presentations throughout the day, staying at a specific presentation for about 30 minutes before rotating on to the next one.

They were able to learn about topics including shoemaking, woodworking, butter making, weaving, firestarting and weapons, to name a few.

They ate lunch part of the way through the day and had the chance to purchase souvenirs.

Vining said he hopes the presentations give students the opportunity to see what life was like during the Civil War era.

“I don’t think people realize the struggle people had to survive in the wilderness 200 years ago,” he said. “They couldn’t go to the grocery store to get a gallon of milk. It was a lot of struggle.

“If you understand what they had to do, it makes you really appreciate what we have.”

He said the people of that time did not consider their lives to be a struggle; it was just reality for them.

He noted he didn’t mind the colder, rainy weather on Thursday, because it gave the students even more of a chance to see what it might have been like for the pioneers. They wouldn’t have had warm, fleece jackets or waterproof shoes, he said.

What: 23rd annual Big Island Rendezvous & Festival

When: Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Bancroft Bay Park

Admission: Adults $8 in advance, $10 at the gate; children ages 6 to 11 are $5 in advance, $6 at the gate; children 5 and under get in free

Parking: People are encouraged to park at the Freeborn County Fairgrounds and ride a free shuttle to the festival

Presenters come from all over, including as far away as Ohio, covering at least 10 different states.

“We try to give the real information,” Vining said. “We’re not Disney World.”

He and the other presenters hope to teach kids accurate history.

He said the number of students attending the Rendezvous during education days is up from last year.

The Rendezvous will be open to the public on Saturday and Sunday.

Perry said for the first time ever in the history of the event, the public will have the opportunity to go through the different stations that are part of education days at various times.

The Big Island Rendezvous started in 1987 at what was then called Helmer Myre State Park and moved its early October festivities to Bancroft Bay Park in 1992.