POINT PLEASANT — The Annual Battle Days celebration begins on Friday and continues through Sunday with a variety of events planned as well as three nationally acclaimed authors making an appearance — one of which will be the grand marshal for the Battle Days Parade on Saturday.

Author James Alexander Thom, renowned author of the historical novels “Follow the River,” as well as “The Long Knife” and “Panther in the Sky,” will not only be the parade’s grand marshal but be at an author’s reception from 2-4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 8 at Tu-Endie-Wei park. Thom will be joined by wife Dark Rain, a nationally-known author of the books “The Warrior Woman” and “The Shawnee: Kohkumthena’s Grandchildren,” a 1,000-year history of the people who became called the Shawnee. Also on hand, Randell Jones, a native of North Carolina who has written several notable books like “In the Footsteps of Daniel Boone” and his latest “Before They Were Heroes at Kings Mountain,” which includes some of the men who fought at the Battle of Point Pleasant.

A complete itinerary for this weekend’s events is as follows:

Friday, Oct. 7: 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Mansion House open for tours; 10 a.m., encampments and craft demonstrations throughout the day at Tu-Endie-Wei; 10 a.m., Heritage Queen Contest, Gene Salem Senior Center; noon, art show at Ft. Randolph Terrace, Main Street; 7:30 p.m., lantern tour which includes several stations with historical reenactors at Tu-Endie-Wei.

Saturday, Oct. 8: 9 a.m., 5k Run for Sight sponsored by local Lions Club; 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Mansion House open for tours; 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., crafts and activities for all ages, as well as entertainment on Main Street, sponsored by Main Street Merchants; 11 a.m. parade (lineup is at 10 a.m. in front of Mason County Board of Education Office); immediately following the parade there will be demonstrations by Kang’s Tae Kwon Do Academy and Ohio River Dance Studio in front of the Point Pleasant Post Office; 10 a.m. - 8 p.m., art show, Ft. Randolph Terrace, Main Street; 12:30 p.m. , Kanawha Valley Pipes and Drums perform, Tu-Endie-Wei; 1 p.m., Chief Cornstalk reenactor, Tu-Endie-Wei; 1:30 p.m., children’s colonial games and Modock Rounders perform, Tu-Endie-Wei; 2-4 p.m., meet the authors, Tu-Endie-Wei; 2 p.m., Ann Bailey reenactor and musket firing demonstration, Tu-Endie-Wei; 2:30 p.m., Chief Cornstalk reenactor returns and military drilling and recruitment of volunteers at Tu-Endie-Wei; 3 p.m, more children’s colonial games, Tu-Endie-Wei; 3:30 p.m., Martha Washington reenactor, Tu-Endie-Wei; 4 p.m., reception for author Thom, Tu-Endie-Wei; 6-8 p.m., Colonial Governor’s Reception at American Legion (ticket is required, SAR members only); 8-11 p.m., Colonial Ball at American Legion (free and open to public).

Sunday, Oct. 9 - 10 a.m., Colonial Church Service, Tu-Endie-Wei; 1-4 p.m., art show Ft. Randolph Terrace, Main Street and Mansion House open for tours; 2 p.m., memorial service, Tu-Endie-Wei.