Hers the way I see participation in reenacting. As a Teenager its something thats fun and can learn a bit of history. Early 20's it's off to College, or marriage and starting a job so they drop out. In the early 30's they work until they kinda sorta get organized, housing situation solved the kids are no longer in diapers they come to events to scope things out, the family can now take vacations together since the kids are older. The early 40's the male kids are teenagers and dad can sometime coerce them to come out and try it, and some families use it as camping/history fun weekends, the family is getting financially sound. In the late 40's and early 50's kids are grown and mom and dad have more free time, and wants to try to get out there and have fun while he still can and hang with other people his own age with the same interest. A lot of the trips have become solo trips for dad (goes to events on his own). Late 50's early 60's, dad gets tired of going away from home on his own and it takes longer to recover from the grueling weekends and drives and start to think it's time to quit and starts selling off his stuff(see it all on Ebay) and decides to QUIT. Mid 60's on goes to events and places with the growing grandkids as a spectator.
Thats the way I see it anyway.
The unit I belong to we have 4 retirees, 2 in their 50's with bad knees and had surgery this past winter, and may have to take an early retirement because of disability. 1 in his early 50's pasted on last Dec.. 1 in his late 40's that has 2 operation on the same knee and may be going back for a 3rd. 1 in his 50's with decent health, and 2 in their 20's and a few others. And we are one of just a few confederate units in Michigan. We still take the field, but don't ask us to do drill, you get us for one or the other. If we all can make it to a event we can probably make up to 20-25 man unit. We also have many tag alongs. that where their unit can't make it they join up with us. I think we had a 40 man unit for the 150th Gettysburg.