Worst event

[Kirby the great]

I'm curious, what has been someone of the worst events in everyone's living history career, be it due to farb, conditions, or bad management. I'm curious.

 

[captaindrew]

Well not so good events are usually a combination of all the things you mentioned. That said while some events are certainly better than others I enjoy going no matter what. The core group of my gang are all great friends and we'll have a good time amongst ourselves no matter what's going on around us. I'd say the only thing that will really spoil an event is bad weather. Been in extreme cold, extreme heat, heavy rain, and even a couple with snow. Sure puts a damper on an event if you're uncomfortable the whole time, nobody's fault, just have to deal with it best you can.

 

[bankerpapaw]

Well not so good events are usually a combination of all the things you mentioned. That said while some events are certainly better than others I enjoy going no matter what. The core group of my gang are all great friends and we'll have a good time amongst ourselves no matter what's going on around us. I'd say the only thing that will really spoil an event is bad weather. Been in extreme cold, extreme heat, heavy rain, and even a couple with snow. Sure puts a damper on an event if you're uncomfortable the whole time, nobody's fault, just have to deal with it best you can.

Well not so good events are usually a combination of all the things you mentioned. That said while some events are certainly better than others I enjoy going no matter what. The core group of my gang are all great friends and we'll have a good time amongst ourselves no matter what's going on around us. I'd say the only thing that will really spoil an event is bad weather. Been in extreme cold, extreme heat, heavy rain, and even a couple with snow. Sure puts a damper on an event if you're uncomfortable the whole time, nobody's fault, just have to deal with it best you can.

Roll with the flow and have a good time!!

 

[7thWisconsin]

I've been reenacting for 50 years and looking back I have to say this is a hard question. Worst event is a little bit of a moving target. During the US Bicentennial, we fought in parks with playgrounds, bandstands and even baseball fields because every little town wanted to include reenactors in their local celebration. At this point in my life, I would probably pass on those, but they were the state of the hobby at the time. I did an event a few years ago that was dumb; the "battle" was kind of like a gunfight down the main street of this little burg. But they gave me a bounty of a pound of powder for showing up, so I can't call that a loss. I've done campaigner events that looked good on paper, but then over-promised and under-delivered (sometimes in critical issues like rations and/or mess equipment to cook said rations in). There was a Gettysburg maybe about 15 years ago where there was a bagpiper accompanying Pickett's Charge. That may be the worst thing I ever saw allowed on the field that wasn't a safety hazard. (Well, it might be depending on how you feel about bagpipes.)
OK - there was a major event about 20 years ago where we were recreating Brawner's Farm at sundown. The organizers wanted everybody to kit out as Iron Brigade. So there were full battalions of Black Hats, which sounds like heaven, right? Except that most of those reenactors knew squat about the Iron Brigade's actual history. Those of us who portray the IB as a primary impression felt like we were surrounded by imposters. So on to the actual fight, which ended up being conducted in the pouring rain. It was OK, but the combination of poor weather and poseurs took some of the fun out of it. Then there was a photographer onsite who was taking candids that were going to be uploaded to a distinct website that event participants only would have password access to (Hey - it was the early 2000s. Things like this were new then.) We anticipated getting to see the photos a couple days after the event. Six weeks went by before they were posted. By then this wasn't even "last month's event." So interest was gone. Then the posted photos seemed to indicate that the photographer spent all day around headquarters and one or two companies, leaving lots of us without even so much as a "that's me over there in the black hat" moment. Complete misfire.
So, in an odd way, I guess that's the answer to your question. It's that pretty high-end, highly publicized and anticipated event that failed to fire in its main selling point. That's the one that still leaves a bad taste in my mouth, rather than the dumb fights for baseball diamonds or the ones with kettle corn and fry bread vendors.

 

[captaindrew]

I've been reenacting for 50 years and looking back I have to say this is a hard question. Worst event is a little bit of a moving target. During the US Bicentennial, we fought in parks with playgrounds, bandstands and even baseball fields because every little town wanted to include reenactors in their local celebration. At this point in my life, I would probably pass on those, but they were the state of the hobby at the time. I did an event a few years ago that was dumb; the "battle" was kind of like a gunfight down the main street of this little burg. But they gave me a bounty of a pound of powder for showing up, so I can't call that a loss. I've done campaigner events that looked good on paper, but then over-promised and under-delivered (sometimes in critical issues like rations and/or mess equipment to cook said rations in). There was a Gettysburg maybe about 15 years ago where there was a bagpiper accompanying Pickett's Charge. That may be the worst thing I ever saw allowed on the field that wasn't a safety hazard. (Well, it might be depending on how you feel about bagpipes.)
OK - there was a major event about 20 years ago where we were recreating Brawner's Farm at sundown. The organizers wanted everybody to kit out as Iron Brigade. So there were full battalions of Black Hats, which sounds like heaven, right? Except that most of those reenactors knew squat about the Iron Brigade's actual history. Those of us who portray the IB as a primary impression felt like we were surrounded by imposters. So on to the actual fight, which ended up being conducted in the pouring rain. It was OK, but the combination of poor weather and poseurs took some of the fun out of it. Then there was a photographer onsite who was taking candids that were going to be uploaded to a distinct website that event participants only would have password access to (Hey - it was the early 2000s. Things like this were new then.) We anticipated getting to see the photos a couple days after the event. Six weeks went by before they were posted. By then this wasn't even "last month's event." So interest was gone. Then the posted photos seemed to indicate that the photographer spent all day around headquarters and one or two companies, leaving lots of us without even so much as a "that's me over there in the black hat" moment. Complete misfire.
So, in an odd way, I guess that's the answer to your question. It's that pretty high-end, highly publicized and anticipated event that failed to fire in its main selling point. That's the one that still leaves a bad taste in my mouth, rather than the dumb fights for baseball diamonds or the ones with kettle corn and fry bread vendors.

Ah yes, playgrounds and baseball diamonds, we did one this year on a soccer field. I remember the bagpipes, sadly the Gettysburg events are total farbfests. We did the more campaigner leaning event for the 160th and enjoyed that but pass on the other ones the last few years. Don't know how many 4th of July weekends in a row I spent in Gettysburg but it was alot. You can only do Pickett's Charge with a couple companies so many times. But can't say we didn't have a good time, when we do go it's a good excuse for a Gburg trip, spend more time around town and on the battlefield than at the event.

 

[7thWisconsin]

I did a lot of Gettysburg events where I went home after the Saturday activities. Pickett's Charge just isn't that interesting from the Federal viewpoint.

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

I can't say an event was "the worst" as even bad things happen something good happens right afterwards to offset it.

Like getting shot in the face 2 revolvers and shotgun at a distance of maybe 5 feet and experiencing blindness for a bit. Terrible, but greater memories followed the same day to make me decide it was a great one. Or like one I did a thread on back in January, pure misery, but I throughly enjoyed the time and can't wait to do it again.

There was one time that left me very sore and admittedly filled with a grudge. Where my old unit's had newer comers I didn't care for and a new captain demanding I do something unsafe and I refused him as I didn't want to hurt people in the front rank. He screamed like a fool about how I was gonna follow orders or leave the field. So I left the field.

But slinging my rifle and walking calmly off the field as pyrotechnics blew up around me and the so-called battle raging was hilarious to me afterwards.

You can have bad day, but in the end, it's only bad if you decide it is.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

Cold rain seems like it would be the worst. The audience won't show up, powder is less likely to ignite (especially for pre-ACW), the reenactors will mostly feel miserable, and some of the reenactors won't show up because they don't want to get their gear wet.

 

[7thWisconsin]

Rain. Rain is the worst thing you can regularly experience. I wouldn't say it would ever make an event "the worst ever" but it makes for a bad experience. Rain is terrible for equipment. I had a season once when it rained every event. I broke a lot of gear that year. Back when gear was readily available and modestly priced, I could countenance taking the stuff out in the pouring rain. Now, as hard as this is for a recovering campaigner like myself, I'm choosier about the conditions to which I subject my equipment.
There was a French and Indian War event a couple years ago in which it rained for 24 hours on the second day of a three day event. That was terrible. Since everything was already set up, everything got soaked. Flintlocks just won't fire in the rain, so there was really nothing to do but watch it rain. I sat in my tent, reading by the light of an exposed candle flame. Now, normally, I'm Mr Safety, death on things like an open flame in a canvas structure. Honestly, there was nothing in that tent dry enough to catch fire from a measley candle flame. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I did discover, however, that my hurdy-gurdy was constructed like Noah's Ark. At one point, a quarter inch of standing water on it. Didn't effect the instrument at all. Ford and Chevy should build a contraption as sturdy and reliable.

 

[redbob]

I can't say an event was "the worst" as even bad things happen something good happens right afterwards to offset it.

Like getting shot in the face 2 revolvers and shotgun at a distance of maybe 5 feet and experiencing blindness for a bit. Terrible, but greater memories followed the same day to make me decide it was a great one. Or like one I did a thread on back in January, pure misery, but I throughly enjoyed the time and can't wait to do it again.

There was one time that left me very sore and admittedly filled with a grudge. Where my old unit's had newer comers I didn't care for and a new captain demanding I do something unsafe and I refused him as I didn't want to hurt people in the front rank. He screamed like a fool about how I was gonna follow orders or leave the field. So I left the field.

But slinging my rifle and walking calmly off the field as pyrotechnics blew up around me and the so-called battle raging was hilarious to me afterwards.

You can have bad day, but in the end, it's only bad if you decide it is.

How about the time that you had to cross a freezing cold river while your friends(?) cheered you on?

 

[Rusk County Avengers]

How about the time that you had to cross a freezing cold river while your friends(?) cheered you on?

Worst? Why that was my finest hour!

So good of y'all to have antifreeze at the ready.

That cheap cotton flag that advertises NEVER get wet, still ain't faded or had colors wash out.

 

[PrivateBrooke]

All of them that's why I quit! (Kidding )

We did try to camp out at the Heritage Center one Rememberance Day. It was single digits that night and were huddled in a big wall tent with a giant propane heater. It was as miserable as it sounds

 

[archieclement]

All of them that's why I quit! (Kidding )

We did try to camp out at the Heritage Center one Rememberance Day. It was single digits that night and were huddled in a big wall tent with a giant propane heater. It was as miserable as it sounds

Gee......isnt a propane heater cheating?

 

[HatEnjoyer]

Rain I can handle, my backpacking crew once got caught in a lightning storm just as we crested a low mountain (very convenient timing I might add...), and everyone was drenched through and through, but we kept hiking on for ~10 miles. What really gets me upset is when my sleeping set-up is soaked. Or if I accidentally choose the wrong spot to pitch the tent and find myself sleeping in a puddle

 

[PrivateBrooke]

Gee......isnt a propane heater cheating?

Yes and it didn't even work that well lol

 

[RetiredCanuck]

For me it was no contest the 125th Wilderness/Spotsylvania in the 80s.
This was when reenactments morphed into little more than choreography for Classic Images to film us for free.
Day 1 our division (Confederate) marched in circles for an hour in 95 degree heat to position ourselves for a flank attack and wait for the signal.
That signal and the attack never happened because they pulled the plug due to heat.
Next day was setup for the "General Lee to the rear" scene. Units were chosen and held back for this portrayal. We missed the main battle that day (and witnessing the cavalry battle) because the some of the key players decided to go AWOL and watch them first themselves. This was not the way it was laid out for us or we would not have volunteered to help out.
As it turned out, so many of them were there that they filmed the scene on the other side of the battlefield. Again no one told us.
Day 3 Bloody Angle at Spotsylvania.
We were excited about this as they had made up some pretty decent looking breast works and trench setups. To make up for the earlier fiascos, we were supposed to be the counter attack to drive into the Union assault.
But the officers on both sides didn't follow the plan, the map nor the script. A good portion of the Union force and most of the mounted ended up emerging from out of nowhere behind us and our group was surrounded and overwhelmed before we even left the rear area or realized what was happening. For safety reasons, we held our muskets overhead in surrender. As you can imagine the "battle" quickly lost its historical perspective after that and simply became a large scale skirmish.
Drove 12 hours from Canada and never fired my weapon once in 3 days.
To add to the misery:
Shortly after the battle ended there was a cloudburst and everyone who parked in the open field overflow area ended up sunk to the axles in red mud when they tried to leave.

 

[RetiredCanuck]

The first one is top because of low results on the effort/expectation/reality trinity.
But for just ordinary terrible execution I went to one in Michigan around the same time period.
This was supposed to be an Antietam/Sharpsburg reenactment.
We arrived to find the battlefield and camp was a baseball park complete with dugouts and a backstop.
No water, straw, firewood. Even if we found some there was a bylaw against fires at the time.
There was a replica (1/2 scale LOL) Dunker church made of 1x2 and painted cardboard at centre field.
Half dozen or so Union troops greeted us and welcomed us to their event.
We had a dozen in our group and they asked if any would be willing to galvanize to even the ranks for the "battle".
Turns out this was the entire turnout for the event. They had to know at least a week earlier there would be little to no support but didn't say word one to us about it
Here's the best part.
The ball park was actually committed for a Little League game the next afternoon. We were just a side show. So their "plan" was to strike the camp in the am and stage the battle right after the game.
It's a 4-hour drive, so we decided to spend the night after a visit to Pizza Hut. They did leave the washroom open at the park so we would have a facility at least.
Next morning the "church" disintegrated when they tried to move it out of the way for the game. Never knew how it worked out because at that point we packed into our cars and left without another word.

 

[7thWisconsin]

Wow! Those 2 back-to-back posts prove scale does not protect from FUBAR!
I will stay and try to make the best of just about anything, but I would have been right next to you in Pizza Hut for that Michigan experience. Gee... a little communication goes a long way, doesn't it?
I was at 125th Wilderness! Wow - that was a lifetime ago wasn't it? It was terribly hot! My experience was completely different from yours though. Lived in South Dakota at the time. Drove for 2 days to get there. Front row seat for the Muleshoe fight. Got outta Dodge and got a hotel room nearby. Slept through the rainstorm! When I got home, cleaned my musket, hung it up and didn't go to another event all year.

 

[bayonet]

early 90s I joined a REV War outfit but the outfit Leader was more interested in doing paid living histories than battlefields. Guess he needed the money to pay his rent and for the upkeep of his horse. Threw in the towel when at 1 event there was a report of rain (which it did not) so I was the only one to show up. He didn't care how Farby an event was as long as he got paid, and they were FARBY!
So I tried ACW reenacting by joining the 27th Connecticut and it was great! No Farbyness at all. I did it until it was time to quit as I approached 50.
I did give Rev War 1 more chance by joining a Militia outfit but all the members were heart attacks waiting to happen and Diabetes candidates. Along with several tents set up there was a guard tent, a triangle. No room to lie down in it only stand. I peeked inside and there stacked 3-4 feet high were cupcakes, cookies, danish, donuts, brownies, etc. That was my last and only event with them!

 

[RetiredCanuck]

Wow! Those 2 back-to-back posts prove scale does not protect from FUBAR!
I will stay and try to make the best of just about anything, but I would have been right next to you in Pizza Hut for that Michigan experience. Gee... a little communication goes a long way, doesn't it?
I was at 125th Wilderness! Wow - that was a lifetime ago wasn't it? It was terribly hot! My experience was completely different from yours though. Lived in South Dakota at the time. Drove for 2 days to get there. Front row seat for the Muleshoe fight. Got outta Dodge and got a hotel room nearby. Slept through the rainstorm! When I got home, cleaned my musket, hung it up and didn't go to another event all year.

Thanks for the reply. I'm assuming from your user name you were on the Blue team? I'm glad you got more out of it than me.
Our group was disappointed, but later agreed cutting short the first day's battle was needed for safety. It took place inside the woods. According to the guys we talked to, the musket fire hung like a pall and no one could see what they were doing. Plus the artillery was having a hard time trying to find a safe beaten zone to fire into. Couple that with the ticks that got literally shaken from the trees.
There was also concern that the woods would actually catch fire just as in 1864.