Two Gettysburgs! I knowed it! I knowed it would happen!

[doughboy]

I don't see the self interest you are talking about on the BGA side, unless the "self" is the individual reenactor

[Anders]

Take it from me, one does not put on events for self interest....

It is the hardest thing you will ever do- kinda like birthing a melon out of your nose...

Pards,

[23rdYahoos]

I think that there is some disappointment in the reenacting community regarding scheduling another event for the GB 150th. One point is that everyone keeps repeating is that they are a week apart, and that is not really the case. The BGA event ends Sunday evening, and the GAC event starts Wednesday morning. The GAC has been planning on an extended week since the 150th planning started. That is only a two, or at best three day break. These events are not a week apart.

IMHO the grief that is being vetted is due to a couple of reasons. One is the fact that the GAC was signing up individuals and units for 2013 at this years registration table, and a lot of people were taking advantage. So you have lots of people already signed up for what WAS the only game in town for the 150th (excluding the LH, which is invite only I believe). Now we suddenly have two major events just a few days apart, and there are a lot of guys, myself included, that would love to go to the BGA, but already plucked down the cash and sent out invites for 2013 absed on the cost going up in January.

Secondly there are a lot of newer guys who heard all the stories about the massive events in years past, and were looking forward to what arguably could have been the last of the mega events where you had 20,000+ reenactors. That just vanished. Now that there are two major events where there is going to be the obvious draw down on attendance that each will have on the other, and result in two smaller events (not arguing quality, just quantity). This is disappointing some who really wanted to be part of the last of the Mohicans.

Finally, there’s the vendors and suttlers issue. Who is going to be where and when, and is there going to be anything left in the stores, markets, etc. in GB after the BGA moves through. Might be slim pickings for those who don't plan inventory too well. There also may be shortages of Law Enforcement, and EMS as two back to back events means lots of overtime and draw on resources for the local municipalities. Are the suttlers and food vendors, etc, going to stay in GB for both events? This has an impact on both participants and spectators.

Then there is the question of which one to attend. My brigade has already committed to GAC for 2013. What do we do? Should we back out, go to both, leave it up to the individuals? I don't have any of the answers yet, but will continue to monitor these events and hopefully be able to make a good choice that benefits me, my unit and the hobby as a whole.

[Poor Private]

What 23rd yahoos said!

[Anders]

I, as well as others should, support the event that offers the most to the participants. We all invest tons of cash and time, and we need to demand return on investment.

Hate to say it, one of the events doesn't offer much to participants....the other is looking like it will offer MUCH more.

Don't just go to one, well because it has always been there- chose the event based on its merits, and its goals....

Pards,

[Anders]

Don't just take what organizers offer, demand better, demand history, be active....take ownership of your hobby, or else you get exactly what you put into it.

Pards,

[50th VA Corporal]

Not every reenactor holds event holders to the same standards as other's do. Not every reenactor is and "Idealist". The hobby has plenty of reenactors that are at the other end of the spectrums - "realists" and "cynics".

As I stated in my earlier posting there are attributes in a reenactment that some reenactors have concrete expectations of. Issues of parking, amenities such as wood, straw, firewood, toilets, ease of access to sutlers, etc. do take some high precidence over multi pages of "historical accurate" scenerios and uniforming especially when spouses and family members are involved.

Deeds speak volumes in comparision over intentions no matter how good they are. Mistakes, even unintentional, are long in memory.

Gettysburg 145th met all my expectations and many, many others. I am sure the event holders have been planning and preparing for the 150th longer than "one year" prior to the event. I am sure that while the BGA 150th Shiloh met the expectations of many reenactors, the "other Shiloh" still met the expectations of those who went to that one.

There are those reenactors that have been going to the annual Gettysburg for years and years and it has met their expectations despite the section of the hobby that derides them for going to "Goofysburg" and labeling them as "farbs". Are those the same reenactors that the deriders are trying to convince to go to the BGA event?

Frankly, does the BGA have intentions to try to hold an "alternative" event for each and every established event date that other promoters have had in the planning? First 150th Shiloh, now 150th Gettysburg, and what is next?

Our "investment" in the hobby is in more than "material" we have in the hobby. The return is having your - and your family who participate - expectations met.

Once again is it the BGA to the rescue to remind us that we should first and formost consider their vision of a quality event at the cost of seeing the 150th events with less than the overall numbers on the field have been anticipating?

Personally, I and others, seem to sense that the reason for the creation of this additional event is on the same level of reason that created the two Shilohs.

[PaperPusher]

and what is it that you have been "told" was the reason for the second shiloh? I know the reasons for it because I was involved in the entire process from the 145th Shiloh right on through to the BGA Shiloh. As a matter of fact I spent quite a few weekends at the 145th Shiloh site in 2007 working my rear end off and helping to get the place ready. I hate that you had your "bad experience" at Shiloh, I certainly committed myself to 20 hour days while I was there trying to make it work for everyone.

As for me....I would rather be part of a scenario that was so historically accurate than to take the field with 40,000 folks who are in complete mass confusion and the whole shooting match doesn't even remotely resemble anything from the war.

My family goes with me "EVERYTIME" I leave the house and they thoroughly enjoy each event we attend....even though they hardly ever get to see me while at an event.

[PaperPusher]

oops....sorry to the moderators...off topic am I. anyone who cares can email me for further conversations on this one.

[50th VA Corporal]

and what is it that you have been "told" was the reason for the second shiloh? I know the reasons for it because I was involved in the entire process from the 145th Shiloh right on through to the BGA Shiloh. As a matter of fact I spent quite a few weekends at the 145th Shiloh site in 2007 working my rear end off and helping to get the place ready. I hate that you had your "bad experience" at Shiloh, I certainly committed myself to 20 hour days while I was there trying to make it work for everyone.

As for me....I would rather be part of a scenario that was so historically accurate than to take the field with 40,000 folks who are in complete mass confusion and the whole shooting match doesn't even remotely resemble anything from the war.

My family goes with me "EVERYTIME" I leave the house and they thoroughly enjoy each event we attend....even though they hardly ever get to see me while at an event.

I am not in any way denegrading you or others for all of the work you put in the event. I am sure that you, and others, put in a personal best effort. It was both of the events that did not meet the basic criteria I found in a successful event on a personal level. And by no means was my the only expectations met. I am now in a quandry with at the very least three members of my company that were so soured by each event that they have sworn off attending another national event.

As for "what I heard" it comes without saying that this is not the only forum on the internet that discussed both events, pre and post. It was public knowledge.

I knew I would take some flack on my posting but felt that there are two sides of the subject. It was exceptional that at BGA Shiloh that there was the Steam Boat ride and the March from Cornith. However, conversley there were levels of reenactors that those options were not open to.

I was just trying to elaborate in that NEITHER event is an all encompassing, all rewarding event for all participants. It is just not fair to advance the agenda of one event over the apparent faults of another and not regard equal time for commentary. There was so much discussion on another forum over the two Shilohs that I wound up posting that each event holder just post the merits of their specific event without denegrading the other's and let the community vote with their feet.

It is very fair to say that there are many, many in the reenactment community that are let down with the prospect in that now we must chose. And then also there are some that there will be no choice - other than not attending either - due to the fact that their affiliate battalions will be expected to go where their affiliated brigades are going. And that is not a choice I personally care for - being chosen by others.

Yes, I did expect flack on my postings. I did not mean any disrespect by any means.