I have seen many people grumble about many mega events and even the small ones (including myself)How would you create an event? What would be your criteria? Who would you invite and not invite?
We hosted a small event this past April and decided to keep it simple. CS was limited. US was open but we got the support of Vincent's Brigade. Any programs such as speakers and demos were kept simple. Our registration was $3 but this went for such items as spot a pots. Insurance was through the place we hosted it, which they also ran a local kitchen and handled parking. All money raised went to their preservation needs.
The scenarios were well written and accurate and there was a walk through before each engagement.
I guess the biggest thing was to get the input from the people who were coming as to what they liked and didn't liked plus we didn't make big pitches of we promise you this and don't live up to them. Basically, we played by the KISS Rule.
We had 227 total and half of that was Federals, and most importantly everybody is happy and wanted to know if we were doing it again. I would though have some sort of better impression guidline for the CS though but overall I can't complain.
Biggest problem I have seen is the PPP syndrome. You know **** Poor Planning. I've been to reenactments where NO water was provided, one in October where NO wood was provided for fires. Others wheer the skirmishes were scripted as though there was a TV camera present and the script writers were trying for an award. i could go on but thankfuly I'm stil an avid reenactor and love it. Though I have noted that the smaller ones always seem to be better planned.
__________________ Few take the trouble to understand or to view the American scene with perspective. And we Americans love to find ourselves guilty of something. However, it is never I who am guilty, but those other Americans, the past or present government or the other political party. Americans almost never find other countries guilty. It is always ourselves or our fancied influence in other countries. Louis L'amour
Having been on the other side of several fences here – event planner, reenactor, and spectator – I’d like to add my two cents here.
In creating, planning and holding an event, there needs to be communication and a willingness to compromise among all parties involved. That is, the hosting site, the hosting organization, the reenactment groups, outside vendors, etc. Each group usually has its own agenda – the host site wants to bring in attendees who will (hopefully) revisit the site at other times. The host organization (usually a “Friends of…” group) wants to raise money and/or awareness for the site.
The reenactors often are their own worst enemies, since there now seems to be a sort of schism with mega events, mainstream events, immersion events, etc. Your reenactor coordinator needs to be someone who can make decisions and stick to it – you’re not going to be able to please everyone, so you need to find your ground and hold it.
Several years ago, I had occasion to be the event planner for a small living history museum which each year hosted a Civil War event. The new executive director and I became the contact points for the host organization, which managed the state-owned site.
Problem number one: whoever owns the site is going to wield a lot of clout as to what actually is allowed. In previous years, sutlers were not allowed because the site owner representative did not realize there was such a thing a period sutlers; he didn’t want anyone coming doing business out of a Winnebago. Once he was educated on the point, he grudgingly allowed for a minimal number of sutlers. They were such a draw, that we had twice the number the next year.
Problem number two: the members of the host organization may or may not be historians. If the event organizers are business people or volunteers rather than historians, they are going to look at how much money they can make for the minimum outlay of resources. This, in my experience, is why events don’t provide ice, wood, straw, etc. If the organizers don’t understand that you want a pile of straw to represent period-correct bedding, you won’t get straw. Education for the organizers is sometimes warranted.
Problem number three: Organizers, even when they are historians, are looking to cut expenses, because they probably have a Board of Trustees hanging over them. The reenactor coordinators need to make a clear-cut, well-defined request for the number and style or porta-johns (no, the organizers DON’T always know that the ladies in hoops need the handicapped porta-john!), wood, straw, ice, water, etc. The reenactors are giving up their time; without them, there would be no event. They can use this as leverage, if they’re respectful about it.
In our case, the Site Owner refused to ask the snack shop vendor to open early for the reenactors’ benefit. I got up at 3 AM, cooked up trays of cornbread and biscuits and was on-site at 5:30 AM to set up the historically incorrect coffee urns in order to at least make the gesture to the reenactors that they were appreciated. The site owner representative was subsequently POed that I ran the electrical lines off of one of his buildings, but you know what? The reenactors were thrilled to have hot coffee without grounds, hot water for tea, and something to eat. And an opportunity to sit and relax for a few minutes in the morning prior to a busy day. And the next year, we had that many more looking for their morning coffee ration!
Problem number four: The reenactors themselves. With all the work and effort that goes into preparing for an event, oftentimes the ones who rock the boat the most are the reenactors. The “authentic” campaigners torment the mainstreamers, the mainstreamers accuse each other of *****-ism, and beginners get turned off by all the bickering. Not everyone has the money, time, or interest to invest in a 100 percent accurate, hand-stitched impression. Some people want to come as a family. Maybe the site doesn’t have room to set up a separate civilian camp. The organizers are not in a position to honor each and every individual request. The more quibbles they are presented with, the more likely they will begin to look for a different event to do in place of the Civil War reenactment. Without the reenactors, there would be no event, but sometimes there is no more event because of the reenactors! (and I don't mean everyone -- it's the few bad pennies that always turn up).
So, IMHO, some of the things you want to look at in planning an event: What are you going to provide your reenactors with? How will you handle the logistics (parking, camp set-up, etc.)? Who is responsible for safety checks? How reliable is your reenactor coordinator? What is your overall program for the outside attendees (i.e., battle, troop review, living history, tour of camp, townball game, ladies’ tea, etc.)? What about sutlers (note: BIG draw for both participant and tourist – the bigger the sutler row, the better, although some events try and limit sutlers because the sutlers themselves are trying to limit their competition at events)? Who’s responsible for accuracy and checking the camp for anachronisms that the public can see?
As you see, the list could be endless, so I’ll close here as I’ve provided enough fodder for argument!
The only way our events will get any better is by having them run by reenactors and their hand-picked staff of coordinators including responsible individuals (sponsors) to help ease the workload and monetary expense - they would be known as the event planning committee.
Money should NOT be the reason to hold the event but it would be in the best interest of the event to stay in the black and anything considered "net profit" be either put aside for the next event or donated to some worthy cause. If the event is so big that it would be beneficial to PAY the committee for a job well done then they should get a percentage of the net profits pending whether they did their job in a responsible fashion or let others down. This might give them more incentive to assure the job they are entrusted with gets done.
A budget should be in place (and followed) and contracts with everyone should be signed and legal. Water, wood, portable toilets, liability insurance, advertising, security and health needs, parking, gate, inspection and organization, command positions for all areas (civilian, US & CS branches of service) ALL should be covered in agreement contracts with job expectations clearly communicated and a date at which these agreements need to be completed. Clear event rules for authenticity and safety should be enforced and known ahead of time.
Reenactors should not have to pay a dime to attend any event and should be valued by the event organizer and the sponsors. No bounty should be paid to anyone, no meal fed, no coffee served by the event staff - everyone should be responsible for their own ability to take care of themselves, within reason. Black powder, straw and horse hay should be provided by the participants themselves. This can be by invitation only if needed.
The gig i did this past summer was fun it was a small one up north in the thumb area of michigan. the only complaints i heard from other reenactors was that the pyrotechnics werent suposed to go off at certain times, and one time during the battle all the charges went off at once which wasent suposed to happen...
One of the most insane things I saw, at an event, was a 35 minute battle were the Union lost a grand total of 10 out of 250! They were on the offensive advancing against breastworks and artillery. They got as close as 15 yards and not a single man would drop. They engaged for over 10 minutes with Confederates yelling, "You guys gotta drop!" Union reply, "You lost the war, shut up!"
I have also been to events were units do not due what they are supposed to and try to change the event. The sad thing with the event I spoke of earlier in para 1 is the Confederates took the wooping the first day like the plan called for.
I love to watch these guys, but some units/men need to get a grip and grow up. Enjoy the moment take the hit and move on. I hate to spend money only to hear these guys moan and cry on the battlefield.
I do not mean this towards all the men who due the acting. However, I believe you all know or have seen what I am talking about at an event.
Best way of preventing such a thing is the "marked cartridge." IIRC red ink on the paper means you take a hit and go down as you are loading. Black you fire then take a hit... works well enough. So does limiting the number of rounds issued... once you're out of ammo you go down.
All in all good planning and communication make an event. If everyone knows what is supposed to be done things work much smoother. That and NO tolerance for safety violations.
__________________ Few take the trouble to understand or to view the American scene with perspective. And we Americans love to find ourselves guilty of something. However, it is never I who am guilty, but those other Americans, the past or present government or the other political party. Americans almost never find other countries guilty. It is always ourselves or our fancied influence in other countries. Louis L'amour
I agree with Linneus.Since most of us bring food & coffee to events do we really need to be fed? Powder! man that can be a very expensive to give out . I do this to recreate history not for a living so I don't expect to be compensated .
When I see a event flier saying "Proceeds going a charity or for preservation"followed by Free breakfast Sat & Sun . Free dinner Saturday, powder rations and bounties paid ect.Now top all that with paying anywhere from $100- $1000.00 to have Bubba joe's and Fetus's Jug quartet play for the Blue Grey ball. I wonder what money goes to the charities or preservation.
What events need to do is enforce authenticity standards. I don't know how many events I been to that hands a sheet with all the event's regs .All of them say things like no Blue Jeans,Sneakers,Earings,Cowboy boots ect. and they are never enforced.
What is the point of having standards that are not enforced?
Now I have been to C/P/H events where the regs are enforced and seen the quality of the events improve a great deal.
Having marked cartridges is not a bad idea as long as it is honored. Sad to say we will always have those who only goal is to play with guns and burn all their powder in a half hour and refuse to take a hit.
If the event call for a military camp then camp should be military .Which means NO CIVILIANS in the miltary camp . They were not allowed to mingle with the men in camp during the war.Sure there were Laundry lady's and so call camp cooks ,but after the first few months of the war they became a rare site.They also had to setup in a separate camp from the enlisted men.For those who have camp with the family camp in the modern or civy camp.
There are a good number of good civilian impressions but there is room in the civilian end for improvements. First we need fewer famous people impression and more of the common people the people who work for a living.We need less Ballgowns and fancy suits and more in everyday work attire. As for the little ones I know dressing them up as little soldiers and running around with a cap gun is cute and makes a great Kodak moment but it is also really *****. I have seen a lot of kids who have a great time learning games of the period or by playing with period toys. Please don't dress the girls up like mini versions of their mom. Dress the kids up as kids of the period .
There are a lot of things that can be done to improve events. As for the events organizers set your standards and stick with them.
As for the re-enactors who make no effort to improve they only drag a event down to a **** fest.
Brian
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