Put-in-Bay Ohio 2012 - June 22-24

[michaelsbagley]

So although I am mostly focused on organizing the May Santa Maria event right now.. it is likely a good time to start up discussions around this event.

I will be the main cat-herder for this one again this year for the re-enactment encampment, and will be meeting with the festival organizer later this week or middle of next week (pending his schedule) to go over things with him. Anyone have ideas/suggestions/concerns they think I should bring up with the event organizer? (Within reason). Suggestions or ideas welcome even from well wishers that are unable to attend, but the ideas from those coming will obviously get more attention.

Over the past few years they have covered our ferry fare to and from the island, camping area, and fed us (although the food arrangements have varied and may change again).

This is a pretty typical re-enactment display during daylight hours event... but can get wild and very party-ish at night. It can be a kid-friendly event, but is really more suited for those leaving the kids with a sitter or grandparent for the weekend.

We had about a dozen for year one, almost double that number of pirates for year two, and while we likely can't double last years numbers, there is a request to increase our numbers again (maybe aim for 30ish +/-).

Let me know if you're interested.

One last thing, for the last two years running, a reenactor from our encampment has won a trip to the Cayman Islands... I'm hoping this trend continues (and that this year is me )

EDIT - title edited to add date for clarity and ease of reference. and one last thing, While not a strict historical event (it is a party island after all), we have endeavored to keep the re-enactment encampment and display to a reasonable level (although we are flexible). There is plenty of room at this event for more pop culture and party pirates, but the encampment is geared for the more serious (or at least semi-serious) re-enactor.

[Ivan Henry aka Moose]

Dates?

[Mission]

June 22 - 24.

[michaelsbagley]

So the festival organizer and I had a good long talk this evening. He came to the table with a good idea of some of the things that didn't work so well last year, and suggestions and ideas on how we could work together to make things better for this year. All that aside, he had nothing but great things to say about us all, and he repeatedly stated how great of a job he thinks we do, and how much he appreciates us being a part of this festival. He is also hoping we can gather around 30 pirate re-enactors for the encampment this year (or more if possible, but we need to know in advance if it is going to be significantly more so he can make adjustments on his end for accommodating us). (FYI, last year we had about 23 or 24, with about a dozen pirate re-enactors the previous year)

Ferry

Just like the last two years, our ferry passes to the island will be covered. Everyone will get a "people" pass for the ferry, as a group we will get 4 to 6 vehicle passes (pending on our numbers, about one vehicle per 5 or 6 people). So again we will have to work together and coordinate travel times to minimize the number of vehicles going to the island (unless anyone wants to put themselves out the expense of paying their own way for their vehicle on the ferry). <For those who have not been, having a vehicle on the island i more of a liability than a convenience>

Showers

Again, we will be given a boat load of shower tokens for the bathroom facility in the park where we demonstrate (which is only a couple of blocks from the camp we sleep in for anyone not in the know out there).

Camping

We will be in the same field we have been in for the last two years. It is only a two or three block walk to the display/demo encampment. It is close enough to the main strip of all the party bars that it is easy to walk home after a long night, but just far enough away from the strip that the night noise tends not to disturb us.

Golf Cart

We have been promised one. The organizer said he would try to get us two for this year (no guarantees). The prime purpose of the golf cart is to jockey our display items back and forth from the display encampment to the sleeping encampment. No joy riding. There were a few instances last year where the golf cart was being used for "personal use" when it would have been very convenient to have at one of the encampments. Nothing we couldn't work around, but something we will be working harder to avoid this year.

Portable bathrooms

This has been an issue for the last two years. Ty swears to me he has it worked out for this year. I believe we will have one or two portable toilets in camp this year. Plus other bathrooms available for use to use during the day.

Vending

We struck a deal that Trish and Shannon's vending booth will be comped and closer to the display encampment this year. A part of that deal (that I discussed with Trish/Shannon in advance) was that should any of the other re-enactors have any wares we would like to sell, we can put them in their booth. If you plan to do this, please have a short write up about your item(s) so Trish and Shannon (or whoever is minding the booth) can effectively tell potential buyers about your wares.

Food

Friday evening - It was proposed for the festival organizer to host a pizza dinner at either his restaurant or the restaurant next to his (or in conjunction). Despite both restaurants having fuller menus, this offering is meant to keep the cost reasonable, and the organizing easy. So it will be pizzas (likely a small assortment such as plain cheese, pepperoni, meat lovers, and vegetarian), maybe side salads, and soft drinks (he did mention pitcher of beer, but I am unsure how serious he was about this).

Saturday

Breakfast - for breakfast he offered to have cold, fast, continental style breakfasts for us. Bagels, cream cheese, fruit, danishes etc. Easy and quick, and only items that require no cooking.

Lunch - We will need to come up with our own lunch shopping list, and we will be preparing lunch in camp as a part of our demo. My suggestion is that those willing (or those who can be convinced to help) suggest a few dishes to make. If we can get three or four folks willing to cook a dish or two each, it should cover everyone for lunch. There will likely need to be a whole discussion about this.

Supper - We are on our own. The festival organizer is willing to allow us to add to our grocery list to cover supper, but after how poorly things went last year, I for my part will be dining out on town, as many others are considering this as well. So if you choose to opt in for the groceries to make supper, you will be responsible for arranging the menu, getting me the grocery list of food items required (and keeping it reasonable), and most importantly CLEANING up after yourself. The festival organizer has offered to TRY (as in NO GUARANTEES) to try and get a couple to a few restaurants to offer up discount vouchers for some restaurants for us, but this may or may not come to be.

Sunday

Breakfast will be almost exactly the same as Saturday

Lunch will also be the same as Saturday, so a discussion and volunteers for making a few dishes for Sunday will be required as well.

No supper plans for Sunday, as most of us will be racing off the island to get home.

I will eventually write up a second post regarding demo, display, and battle information.

Please speak up with any comments, ideas, or concerns.

Most of the discussion surrounding this event has been happening on Facebook, but again, I am good with separate parallel discussion going on and trying to make sure any relevant information makes it to both the Pub and Facebook group. The Facebook group is closed (private) so please contact me to get added to it.

[Mission]

OK, if you're looking for events and you're anywhere near Put-in-Bay, you should consider this event. It gets the Mission seal of approval as being a top pirate reenactment. Cool place, cool people, cool set-up... Cool.

[Ivan Henry aka Moose]

Where is this at?

[michaelsbagley]

Put-in-Bay is on an island (South Bass Island) in Lake Erie. The main point of access is from a ferry that is about half way between Cleveland and Toledo Ohio (closer to Cleavland than Toledo though). Likely the cheapest option for those very far away, would be to fly into Detroit or Cleavland and a ride the rest of the way can likely be arranged.

Edit. There are other nearby cities where rides can be arranged from, but being larger cities those two will likely be the easiest/cheapest to fly to/from

[Ivan Henry aka Moose]

I'm looking into it now. Sounds like fun!

[michaelsbagley]

I'll add you to the Facebook discussion page in case you can make it. (I will do it tonight though, as it is a pain to do that from the smart/dumb phone).

[Ben Fridley]

Michael,

Dan Needham here...I will be driving Jessica to Put in Bay on Sat morning. Please have her send me a note at: dandycat@wowway.com.

Also...My FB account got hacked, so I will be creating a new account. Can you please let the people in our PIB group know. I will be starting over it looks like...

Thanks!

Dan

[Ben Fridley]

Michael,

Dan Needham here...I will be driving Jessica to Put in Bay on Sat morning. Please have her send me a note at: dandycat@wowway.com.

Also...My FB account got hacked, so I will be creating a new account. Can you please let the people in our PIB group know. I will be starting over it looks like...

Thanks!

Dan

[michaelsbagley]

I would rate this event as one of the most enjoyable I have been to in a very long time. Everyone seemed to have an awesome time (kind of hard not to, when just about everyone was blind drunk when we were not demo-ing in the park).

Pictures are abounding around Facebook, but I managed to edit down some of the video footage I got into this fun little clip...

http://youtu.be/EjclVmHEpqk

I'm already starting to plan and plot ideas for this one for next year....

[Mission]

We should expand the sea battle and get Ty to publicize it. That was pretty cool. Well, except for the sinking of the Firefly. If it was me, I'd concentrate the action near the Best Lobster Bisque restaurant if they'll let us. Then you have a guaranteed audience and a floor show. Of sorts.

[michaelsbagley]

It is also worth mentioning that for the third year running, one of the re-enactors won the grand prize in the costume contest (trip for two to the Caymans), and this year it was Tiger Billie! A huge congrats to Billie on that. Taking third place was another of our lot, Shannon! (I think it is a 5 day all expense trip to Put-In-Bay, which is by no means a cheap trip)! I believe Shannon took second last year (the year Cheeky one first place). Let's hope this trend keeps up! A bunch of more deserving prize winners there could not be!

But the suggestion for expanding the boat battle Friday is most appreciated.... and I think it will likely be a welcome suggestion by both the owners of the boats and the festival organizers! That battle was a ton of fun.

For those interested, we have been asked to try increase our numbers again for next year... I would love to see upwards of fourty re-enactors out for this, and with our recent success on the Santa Maria, I know that to be a realistic goal.

The festival organizer has made a tentative meeting with me for this autumn, and I would guess we will meet again in the spring to talk things through as well. I can see next year being a big expansion year for this one.

Just as an aside, I have always focused on the re-ensactment angle of this festival in my posts... and why wouldn't I? That is what I am most interested in... But this festival is really for anything and everything pirate related! The re-enactment encampment I mostly organize is only a small corner of the greater festival.

[Cheeky Actress]

Love the video clip....d'Dogge at his best....well, you know what I mean.

[Rats]

I would rate this event as one of the most enjoyable I have been to in a very long time. Everyone seemed to have an awesome time (kind of hard not to, when just about everyone was blind drunk when we were not demo-ing in the park).

Pictures are abounding around Facebook, but I managed to edit down some of the video footage I got into this fun little clip...

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I'm already starting to plan and plot ideas for this one for next year....

[Rats]

It's been waaaay too long since I've been on this site. So it goes without saying that there will be more trouble in the making!

[Rats]

Just to make it clear... I am violently ashamed to have missed this event!

The only reason that any riff-raff in the area should miss this event, is if they were dead or in jail... And If you're in jail... you damn well better BREAK OUT!

Lord knows that if I can do it, so can you!

]

Edited July 1, 2012 by Rats

[michaelsbagley]

As one last plug for this event... How often do we as re-enactors get to actually engage in piracy as a part of an event. Picture curtesy of M.A. d'Dogge...