What should public events provide for reenators?

[dbloge]

What should public events provide for reenators? This is a pretty generic question but what type of services/goods should event provide to attract or retain reenactors to/for their event? Is the opportunity to have a reenactment enough? Are WWII reenactors too needy?

[Deleted]

Well, given that the hobby means different things to different people you could easily get a thousand different answers. That being said, take my thoughts with a grain of salt but here's my perspective after almost 30 years in the hobby.
If it's a public event, then there needs to be some form of consideration by the event organizer given to the various living history personnel who come. A lot of well meaning local historical societies or civic groups have no idea how many man hours it takes to get your stuff out of storage, pack it, set it up, take it down..etc. It's been my experience that you are worth what they pay to get you meaning if they do nothing for you, then you're worth nothing to them.
This is not to suggest that I expect monetary compensation for my participation but there needs to be something from the public event organizer to acknowledge my time is worth something. Personally I expect to either be fed some cheap hot dog / hamburger dinner, or have a USO dance, something where the organizer acknowledges the time away from my job and family to support their event.
Generally speaking I'm personally bringing a piece of armor, hundreds of pounds of canvas, thousands of dollars worth of weapons etc. I'm there to support public education of WWII history. We all know that 99% of our payment is the gratification of having somebody walk away from our display saying "hey, I learned something today" or opening up a dialog with the family where they research what Grandpa did during the war. That's the reason why I'm in the hobby but, at the same time I require some form of commitment on the part of the event staff to acknowledge that without our participation, there is no event.
Keeping that in mind, I've stopped doing airshows where the planes are paid, their fuel is paid, their crews are fed and put up in local hotels while I don't rate a free hot dog. Call me a grumpy old man if you want but that's my perspective.
Finally, the responsibility is a two way street. If the event organizers are putting their money and effort into coordinating this with some form of compensation for the living historian, then it behooves us to come when we RSVP. I've been on both side of the coin as an organizer and attendee. So I speak from experience when I say there's nothing worse than a unit who says they're coming and then is a no-show. Needless to say hurricane force weather is an exception but our non-profit group spent money on an extra site insurance policy, food on Saturday and porto-johns only to have about 50% of the expected attendance based on original RSVP's. That's frustrating.

[HQ327]

A meal is nice compensation. One site comps us two meals on Saturday and one Sunday. That is more then most. Charloote Museume of History gave us two lunches one each day and they had a swing dance (USO dance) with drink tickets (2 or 3 for each reenactor) plus finger food on Satrudat evening with a live band playuibg swing music. Fun night.

Frankly -- I'd just like them to do good advertising to get a crowd there so I don't keep looking at my uint mates for two days. If they did that I could care less what they gave me for meals -- just give us a sourc of water and good bathrooms and I'll be happy.

[Kirby]

As someone who portrays Military Police, some events want the MPs to work the weekend day and night without compensation. If I'm working, should I get paid? A free lunch would be nice.
Just because someone portrays an MP, why are they EXPECTED to do security and similar duties.
No one expects the airborne to jump out of planes...

[dbloge]

Kirby, if MP's did not do security and similar duties at events, what exactly would they do at events? Not a dig, just curious. Jumping out of airplanes was just a small part of what the AB did.

DL

[Kirby]

Personally, I don't go to an event to "work". I go to show my vehicles and visit with friends and relax in the evening.
If I wanted to do police work, I'd stay home and go to work.
Ultimately I'll probably change my impression from MP to something vehicle related.
Some people want to play police and strap on an armband. I put quite a bit of effort and research into my MP impression while a lot of people just put on an armband. It's a little disheartening when an event needs MPs they lower the standards completely.
There are a few people out there that have a top notch MP impression but most are a joke. The way MPs are allowed to be portrayed is laughable and would not be tolerated in a standard infantry or airborne impression.

[fusilier352]

Coffee and doughnuts would keep me happy.

[colonelbulldog]

In regards to the MP impression, it is one thing if the event coordinator pre-contacted those to do actual MP work and contracted accordingly. But to show up to an event and be expected to work it is another thing and should be discrouaged. More than likely those MP's do not have any kind of liability insurance or are covered by the event insurance, so if anything were to happen, it would all be on them.