The Civil War battlefield parks that surrounding Richmond, Virginia, will be a fitting backdrop to the Civil War Trust's annual conference set for June.

Hundreds of Civil War buffs and preservationists from around the country are expected in the former capital of the Confederacy as part of the Civil War Trust’s annual conference. The four-day event will be held at the Omni Richmond Hotel from June 6–-10.

The annual event gives Trust members an opportunity to celebrate the organization'’s successes while learning about the rich Civil War heritage of the battles waged around Richmond, a particularly appropriate location given the 150th anniversary of the Seven Days’ Battles outside of Richmond this summer.

Participants will experience lectures, tours, and presentations by historians, including Garry Adelman, Michael Andrus, Edward L. Ayers, Doug Batson, Edwin C. Bearss, Mike Boehme, Chris Calkins, Tom Crouch, Bert Dunkerly, Adam Goodheart, Mike Gorman, James Green, A. Wilson Greene, Christopher Kolakowski, Robert E. L. Krick, Ed Sanders, Richard Sommers, Jeffry Wert and Ashley Whitehead.

The theme of this year'’s conference is “Clash for the Capital: Richmond and the Seven Days Battles,” and it will explore Civil War battles fought around Richmond in the summer of 1862.

Multiple tours will cover the battles of Gaines’ Mill, Glendale, Malvern Hill and others — some featuring lengthy hikes, with others providing more general overviews of the Seven Days’ Battles. Additional tour options include the historic homes and gardens of Richmond, Stuart’s Ride around the Union Army, and Richmond today.

Other special programs for registered attendees include discussion panels, lectures and multimedia presentations. On Friday evening, guests will attend a reception on the grounds of the American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar, www.tredegar.org, an outstanding museum located on the site of Tredegar Iron Works, once the industrial heart of the Confederacy. The high point of the conference will be a banquet and awards ceremony to be held on Saturday, June 9 at the Omni Richmond Hotel.

The public is invited to explore the event'’s extensive exhibit hall on Thursday, June 7 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.