HOSTING A CIVIL WAR EVENT
Event Planning – Things to think about and steps to take:
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
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Property Use – (public or private) free of charge or rental fee involved.
Property Use – (public or private) free of charge or rental fee involved.•Decide if the site is large enough for a full battle reenactment; if it isn’t then a living history.
Decide if the site is large enough for a full battle reenactment; if it isn’t then a living history. If you are not sure contact the Coordinator Civil War Events Schedule Judy Robinson jvpr1861@hotmail.com to arrange a walk of the site; she will contact the commanders to schedule a walk of the site.
•Considerations: Open fields w/level ground, open field’s w/hills. Will the ground be good if it rains prior to the event? Easy access for trailers? (Artillery, cavalry)
Considerations: Open fields w/level ground, open field’s w/hills. Will the ground be good if it rains prior to the event? Easy access for trailers? (Artillery, cavalry) •Think about camp size, where you will put each camp. Remember you have Command Staff, Infantry, Artillery, Cavalry and Civilians (Town of Unity) and Sutlers.
Think about camp size, where you will put each camp. Remember you have Command Staff, Infantry, Artillery, Cavalry and Civilians (Town of Unity) and Sutlers.•Insurance Liability – Free of charge – if owned by an organization or town will they provide the liability insurance? Do you need to secure event liability insurance?
Insurance Liability – Free of charge – if owned by an organization or town will they provide the liability insurance? Do you need to secure event liability insurance?•Permits you may need from the town according to their by-laws (some towns in Massachusetts require an entertainment permit for an event on Sunday).
Permits you may need from the town according to their by-laws (some towns in Massachusetts require an entertainment permit for an event on Sunday).•Dates have a couple of dates in mind; contact Coordinator of Civil War Events to see if they are open. This should be done with either a phone call 508- 947-5582 or e-mail jvpr1861@hotmail.com to the Coordinator not thru the web servers. Get your date on the schedule as early as possible – needs to be on the schedule prior to the October meeting. Plan on attending the October and March meetings and have flyers ready to hand out.
Dates have a couple of dates in mind; contact Coordinator of Civil War Events to see if they are open. This should be done with either a phone call 508- 947-5582 or e-mail jvpr1861@hotmail.com to the Coordinator not thru the web servers. Get your date on the schedule as early as possible – needs to be on the schedule prior to the October meeting. Plan on attending the October and March meetings and have flyers ready to hand out.•Contact both Colonel to discuss the scenario for your event – authentic representation or made up scenario. Also Request Command Staff for your event early.
Contact both Colonel to discuss the scenario for your event – authentic representation or made up scenario. Also Request Command Staff for your event early.•Have a host unit for your event – they can help you with site prep and site clean up. You can’t do this alone – you need support behind you.
Have a host unit for your event – they can help you with site prep and site clean up. You can’t do this alone – you need support behind you.•Be in touch with the Civilian Coordinators to involve them in your event.
Be in touch with the Civilian Coordinators to involve them in your event.End your reenactment on Sunday by 3 pm
•Think about narration of scenario/battle for spectators – General Lee and his aide travels with the
Think about narration of scenario/battle for spectators – General Lee and his aide travels with the 12th Georgia, General Grant, and Jim Mathews – Topographical Engineers.
•Special Impressions you might want at your event. General Lee, General Grant, President Lincoln,
Special Impressions you might want at your event. General Lee, General Grant, President Lincoln, Mrs. Lincoln, President Davis.
•Provide crowd control for spectators.
Provide crowd control for spectators.Amenities:
•Potable drinking water only (on site or brought in/approximately 500 gallons.
Potable drinking water only (on site or brought in/approximately 500 gallons.•Water needs to be available for all camps - Union - Confederate - Civilian Town
Water needs to be available for all camps - Union - Confederate - Civilian Town•Porto-lets (40 people per unit per day/ each cleaned Saturday evening or more. Regular unit and Handicap unit. (One handicap in each camp for the ladies) Consider where Spectators would be more apt to use - close to modern food vendors and consider having extra TP on site
Porto-lets (40 people per unit per day/ each cleaned Saturday evening or more. Regular unit and Handicap unit. (One handicap in each camp for the ladies) Consider where Spectators would be more apt to use - close to modern food vendors and consider having extra TP on siteApproximately $90 per unit; $130. Per handicap unit.
•Seasoned Firewood (1.5 cords per 100 participants)
Seasoned Firewood (1.5 cords per 100 participants)•Ice during the extreme hot weather.
Ice during the extreme hot weather.Registration Fees:
•Registration fee and date due; think about your deadline and don’t expect to get registrations prior to that date. If you need them earlier then set the date earlier. Minimal fee if possible ($4.-$10.) Participants under age 12 free. Walk-on's participation is usually discouraged. If you do walk-on's think about longer registration coverage. Think about Powder allowances for Artillery – work with them. It may be if there is no powder and artillery unit is unable to attend.
Registration fee and date due; think about your deadline and don’t expect to get registrations prior to that date. If you need them earlier then set the date earlier. Minimal fee if possible ($4.-$10.) Participants under age 12 free. Walk-on's participation is usually discouraged. If you do walk-on's think about longer registration coverage. Think about Powder allowances for Artillery – work with them. It may be if there is no powder and artillery unit is unable to attend. •Cavalry think about a fee waiver or stipend for the cavalry – hay needed for horses?
Cavalry think about a fee waiver or stipend for the cavalry – hay needed for horses?•Try not to increase late fees by an enormous amount.
Try not to increase late fees by an enormous amount. •Sutler Fees: average fee is usually $25 - $30. Two to five sutlers per event depending on site.
Sutler Fees: average fee is usually $25 - $30. Two to five sutlers per event depending on site.Event and Safety Rules:
•If you have specific event rules – make sure they are given at time of registration. Put them on your website or incorporate them into your flyers.
If you have specific event rules – make sure they are given at time of registration. Put them on your website or incorporate them into your flyers.•Liberty Grey’s and New England Brigade have standard rules they work under. If you have rules for your event these should be handed out at registration, i.e. campfires, quite time at night.
Liberty Grey’s and New England Brigade have standard rules they work under. If you have rules for your event these should be handed out at registration, i.e. campfires, quite time at night. Also consider emergency evacuations in case of severe weather and roads, parking areas, paths etc are impassable for cars, emergency vehicle, horses trailers, heavy trailers (carrying the artillery), also the horses that move the artillery on and off the field.Cannon Permits
•For each cannon group you must get separate permit. The state of Massachusetts requires that a cannon permit MUST be obtained. You will need to work with your Fire Chief as regulations vary town to town.
For each cannon group you must get separate permit. The state of Massachusetts requires that a cannon permit MUST be obtained. You will need to work with your Fire Chief as regulations vary town to town. •Permits need to be obtained 15 days prior to the event. Two cannon permits – one with the Chief of Artillery for the Liberty Grey’s and one for the Chief of Artillery for the New England Brigade.
Permits need to be obtained 15 days prior to the event. Two cannon permits – one with the Chief of Artillery for the Liberty Grey’s and one for the Chief of Artillery for the New England Brigade.Food & Beverage Concessions:
If these are modern vendors – put them in a modern are so you are not detracting from your event.
•Coffee, soda, lemonade, water, burgers, hot dogs, etc
Coffee, soda, lemonade, water, burgers, hot dogs, etc •No charge for civic groups.
No charge for civic groups.• Professional concessions; Flat event fee works best ($100. - $150 per weekend)
Professional concessions; Flat event fee works best ($100. - $150 per weekend)•Check with the town – Board of Health – do you need inspections?
Check with the town – Board of Health – do you need inspections?Local Attractions:
•Invite museums, libraries, historical society displays, Civil War Roundtable, Schools etc.
Invite museums, libraries, historical society displays, Civil War Roundtable, Schools etc.They might be willing to help out at the event. Incidentals:
•Get the word out Publicity local cable channels, posters/signs.
Get the word out Publicity local cable channels, posters/signs.•Flyers to hand out to events before yours and at the Coordinators meeting.
Flyers to hand out to events before yours and at the Coordinators meeting.•Event schedules with Saturday and Sunday activities for spectators and reenactors to hand out.
Event schedules with Saturday and Sunday activities for spectators and reenactors to hand out. Command Staff:
•It is your responsibility to request command staff for your event. Don’t assume because you are having an event that command staff will command.
It is your responsibility to request command staff for your event. Don’t assume because you are having an event that command staff will command.New England BrigadeLiberty GreysCivilians:
•Contact the Civilian Coordinators. Involve them in the event planning. Unity is the “Town” scenario that the civilians have developed. Unity is a tent city portraying various merchants and townspeople.
Contact the Civilian Coordinators. Involve them in the event planning. Unity is the “Town” scenario that the civilians have developed. Unity is a tent city portraying various merchants and townspeople. Registration forms should have a line for Civilians to indicate where they are camping. Need to indication tent size.Suggestion for setting up Sutlers/Civilian Camp/Town of Unity - usually around 10 to 12 civilian tents range from "A" to small officer's tent, Camp fires should be put in back of tents.Blackstone TavernBig BearJR RobinsonTea House(10' SPACE) Civilian Tentage
Big BearJR RobinsonTea House(10' SPACE) Civilian TentageJust before the event:
•Get unit numbers who are registered and tentage ahead of time to the Command Staff.
Get unit numbers who are registered and tentage ahead of time to the Command Staff. Get civilian numbers for town of Unity.•Send or Post your events schedule, directions, time reenactors can start to come in; contact numbers and emergency numbers to your event before your event on the Events list-serv or send to Judy Robinson and she will post: jvpr1861@hotmail.com
Send or Post your events schedule, directions, time reenactors can start to come in; contact numbers and emergency numbers to your event before your event on the Events list-serv or send to Judy Robinson and she will post: jvpr1861@hotmail.comThe day of the event:
•Be on the site early on Friday for Reenactors. All cars should be out of the camps by 8 am each morning. No vehicles in camp before the end of the event on Sunday.
Be on the site early on Friday for Reenactors. All cars should be out of the camps by 8 am each morning. No vehicles in camp before the end of the event on Sunday.•Have a registration area – including parking pass, schedule for reenactors, reenactor pass.
Have a registration area – including parking pass, schedule for reenactors, reenactor pass.•Put up good signage leading into event area and the camp areas, parking areas for reenactors; parking areas for horse trailers; spectators
Put up good signage leading into event area and the camp areas, parking areas for reenactors; parking areas for horse trailers; spectators•Make sure your folks who are doing registration know the details of the event – i.e. where camps are schedule, wood, hay, portapots, ice and water. Provide good wood for reenactors to burn.
Make sure your folks who are doing registration know the details of the event – i.e. where camps are schedule, wood, hay, portapots, ice and water. Provide good wood for reenactors to burn.•Make sure reenactors and sutlers have an event schedule.
Make sure reenactors and sutlers have an event schedule.Event Schedule Meetings and information:
•Identify the Event Coordinator or event Committee
Identify the Event Coordinator or event Committee•Provide all contact information for the event coordinator including up to date emails; phone numbers address
Provide all contact information for the event coordinator including up to date emails; phone numbers address•Have a Website or contact the Event Coordinator Judy Robinson to update the web site with pictures; registration forms; schedule of activities etc.
Have a Website or contact the Event Coordinator Judy Robinson to update the web site with pictures; registration forms; schedule of activities etc.Evening Entertainment:
•Period Dance (band caller, beverage, snacks) Book early (approximately $1,000)
Period Dance (band caller, beverage, snacks) Book early (approximately $1,000)•Tent rental ($400-$1000) or use of hall rental ($200-$400)
Tent rental ($400-$1000) or use of hall rental ($200-$400)•Candlelight tours of the camps after dark – tour guides; designated stops i.e. Generals Tents; specific unit stops (you might ask a unit to be reading letters from home; playing music; games etc be specific with the units you ask); a night firering of cannons; mark the designated stops for your tour guides (walk the site with them ahead of time so they know where they are going – some way of marking the stops would also help).
Candlelight tours of the camps after dark – tour guides; designated stops i.e. Generals Tents; specific unit stops (you might ask a unit to be reading letters from home; playing music; games etc be specific with the units you ask); a night firering of cannons; mark the designated stops for your tour guides (walk the site with them ahead of time so they know where they are going – some way of marking the stops would also help).Admission fee for spectators for Candlelight tours.Spectator Fees:
•Admission fees (average) school age children $2.-$5; adults (over 18) $5.-$8.00; seniors (over 55) $1-$2 less then adult; under age 5 free or donation.
Admission fees (average) school age children $2.-$5; adults (over 18) $5.-$8.00; seniors (over 55) $1-$2 less then adult; under age 5 free or donation.Field Communications:
•Radio communications; event coordinator; both military commanders; ambulance (EMT); parking lot supervisor; and registration supervisory/public gate attendant.
Radio communications; event coordinator; both military commanders; ambulance (EMT); parking lot supervisor; and registration supervisory/public gate attendant.Emergency Services:
•Notify local police (on site if required) 8 hour job - $300.
Notify local police (on site if required) 8 hour job - $300.•Notify local fire department/fire marshal
Notify local fire department/fire marshal•Ambulance or EMT on site during the battle scenario (costs vary depending on area)
Ambulance or EMT on site during the battle scenario (costs vary depending on area)Contact emails/phone numbers:
Schedule: Judy Robinson – jvpr1861@hotmail.com; phone 508-947-5582
Command Staff:
New England Brigade General Burbank – genlmburbank@yahoo.com
Liberty Grey’s Colonel -
Civilian Coordinator –
Event List Service: CivilWarEvents @yahoogroups.com
Websites:
Civil War Events: www.newenglandcivilwarevents.com
New England Brigade: www.newenglandbrigade.org
For Liberty Greys Registration form for HQ:
Paul Plante
214 Route 6
Andover, CT 06232
Email: fldartbtry67@hotmail.com
