Mainstream or Authentic/Progressive?

I was just wondering (even though theres not a lot of reenactors on here) if those of you have done at least one reenactment prefer Mainstream or Authentic.

I don't know if I'd be able to answer this poll fairly, all the reenactments I've taken part in were for one day only. All I wanted to do was get my hands on a Springfield.

Well, What kind of group did you go with?

I'm not positive on that, but it was probably more mainstream.... if that means that they were very authentic, but they weren't all that strict on certain issues, like the style that they speak in, or the the leather-to-canvas ratio of their shoes, and little things like that. As far as farb, they were pretty careful about that, so, what does that make it?

Well, most of the time, if they had coolers, were eating beanie weenies at dinner time and all slept in tents, they are mainstream.

No, they ate period food. I don't know about their storage means though...

And yes, they all slept in tents, but isn't that somewhat authentic? At least for armies in encampment?

Well, not exactly. From the beginning of the war there were tent shortages, which means that some soldiers selp on the cold hard ground.

There is nothing that can quite compare to wrapping up in a blanket next to a fire and praying that you can still move your limbs in the morning.

In the Boy Scouts, I thought I knew what "roughing it" was...then I became a reenactor

Komrade wrote:

There is nothing that can quite compare to wrapping up in a blanket next to a fire and praying that you can still move your limbs in the morning.

I only do that in houses. Theres not much to worry about in the houses except seeing something in the middle of the night and not being able to sleep for hours.

I have been to probably over 15 reenactments in the past 1 1/2 years and out of those the ones I had the most fun at were the authentic/progressive ones. There's just something about being surrounded by folks who want to perserve what they're portraying instead of people who have not idea what the difference is between FARB and Authentic. :-)

Well, most farbs are just in denial

Been reenacting most of my life. The most fun and good times were like this "If you can't carry it don't bring it"
Also bring the tent to a main stream is okay but it takes time to put up and take down.
It is a rush to wake up in 7 ins of snow or have a river over flow its banks and wash your tent away.(found it the next day wrapped around a tree down stream.

Ouch.... not good. I slept in my first tent in May at McDowell. It was COLD. I had never done a cold weather event and only had a shawl. Fun times.

I wish i could reenact.

We also have reenactment's of just about any period in Canada, but Quebec City is probably the place where most of the action happens.

We've been having some about the 1812 War

More about when the French and the Brits were fighting in order to take over the place, at the time they both thought there was an entire hill full of Diamonds.

When the Natives were trading with people from Europe (see France and the Brits).

The Natives Uprising in Manitoba that ended with a massacre.

An entire people getting deported (the Acadians called it The Great Disturbance).

And The Middle Ages festival (where most people wear stuff from that time period and get to choose who they are) happening in Quebec City...Again.

And many more all over the country, north of the border.