Living History Ideas '09

[RedJessi]

If I had an ideal we would add soldiers on horseback to chase the raiders away and lead them to the edge of the path. We cold liberate those poor horses at the Navy yard, he says slyly.

-- Hurricane

Soldiers on Horses?!? But I don't have a horse... Now if you can find someone to loan me one ... I would happily change my portrayal from infantry to dragoon...

Oddly enough, I had a dream about horseback riding through the fort and down the path the other night. WEIRD!

now if we train up the tour guides correctly, some folks could even do living history, by staying in character to demonstrate their skill instead of doing just the dry lecture and the tour guides would be able to handle the questions, so, them that wanted to didn't have to break character but just remain doing... for instance... whilst folks are playing games of chance in the ordinary, a quarrel breaks out about someone cheating, the rules to the game can actually be taught during the quarrel without someone actually standing there stating them... not only teaches about the game, but teaches about the hot headedness of the times, folks could be betting on the outcome of the duel/fight... very realistic, and then the tour guides would be able to do the educatiing without the fight being interuppted until it comes to its own conclusion...

Another instance, Dutch teaches navigation by using the snotties as his students and treating the TOURISTS as IF they were just more midshipmen coming to the class, he's still teaching, the audience is still learning, and he doesn't have to break character EVEN when answering questions...

The buccaneers could teach about the birds and shot per bird, by doing, egging each other on with the shots... and pretending to get loaded on ice tea...(sorry I still say save the real alcohol for after the public goes home). and of course doing the cooking, the skinning, and whatever... set the cat and fiddle up close by to hear the gents discussing their plans and the politics of the times....

I would still like to see the surgeon actually operating on someone and actually educating while explaining to his assistant what the hell he is doing... besides nothing draws a crowd like blood and guts... But I also know Mission's equipment is so complicated that at times he needs to stand and lecture....

Have some of the qirls that might be interested demonstrate laundry, candle making, etc... but educate by doing, not just standing there talking...have a captain shouting at Bess about her terms of indentureship and if she screws up the mending of the officers' shirts once more, she'll have more time added to her contract..she dares to stand up to him and bingo, folks can learn a good deal bout indentured servants without one person playing teacher. turn it into a period appropriate skit, that will hold folks attention and teach... not everyone learns audibly....make things visiual... that is why places like Jamestown and Williamsburg are so successful... and allow the tour guides to be the bridge between the past and the audience...

Oh my GOD I love these ideas. I didn't get involved in any living history/immersion stuff, since PiP was my first event, but I could certainly get involved for future events.

Am I putting a gun to anyone's head?

No, but we could work that into a skit....

[Rev.Sam]

Though this will probably be my first event (which I am lookin' forward to with manly glee) I'd love t' help out anyway I can. I love all this ideas. All of em.

[RustyNell]

Quoting Dutch:

locals know we are there but have probably seen this before and write it off as another local ammusement. so who is left? tourists on the ships and those staying near by. face it- the fort is out of the way. so how to draw the beach crowd and the cruise ship crowd. I have not been to the docks, but can we do a street show there to drum up business? (i think someone mentioned something similar earlier)

I am going to talk to the crew about looking into advertising on the cruise ships for that week. As far as doing something visible to the cruise ships though, we probably get the best visibility of the cruise ship people on Duval and at the Marina, they usually make a bee-line for those places when the ship docks. The cruise ships dock at the Westin and the dock is private and secure, so I doubt we can catch them coming off.

Like Harry mentioned with the "invasion at the Schooner Warf" we did a lot of events out in town this year to make people aware there was something going on. Things like the Anne Bonney and Mary Read dragging through town has alwaysbrought people in, and I think the idea of using Mallory Square and doing something (the hanging - if we can pull it off) there would bring attention to the event as well.

We've tried to increase our Advertising programs each year........We have great ideas for next year already... from putting discount travel packages together, to more television and radio appearances, to more events where we can walk the streets and hand out fliers.

This past year we made a lot of appearances, just to promote PIP! We did a whole bunch of advertising leading up to the event this year, quite a few festivals of all kinds, pirate and non-pirate where thanks to the Callahans, we had great print materials to hand out. We did a couple of TV appearances and did some radio as well... still we have plans to go even further with the Advertising next year.

We really want to get people to plan to come to Key West because its PIP, so any ideas, anything that will help us get the word out is greatly appreciated.

We want the world to see what everyone is doing here. We really do feel like we have a very special group of fantastic re-enactors who come to this event. Its the real deal and we want everyone to experience it, so thanks for everything ALL of you do.

[Capt. Sterling]

No, but we could work that into a skit....

I like the way ye think...

[hurricane]

Nell, the Chamber/Visitor's Bureau needs to get with it too. We had several visitors who were sent to see the fort by the chamber but they didn't clue them in there was a pirate festival there. Obviously, visitors go to the building near Mallory often when they stop by.

As for cruise ships, we did the rounds there a couple years ago and it was a big success. We didn't even have the shuttle yet. We stood outside the secured area and posed for hundreds of photos with the cruisers. Then we directed them over to the festival, mentioning that it also had the best beach.

As a spectator, you'd be amazed how interesting daily camp life is. We were cooking, cleaning guns, mending clothes, making sheaths... just daily crap of keeping a camp running. The trick was to say high to the spectators... engage them. They don't want to look like they're bothering you but are intensely interested in what you're up to -- it's different. Whether you're in character or not, ask if they have any questions. Show them what you're doing. Or just let them know it's OK if they watch you. It's really that easy.

-- Hurricane

[Dutchman]

another thought is the positioning of the camps. not location, but positioning. create an inviting flow to the areas. the sites all looked great and well thought out for camping but a few of us (including myself )had the tents facing the water for obvious reasons- most of those tents have two sets of flaps. maybe make an effort to work out of both sides.

[Capt. Sterling]

Um I would caution here, I noticed a number of times when both tent doors were open that tourists were sometimes a little too interested in checking out what was in the tent... which made it hard to police things... I would recommend setting things up in a way that might "force" folks to follow a designed flow, that doesn't look like it was designed that way... for security reasons...

[Mission]

Um I would caution here, I noticed a number of times when both tent doors were open that tourists were sometimes a little too interested in checking out what was in the tent... which made it hard to police things... I would recommend setting things up in a way that might "force" folks to follow a designed flow, that doesn't look like it was designed that way... for security reasons...

Would it make sense to run a rope across the entrance to let people know that they were invited to view, but not to trespass? You could run it between two stakes pounded into the ground. Or do you think that would be overkill?

[Capt. Sterling]

Just tie one door shut...easy enough

[Dutchman]

let me clarify. i would not leave the tents open, but have living quarters out of both ends instead of this is the front, this is the back. And for heavens sake, if no one is around the flaps need to be down or gear stowed (i'm always fussing about that one). there was a lot of loose stuff about in all the camps, I actually ended up sitting one battle out because there was noone in the camp with lots of stuff out and lots of beach patrons milling about.. we stake off our living quarters almost all the time and always the dangerous parts of the living history. it has its good points and bad. the worst that occurs is reenactors "hide" behind the ropes because they know the public wont go there and they don't come out. Bloody security blankets and comfort zones, defeats the whole purpose. the other bad thing is the camp becomes structured to make everyone fit in the space. PIP would loose its charm if that happened. I personally don't see a need for ropes, but maybe a concentradet thought on the flow of the camp set up to invite guests. the path side folks had it down, but us beach vagrants botched it.

[Capt. Sterling]

I can certainly understand the use of ropes at certain events... space is tight and if there were no ropes, the reenactors would never get a break as the public would be in their faces and camps at all times, but I agree PiP would lose something if there were ropes, although If we could come up with some sort of separation from the beach, as Harry suggested, which would channel the beach folk in such a way we could "police" them better... it would take some of the stress off...something that could easily be removed after the beach crowd goes home... and we were camped along the path... just some folks needed to hog the view....

Edited December 17, 2008 by Capt. Sterling

[Mission]

Please let me clarify. When I say ropes, I don't mean a path of ropes - that would totally suck and would be contrary to the whole PiP idea as you say, Dutch. Plus it might block people from getting to the beach which the park wouldn't like. What I mean is a rope at one end of the tent to keep people from walking through said tent. That way the tent can be open for the public viewing, but not for the public ambling though. (I may be confusing the concept here...sorry if I am.) I think it's also a good idea to close off your stuff if you're not going to be present, though. Not doing so would be as stupid as leaving all your raw steel surgical equipment out overnight...

This is part of the reason I would like to make a proper surgeon's chest with a lockable front. That way I would have somewhere to stow my junk without infringing on other people's tent space, but still be able to get it all out easily and have another teaching tool to go with my gear.

As for being available all the time - Dutch, you are apparently an extravert. We introverts need time away from the thronging masses. (Well, I do, anyhow.)

[shaemus beaker]

If everyone lets me know what they are going to show and a little info I would be happy to come up with a tour guide script

i am more than willing to teach the swabbies and bilge rats period knots and there uses

[Dutchman]

mission- i again did not finish my out loud thought with the typed thought. the comment was directed towards observations of a crew that was not at pip- en masse. of course at pip nothing is expected other than a good time so it is a mute point. my appologies to anyone who read it the way it was written rather than intended. Please remember, all i do at events is living history- and stomp out fires. this was the first event in three years where i actually got to see something other than my camp or the view from the coxwains seat and heard no complaints- so i tend to only be able to offer a one sided view. I have never seen downtown hampton at the festival. i never get to leave the waterfront. PIP was a ball. got to see a fort, and a social life after hours, and even wandered through the streets of key west.

[Harry]

Nell, the Chamber/Visitor's Bureau needs to get with it too. We had several visitors who were sent to see the fort by the chamber but they didn't clue them in there was a pirate festival there. Obviously, visitors go to the building near Mallory often when they stop by.

-- Hurricane

This is yet another challenge to overcome. This city (Key West) does not support this event like other cities support their events. In fact, the City of Key West does not offer any monetary support whatsoever to any event held here. Their philosophy is that there will be some individual/group that will step up and make things happen, while the city coffers reap the benefits. The local chamber of commerce is of the same ilk. Unless said business is a member, there isn't any cross promotion of events. I know this for a fact as I used to work for the chamber when I first moved here. I was very surprised when I was told I couldn't talk about an event with a potential visitor because the group putting on the event were not chamber members.

But, there are other ways to "skin a cat." We have done our own marketing thru the cruise lines--we just didn't have any ships in this time. The best press is the free press and I'm working on that aspect around the state. The media in this town wouldn't know a good story if it hit them in the face. Also, they've never been known to let the facts stand in the way of a story for them.

[hurricane]

Yes, unfortunately that's the way all Chambers and VCBs work. I've been part of many of them and still maintain on here in Melbourne, even though I don't really do anything with them. But without the membership, as you know, someone can ask about you specifically and still not get an answer.

As for cruise ships, the key is to hit the Cruise Directors... they're the ones that promote things to do on the island. It may require putting together a package with the cruise line for an island experience filled with pirates. Like a VCB, they usually only hype the things they can make money off of with a package. But I can see transportation to and from the fort, admission, some sort of souvenir, plus time at the beach as incentive for that.

Wow, $301 to join the chamber. That's a deal. Here in Melbourne its $350 for my biz. Perhaps we should all take up a donation so the festival can join and become a burr in their butts. At least I see they listed the event on their site this year.

-- Hurricane

[theM.A.dDogge]

[quote name='Capt. Sterling' date='Dec 17 2008, 09:25 AM' post= and we were camped along the path... just some folks needed to hog the view....

HA!!!....dont ask my opinion who was all Hoggin the views!!!!

if i come back...looks like i'll have to come a fortnight earlier....or sleep on the surf itself!?!!?

dang wall tents....

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

Same story with our local things and the city chamber. Greedy bastards! Anyhow, we can all do a small part by keeping the word going around all year long. I promote several events to other re-enactors and word of mouth is an effective tool. I will continue to promote PiP regardless of whether or not I ever get to come down. My word says I.

Bo

[theM.A.dDogge]

Yes, unfortunately that's the way all Chambers and VCBs work. I've been part of many of them and still maintain on here in Melbourne, even though I don't really do anything with them. But without the membership, as you know, someone can ask about you specifically and still not get an answer.

As for cruise ships, the key is to hit the Cruise Directors... they're the ones that promote things to do on the island. It may require putting together a package with the cruise line for an island experience filled with pirates. Like a VCB, they usually only hype the things they can make money off of with a package. But I can see transportation to and from the fort, admission, some sort of souvenir, plus time at the beach as incentive for that.

Wow, $301 to join the chamber. That's a deal. Here in Melbourne its $350 for my biz. Perhaps we should all take up a donation so the festival can join and become a burr in their butts. At least I see they listed the event on their site this year.

-- Hurricane

yeah...i'm in....lets raise money to buy into ....i'll donate my hair....er.... ...waita sec...allready done that...how bout me beard....damg.... ....thats gone too.....

ok....free publicity sounds the best then.

Well....HOPEFULLY...this "America's Best" things actually gets edited worth a damn....and is picked up....if it shows this summer as promised..... ....you might just be turnin folks away.....maybe

[Jack Roberts]

Well perhaps if we had the Quartermaster we could have setup a little better. ( Looking for William)

Ooops! I guess that kinda incriminates myself don't it?

Already starting to download a sat photo to get the lay of the land and see how we might accomplish things.

Edited December 17, 2008 by Amanjiria

[RustyNell]

I think I understand the point Dutch was trying to make - The beach's wooded area has well worked paths, that in and of themselves, direct pedestrian traffic. The Bonies camp, as well as some of the others set up beach side, for all intents and purposes, had our back to the path. By circling ourselves around a central fire, and closing the circle towards the beach it kind of kept people out. Of course it did make it easier to police our own camp areas and keep our things protected, but it didn't invite the public in to learn either.

If we line up on either sides of the path we would better direct traffic through the areas If we close and secure our tents when we're away for battles etc and set up semi open and outside for demonstrations during the day it might be more inviting than having a closed circle where people have to either walk on the beach or maneuver their way through ropes and stakes to get to where we are.

Am I getting ya Dutchie?? - I have to admit I had a hard time maneuvering in and out of my own crews camp at night so i think i know what your trying to get at.

Edited December 17, 2008 by RustyNell

[Capt. Sterling]

Well perhaps if we had the Quartermaster we could have setup a little better. ( Looking for William)

Ooops! I guess that kinda incriminates myself don't it?

Already starting to download a sat photo to get the lay of the land and see how we might accomplish things.

And why, Mr. Roberts, would we be wantin a no good pyrate quartermaster to be settin up our camp? That bastard will have us camped right next to the port-a-loos...

[theM.A.dDogge]

we have , in the past , set up various camps with a path headed in....then to a main circle....where many of our "display tents" would be accessable...and our staroge tents were not....

for example.....each "crewe"...have a different path that leads to their area...so as to a one way in...circle back out to the main path...on to the next crewe...kinda thingy....

the circle style camps offer wonderful venues for performances,demos , backdrops....as well as not stepping on others toes....and anyone not interested in having their camp "open" to the public...sets theirs off the main path a bit...less accessable to the hearding sheep of audiences.

and as far as demos go....i got hit by the tour...at callenishs camp...and found my self (and mickey) giving an impromptu dissertation on the history of small arms....with all callenishs arms....so by the time i got back to my area/tent....had allready talked to the tour....so wandered about instead.

but that seems to go for ...in camp...litterally everything can become a historical demo/talk......

ok....actually forgot what my point was..... .....so never mind.

[Jack Roberts]

Agreed Capt'n! Which is why I'm beginning to look into that now.

Before the Son of Pig tosses us to the waves. (Which might be kinda of nice.)

Pyrate, maybe we should hang him nxt year.

Oh Hi, (turns and sees Will towering over him)

[Mary Diamond]

My thoughts, coming from the doorless Honeymoon Suite ~

Loved the location ~ just behind M.A.d'Dogge's, we knew when he came home (mostly ~ somehow, I slept through the rant betwixt himself and Captain Sterling). Open front and back(ish) to the public. Anything treasured was locked in the seachest, or hidden under canvas. We were able to entertain questions beachside as I prepped guns or merchandise,though I must remember to be sure to have flyers available on a table next year. Regarding the path through camp ~ I Loved It. Great flow ~ especially the opening betwixt Dutchie/Grace and Haunting Lily/Edward, and at BIB (please forgive me if I am forgetting anyone), for potential through traffic to and from the beach. I would most likely enlarge those areas to encourage more beach-side participation in the camp, and reduce the look of a wall of canvas (like Honolulu, with the wall of hotels, and no way to the beach, or the town on the other side).

My idea on "roping off" ~ I will be investing in a light weight fishing net like Dutchie and Grace's ~ to be draped across the tent opening when we are not entertaining visitors, or around to keep a close eye on things (valuables will still be locked), while still allowing light and airflow. Will also be shipping down another locking box or two, to accomodate merchants items.

My primary concern: ensuring weapons, powder and valuables (wallets, phones, medicines, etc.) have proper locking and (relatively) immovable storage ~ my guns and powder were always double locked in the sea chest if I was not around. Is it possible/reasonable for each camp (Archangel, Mercury, BIB, etc.) or two to have a locking weapons cache (Dutchie, didn't you just mention one in the Campaign Furniture thread?)?