Reenactment improvements

If you want to drink, drink.Just don't walk around with a beer can in your hand. Pour it in your tin cup and ditch the can. Our QM made a correct wooden box, stencilled it correctly. Put a cooler inside it stocked with water bottles, Gatorade, and beer. Rule was take what you want, pour it in your cup and drop the empties back in the cooler. There are plenty of ways to look correct. One of my buddies put it all in perspective. Heck I have to go to work on Monday!
They allow the drinking of alcohal at reenactments?
 
Really depends if you are talking mainstream or progressive. Does reenacting also include living history? Alcohol should not be allowed at any event. Age appropriate is a hard thing to control, particularly when there aren't enough young folk joining Civil War reenacting.

There are age appropriate impressions for the aging reenactor, but they are less glamorous.

Ordnance Sergeant
John Mills
Backmark: NY, NY
CDV is from the Mike McAfee Collection

CDV photo of the oldest soldier serving in the Civil War. Standing view of a “tough as nails” old man with white beard standing proudly for the camera wearing his ordnance sergeant’s chevrons (5 pointed star above the chevrons) as well as veteran’s service stripes that entirely cover the lower portion of both sleeves on his 9-button frock coat. There appears to be 12 veteran stripes on each sleeve. He holds his regulation forage cap. Served in the War of 1812, the second Seminole war in Florida, the Mexican War and the entire Civil War.

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More than age, I would encourage reenactors to a higher level of physical fitness. We´re nerdy, cerebral people, many of whom have been more comfortable in the library than the gym all our lives. But years ago I came to see the actual reenactment event as less of a historical exercise as a weekend sports event. I started running and working out so that I would be fit enough to march run and sleep on the ground for a couple days and not cripple myself. That was 20 years ago. Along the way, my PT program turned into a hobby all its own and now I run half marathons, too. Like last month. :bounce:

Happy Medal 2.jpg
 
One thing about drinking. in my unit the 5th NH, no alcohol was allowed until after the public was gone from the event. Usually around the campfire enjoying the moment, talking and singing. I admit some may have over done it but it made it awfully rough to get going the next day. Every one enjoys the hobby and that's what it is, for their own reasons. In the 5th there were guys who were there for the friendships, who knew all about weapons, who were there for the history, whatever. One of guys was an expert in ladies period underwear! It is what you make of it.
 
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