Gettysburg Remembrance Day 2018

Is that in memory of the dedication of the national cemetery and Lincoln's address?

No--that's a common misunderstanding. There are two separate events:

Remembrance Day
is held on a Saturday, and reenactors have a big parade (I'll be in that with a fife and drum corps). There are also numerous side events throughout the battlefield where reenactors honor specific units at their monuments, placing wreaths and holding other ceremonies. At night, there are balls and other gatherings. It's a great event and I'd highly recommend it. It's generally considered the capstone event of the year for the reenacting community.

Dedication Day on the other hand, is a National Park Service/Lincoln Fellowship of PA event held in the Soldiers' National Cemetery, Gettysburg National Military Park, and is always commemorated on Nov. 19, the actual day of the Gettysburg Address. Sometimes that date coincides with the Remembrance Day activities, so many people and usually the media think it's all part of the same event. However, they are separate events. This year, Nov. 19 is a Monday and Dedication Day starts early, around 10:00 am in the Soldiers' National Cemetery on a podium at the site where the actual address was delivered. They usually have high profile speakers, like famous historians, celebrities, Supreme Court justices, members of Congress, etc. I've been honored to be part of the Color Guard for Dedication Day on many occasions, and plan to participate again this year.

For more information on Dedication Day, go to:
https://lincolnfellowship.wildapricot.org/Dedication-Day-2018

Here's a picture of the Color Guard with Richard Dreyfuss, the actor and Civil War enthusiast, from a previous Dedication Day event:

550142_3788453192303_1432175973_n.jpg
 
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Thanks for explaining this so clearly, @infomanpa. I lived here for a long time before learning that there was a distinction.

No, problem LoyaltyOfDogs--I hope people can attend and enjoy both of these events--they are the highlight of my reenacting year. Usually at the Dedication Day ceremony, they also have a swearing-in of newly naturalized US citizens where they typically play a recorded message from whatever president is holding office. I just hope the weather holds this year. Some years, it's beautiful, others it's freezing cold or raining or both and the Color Guard has to stand next to the podium for the duration of the event, usually a couple of hours.

BTW, reenactors should not bring flags, muskets or other weapons to Dedication Day. It's within the cemetery and they only let the Color Guard carry arms or colors for this event.

And just as a personal aside, I wish those dressed as Confederates and Robert E. Lee would please consider the appropriateness of attending the Dedication Day event in the cemetery in uniform. There's nothing to prevent it, but really....
 
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Yep! See you there?:grant::lee:
Oops! I stand corrected by Corporal Bauer! The SVR holds the parade to honor the memory of the GAR and those who fought at Gettysburg. Other units, SVR and reenact, fall in for much the same reasons, I suspect. Either way, it is AWESOME to see that many reenactors "puttin' on the dog" for the weekend! And I ALWAYS look forward to the drums & fifes performing in front of the Dobbin House!
 
No--that's a common misunderstanding. There are two separate events:

Remembrance Day
is held on a Saturday, and reenactors have a big parade (I'll be in that with a fife and drum corps). There are also numerous side events throughout the battlefield where reenactors honor specific units at their monuments, placing wreaths and holding other ceremonies. At night, there are balls and other gatherings. It's a great event and I'd highly recommend it. It's generally considered the capstone event of the year for the reenacting community.

Dedication Day on the other hand, is a National Park Service/Lincoln Fellowship of PA event held in the Soldiers' National Cemetery, Gettysburg National Military Park, and is always commemorated on Nov. 19, the actual day of the Gettysburg Address. Sometimes that date coincides with the Remembrance Day activities, so many people and usually the media think it's all part of the same event. However, they are separate events. This year, Nov. 19 is a Monday and Dedication Day starts early, around 10:00 am in the Soldiers' National Cemetery on a podium at the site where the actual address was delivered. They usually have high profile speakers, like famous historians, celebrities, Supreme Court justices, members of Congress, etc. I've been honored to be part of the Color Guard for Dedication Day on many occasions, and plan to participate again this year.

For more information on Dedication Day, go to:
https://lincolnfellowship.wildapricot.org/Dedication-Day-2018

Here's a picture of the Color Guard with Richard Dreyfuss, the actor and Civil War enthusiast, from a previous Dedication Day event:

View attachment 208890
Duly proud! Well done!!!
 
Well, here we go again!

For the second year a threat has been made to the annual Gettysburg Remembrance Day parade. While we do not know the nature of the threat, we have been asked by the Gettysburg Police Department to use the same parade route as last year. The parade will line up on Lefever Street, will make a left onto Baltimore Street, then right onto Steinwehr Ave and will proceed up Steinwher Avenue and will make a left onto Taneytown Road, up Taneytown Road and will make a left onto Cyclorama Drive where the parade will disperse. While we are sorry for the change of route the safety of all of the participants and spectators is paramount. Various law enforcement agencies will be on hand and as we stated last year if you see something suspicious, please say something. Let’s make this a great parade. Thank you for your support of the annual Gettysburg Remembrance day Parade.

We invite you to join us at the parade briefing slated for Saturday, November 17 at 9:30 AM at the Eisenhower Hotel and Conference Center, 2634 Emmitsburg Road. Let’s not allow this threat to stop us. Let us have a great parade and honor the men in the Blue and the Gray!

--The Sons of Veterans Reserve


The most annoying thing about this for someone who plays a wind instrument and has to march while doing so, is that the last 1/4 of the parade route is now uphill.
 
Well, here we go again!

For the second year a threat has been made to the annual Gettysburg Remembrance Day parade. While we do not know the nature of the threat, we have been asked by the Gettysburg Police Department to use the same parade route as last year. The parade will line up on Lefever Street, will make a left onto Baltimore Street, then right onto Steinwehr Ave and will proceed up Steinwher Avenue and will make a left onto Taneytown Road, up Taneytown Road and will make a left onto Cyclorama Drive where the parade will disperse. While we are sorry for the change of route the safety of all of the participants and spectators is paramount. Various law enforcement agencies will be on hand and as we stated last year if you see something suspicious, please say something. Let’s make this a great parade. Thank you for your support of the annual Gettysburg Remembrance day Parade.

We invite you to join us at the parade briefing slated for Saturday, November 17 at 9:30 AM at the Eisenhower Hotel and Conference Center, 2634 Emmitsburg Road. Let’s not allow this threat to stop us. Let us have a great parade and honor the men in the Blue and the Gray!

--The Sons of Veterans Reserve


The most annoying thing about this for someone who plays a wind instrument and has to march while doing so, is that the last 1/4 of the parade route is now uphill.
Awful
 
Looks like the Weather Channel is predicting accumulating snow today (Thursday) followed by rain. Any expected impact on the event this weekend?
 
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