 20thmaine  | 30 Jul 2018 7:45 a.m. PST |
Interesting "lifestyle" article in the fashion section (fashion?  ) of the New York Times: link |
| Private Matter | 30 Jul 2018 10:22 a.m. PST |
An interesting article. I don't know if I agree with all of it but it's not bad. |
| Old Wolfman | 02 Aug 2018 5:41 a.m. PST |
Lack of transportation to and from events,and my health put me into retirement from the hobby. Still have a lot of fond memories,and one of my old pards,said he thought I was one of the best,skilled and with a spirit of enthusaism. |
ScottWashburn  | 13 Aug 2018 3:01 a.m. PST |
Well, the hobby has been shrinking steadily since the end of the 135th Anniversary cycle in the late 90s. We put over 20,000 troops in the field for Gettysburg in 1998, but at the most recent 155th anniversary event this summer, they only had around 5,000. It's hard to get young people interested and old fogies like me don't come out so much anymore. Sad, but inevitable I suppose. Still, it won't die out completely. |
| dapeters | 17 Aug 2018 12:42 p.m. PST |
I wounder if anyone keeps records? Are confederate living history units in more decline then Northern units? At the same time the SCA (which of course not a living history group) seems to be having smaller and smaller Pennsics. |
| ScottWashburn | 21 Aug 2018 6:32 a.m. PST |
When I first started reenacting (1984) there were a lot more people doing Confederate than Union. So much so that often Confederate units would volunteer to 'Galvanize' and portray Union troops to even out the numbers. During the late 80's and 90's there was an upsurge in interest and the numbers evened out a bit. These days, the Confederates still hold an edge, but not nearly so much as in the 80's. |
| ScottWashburn | 12 Sep 2019 3:00 a.m. PST |
Well, the decline continues :( The Gettysburg Anniversary Committee, which has held an annual reenactment at Gettysburg each July for the last 25 years has announced that there will be no reenactment in 2020. Declining attendance was given as the reason. |
| Old Wolfman | 01 Nov 2019 5:37 a.m. PST |
And with my arthritis,I wouldn't be able to do much in the field anyway,much as I would like to. |
| ScottWashburn | 23 Aug 2020 3:32 a.m. PST |
The Pandemic has forced the cancellation of nearly every large event this year. Probably going to have a lasting negative impact. |
| EJNashIII | 27 Jun 2021 10:07 a.m. PST |
My reenacting sort of morphed in covid into small groups of old guys touring battlefields and cemeteries. a uniform item here and there, but generally not much wool. Frankly, the summer is just too hot, anymore, for wearing wool. Age, fashionable hobbies, covid and golbal climate change are all working to together. It will be interesting to see what we have in 2 years. |
| tigrifsgt | 07 Jul 2021 10:51 a.m. PST |
There are a couple of what used to be good ones scheduled in Ohio this summer and early fall. (Zoar and Ceasers Creek} |
| ScottWashburn | 21 Sep 2021 4:54 a.m. PST |
EJ, I totally understand your comment about the heat. In my youth extreme heat in wool didn't bother me much, but I don't want to deal with it anymore. When I was at the 150th Manassas event where it was 111 degrees in the shade and even the Marines at nearby Quantico cancelled activities I swore that after the end of the 150th cycle I would NEVER go to another hot-weather event. So far I've kept my promise :) |
| Old Wolfman | 25 Sep 2021 9:14 a.m. PST |
However,I still have my suits,'cooters and firesticks,and my A-tent.. |
| ScottWashburn | 22 Jun 2023 4:22 a.m. PST |
On the decline, but not dead. There is a pretty large 160th anniversary reenactment in Gettysburg this weekend (June 23-25) |
