A drop in interest yet?

[Craig L Barry]

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.

Goodness, that is so dead-on accurate it is frightening.

 

[Phiip McBride]

Even if the mega-reenactments peaked in size during the 135 cycle in the late 1990's, my experience attending over 15 events during the 150th cycle was simply excellent. The big mainstream events I took part in were HUGE. Those include First Manassas in Virginia and Wilson's Creek in Missouri in 2011, Shiloh in Tennessee in 2012, Gettysburg and Chickamauga in 2013 in Pennsylvania and Georgia. That's five giant reenactments in five different states.

My experiences during the 150's with smaller events with higher standards expected were even better and still big events: Maryland My Maryland (Antietam) in 2012 during which the 1st Texas battle in Millers Cornfield was the single best, most emotional experience in my 20 years of reenacting. Then Champions Hill and Vicksburg in Mississippi, then Resaca in Georgia in 2014, and wrapping up with Bentonville in South Carolina in 2015 and Fort Blakely, Alabama. That's four more different states.

I left each one of those events with memories unique to that weekend, and wouldn't trade a one of them, even the ungodly heat at Manassas and the mucky red mud at Resaca.

Whether or not the nationwide number of reenactors is down, we still are part of a vibrant healthy history-heavy hobby.

 

[scarter92]

Our unit has grown nicely this year with young guys. And I recruited in a teen this week. I already spoke with his mom, though he can't carry an arm yet. I'm a Revolutionary War reenactor.