I have been talking with many units and every one has a common problem, lack of attendance and lack of members. I was speaking with Craig Young the other night about this very problem, Craig and I came up with way that might solve the membership problem. We as a reenacting community need to spark the interest in our hobby. Now I know we all have tried recruiting at events, in various publications, flyers and word of mouth. That works ok, but we need something big, there are no movies coming out to spark the interest and we are flat as a hobby. So here is the idea.
"The Maine Civil War Expo and Trade Show"
We could use this as a way to get those closet Civil War buffs to come out. We open this to the public and use it as a tool to educate about Maine in the Civil War and the War itself. We could invite,
-all Civil War reenacting units in the state
-various speakers
-authors who can sell their books and speak
-antique dealers ( selling only Civil War period items)
-private collectors who want to show their collections or even sell items
-historical non-profit groups looking to fund raise
-anything else Civil War related
Now this is just an idea that is being tossed about, the biggest thing is we would need a sponsor, as it won't be cheap to do. My opinion is it should be done in the end of winter such as Feb. as to maximize the attendance. Another thing is we would need to advertise heavily.
Let me know what you think!
Subscribe to Recent Stories
At First I thought to myself
At First I thought to myself " how is this gonna be any different than a table at the Anchient ones black powder fest-o-rama?" But then I said "well this would be all civil war stuff insted of being shoved between the indian arrow head jewlery vendor and the guy whos a guide for bear hunts..." not only advertiseing but a good central location would have to be chosen like the Augusta armory...but if you charge for the tables what $50? ,$75 for a double section....could work? hell im thinking right now of devising a way to ste up a tent indoors
but if you planned it later(may) or sooner (Nov) maybe you could use some towns fairgrounds....Like Farmington or union then you are looking at a double hook of hunting season plus the civil war aspect. best way is a media blitz about two weeks before the event..Uncle henrys and a couple of C&W radio stations....throw yourselves at their mercy with the non-profit nature of our hobby...
Seamus
"it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifing......nothing"
MacBeth
Vermont Civil War Expo
I've been to the Vermont Civil War Expo a few times as a participant. It takes place every fall at the Tunbridge Fair Grounds, which sits in a beautiful little valley. It's scheduled for Oct. 1 this year I think.
http://18thvt.com/expo.html
It's a fund raiser event basically but a good 'meet & greet' kind of event. They have great speakers throughout the day. The expo hall is filled with non-profit groups advertising themselves and for-profit selling their books most but sometimes other stuff. I don't know what the charge is for these tables. There is usually a brass band playing in the afternoon. A boy scout jamoree takes place at the opposite end of the fair grounds the same weekend and they tour the camps all day. Usually a local school or two has an assignment for the students to come and collect info. This is interesting because all day long you will have middle schoolers with clipboards asking questions and taking notes. They really get into it. Of course, being from Maine, my Vermont history is a little weak and some of the questions I have to defer to others. But you get the point. Infantry, cavalry and artillery demonstrations are scheduled through the day.
There is a Soldiers and Sailors monument in the cemetary at the top of the hill in town. So there is a torch light (real torches) parade in the evening that all the reenactors and other living historians participate in. Plus the scouts and others who are still around. The town of Tunbridge is very small but people turn out to the street to watch the procession. A prayer, a volley, and taps at the monument and everyone marches back.
It's very nice. It's basically a one day event but Sunday morning is church services. I forget the good reverands name but he does a wonderful job. Church services in the field are always a bit special to me. Then usually there is a brief tactical for the participants and everyone is packed and on the road by 2:ish.
Andy Danish has been there as well. Andy, is this a fair assessment of how the 18th Vermont does it?
Anyway, it's a good idea. The recruitment should be a stealth goal. Is that a good term? By that I mean the event should have a greater purpose. Fund raiser. Bring attention to a site or specific event. Or other purpose. Recruiting happens at nearly every public event we do. With twenty or so events a year I don't see how one more is going to change the situation.
Maybe we need to talk about how we approach recruiting in specific.
--
Michael Johnson
Tunbridge
Mike,
You've just about covered it.
But I understand they're going to have a skirmish this year,
with Rebs for a change, on Saturday.
I missed last years event, home with the flu, but I plan to be there this year.
The 18th VT uses the money that they raise to fund Battle Flag restoration and Battlefied preservation. A very worthy cause.
Andy Danish, Armorer,
US Naval Landing Party,
"We Had To Rescue the Union Army......Again"
Sounds like an interesting
Sounds like an interesting idea Jason. If we have more events in Maine, more people will be attracted to the hobby = recruitment. Something like this, appealing to all interest aspects of the Civil War would go a long ways in getting people to come out to see what reenacting is all about. That is the true key to recruiting in my opinion
Fort Knox would be an interesting back drop, but going further south to encourage people from the rest of New England to attend might be better. Seamus’ idea of a fair ground would ideal. You’d have the grounds for company streets and halls for vendors/authors/etc. Maybe the fairgrounds in Topsham?
heres one thing.
You know I think we run people off with one thing.....we are too brutally honest about how much it costs....Ive seen it on websites allover the country...and I will tell you Ive seen a lot...Before I got into reenacting I was lookiing into it and began a cost/logistical evaluation of the SCA, F&I, Revy war and the Civil war.
I also looked at potential clique/elitist slantings having just a few years back been involved in a nasty turf war at a Vol fire dept in Ga. So I didnt want to get into some org after buying a bunch of stuff and then being blackballed or something.
Civil War reenacting offered me more oppertunities for events,and was at a lesser cost than the rest...Compare a $70 privates coat in the civil war to a $200 privates coat in the F&I/Revy war.
Now having seen the groups I am aware that my fears were unfounded about elitist units, and I now have many friends in several units.
But I digress
being Half scotch and half water, I tend to the frugal side of things and insted of turning new people to like Jarnigan type prices the fledgling reenactor has budget options...a musket has a better resale value than a coat, and you might be able to sell the musket to a gun collector but a coat is just a costume piece...Turn on the newbie/fresh fish to Ebay I was able to get a greatcoat there for $70...So a civil war expo and swap meet might give the potential recruit some options to a low(er) cost entry into the hobby...
Seamus
"it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifing......nothing"
MacBeth
A guiding hand
I see the cost as a problem as well. But if someone takes up skiing then they are in for a ton as well. Or snowmobiling or boating or any other hobby. I think communicating with the recruit that it doesn't all have to be purchased the first year is important. And then making sure the recruit makes good choices from the guiding hand of someone elses experience. If they buy a crappy sack coat and replace it in two years then they are not being served well by their money.
There is always gear around to borrow as well. It's just coordinating it all.
--
Michael Johnson
Costs
Cost of the hobby is something Jason and I tend to par on occassionally. The plus side is that there are some events that folks can take part in without all of their gear. Fortunately our unit has plenty of gear to loan out. Many groups are not able to do this.
I constantly stress not to scare people away with the top end cost of reenacting. It is necessary to make it feasible with low end costs. Yes, uniforms and equipment are costly but they tend to last for years with proper care and maintenance. This tends to off set the cost. Example, the musket I purchased 20 years ago is still in good shape and I can sell it for the same amount I paid for it. ($300) I still have most of my equipment from back then as well.
We constantly keep track of bargins and help out where we can. I am not a merchant but recently bought 8 sets of leathers and passed the savings on to new members. Each set costed $40-45 and included everything a person needed as far as leathers went. (except bayonet scabbard)
I am constantly looking for good quality shoes at a decent price. The market seems to be flooded with junk with what appears to be a good price.
In the end, you have to hook new recruits long enough for them to get the experience of whether or not this is something they like doing. After the 1st event, they pretty much know if they want to continue. The rest of the investment will follow.
Will
Baiting the Fesh Fish hook
Greetings,
I think that the most important 'hook' for reenacting is a pard. Someone (unit member) to take the 'fresh fish' under his wings to: get him to events, get gear & uniform for him to use, and a person for him to contact with questions. If someone takes an interest in him, then he (fresh fish) will take an interest in the unit. The cost can be done over a period of time so that it can fit into his budget.
Pvt/Lt Craig Young
3rd Maine, company A
"I ain't as good as I once was. But I'm as good once as I ever was. I used to be Hell on wheels Back when I was younger man. Now my body says 'You can't do this boy'
But my pride says 'Oh, yes you can."
Having a "buddy" to pair a
Having a "buddy" to pair a new person with is very important. We call it a Sponsor in the Navy. So many details - ebay (I am addicted Mike), good Sutlers, specific unit uniform requirements, etc, etc. The 29th discussed this recently. If a unit has enough gear so someone can try things out to see if they like it before investing $$ is a good incentive to get someone to come out who may stay in the sidelines otherwise.
"The Maine Civil War Expo and Trade Show"
Jason & Others,
"The Maine Civil War Expo and Trade Show" would be like the Black Powder Show that the Ancient Ones put on at the Augusta Armory. It should be done indoors during the late winter or very early spring.
With heavy advertising, the public would be drawn into our Civil War "Lobster Trap". For bait, we could have authors, speakers, and civil war period antiques. we can ask Civil War Round Tables, Sons of Union Veterans, Historical Societies, Museums, private collectors, Educators,Living Historians/Reenactors and others to assist us with this project.
The goal is to have in one spot, as many things as possible that are about the civil war period in Maine. Also, the non profits who participate would be allowed to fundraise at this Expo. The Expo would display items, sell things, and educate the public on the civil war period in Maine.
I believe that we need to plan this for at lest one year. For example, the Expo date might be the 3rd Saturday/Sunday in March 2007.
Pvt/Lt Craig Young
3rd Maine, company A
"I ain't as good as I once was. But I'm as good once as I ever was. I used to be Hell on wheels Back when I was younger man. Now my body says 'You can't do this boy'
But my pride says 'Oh, yes you can."
It definitely could take a
It definitely could take a while to plan this out and pull all the logistics together. Figuring out just how much room is something that is an obvious consideration and if the goal becomes to use the Augusta Civic Center or Lewiston Armory, then we have to work around the Sportsman Show and Gun shows in March. But having it nearby one of these major events might draw more people in. ie: held at the Augusta Armory the same weekend as the Sportsman Show.
But having it at a venue in late April/early May, or even October - where tents can be pitched outside and have things on the inside as well would give more possibilities. Passers by stopping in to check out those crazy people dressed in wool gathered around the white tents.
CIvil War Expo
The "Äncient One's" show and tell in Augusta has always been a great recruiting tool for us. Just think if we can pull in fresh fish from a non-CW event, think of the possibilities at such a get-together just for us!
trade show
I think the show would be a great way of finding new reenactors. It would also be a great way to bring reenacting units from all over New England together if planed in the right location. The Civil War arm show in Nashville is always a hit and it is always wonderful to see fresh new faces in this hobby. Let me know of any plans I would love to be there with my line of womans wear. I have a few really good solid providers of civil war items that would travel to an event if done in the winter or early spring befor the big events start.