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EVENTS
Ft. Niagara 2013 August 31-September 1
REGISTRATION ON SITE
We would like ALL participants to check in at the registration table (adjacent to the door of the fort office) Saturday morning between 8:00 a.m. and noon. Your email registration was for planning purposes only. First, for insurance reasons, we would like to have an individual listing of all our 1812 event participants. Additionally, if you have not been a participant at an OFN reenactment within the past 11 months, we will need you to complete a) the New York State Parks Volunteer Service Agreement form; and, b) the OFN Liability Waiver and Photo Release. A copy of each of these forms is attached, in case you'd like to fill it out ahead of time and bring it with you, thus lessening the time you'll need to spend at the registration table.
CAMP / MOVE IN
As in the recent past, all troops will be camped inside the fort. Folks can move in any time after NOON on Friday, however, driving into the fort will not be allowed until 4:30 p.m. Bicycle carts will be available beforehand, if you want to move in by foot before 4:30. Camp layouts will be somewhat altered from last year to accommodate what we expect to be increased public visitation, particularly for the Saturday night battle. (During last year's event we had over 3,000 visitors, nearly 1,000 of which came in for the night battle. This year we've had advance press coverage.)
PARKING
Participant parking will be in the swimming pool overflow lot, similar to our July 4th event. (It's a circuitous drive out to it but a short walk back.) This is a little farther away than usual for our recent 1812 events. Again, as we are expecting increased public visitation we will need the additional space for visitors' parking.
FOOD
The fort will be serving a free hot breakfast from 7:00 to 8:30 each morning, as well as a free dinner [something like: stew, bread, apple, drink] to all costumed reenactors on Saturday night. If you have your own dishes/utensils and could bring them with you to these meals that would be helpful. The fort's food service facility, Prideau's Head, will be open for lunches, as an alternative to packing your own.
ALCOHOL
Following the Saturday night battle, the fort will be offering reenactors a "Tavern" with complimentary beer and wine. Otherwise, as has been the case for the past several years, fort policy prohibits individuals/groups from bringing in alcohol. Likewise all consumption of beer and/or wine must occur within the parameters of the tavern operation. Thank you for your continued cooperation on this matter.
PROGRAM POINTS
The updated schedule is below, here are some details on specific points:
1. Morning Flag Raising and Infantry Exercise — As in the past, for the Saturday morning flag raising and exercise, we would like all-hands-on-deck with, as much as possible, the impression of American troops and militia. Conversely, a British and militia look on Sunday morning. The balance of each day is both British and American concurrently, as you like.
2. Tactical Scenarios/Cartridges — There is an afternoon scenario each day plus the Saturday night battle. You could burn a lot of powder overall. We would suggest a minimum of 90 rounds if you are planning to take part in all three. Regarding the Saturday night battle: As in the past, since the American positions in the redoubts and Red Barracks are all "concealed" from public view, some "Americans" may be recruited into the publicly-viewable attacking British force, regardless of what you are wearing (it will be getting dark anyway). We'll sort this out during the day on Saturday but thank you in advance for your usual cooperation.
3. Volunteer Opportunities — We will be looking for a few spirited volunteers to inspire American and British recruits during our "Recruiting Demonstration (Kids' Program)" at 2:00 p.m. each afternoon, as well as "models" for our "fashion show" at 1:00 p.m. each day.
4. New This Year — There will be two lectures from visiting authors, in the Visitors Center at 11:00 and 1:30. If your other duties will allow it, all are welcome.
5. Returning This Year — The Regency Ladies' Tea and Regency English Country dancing session, on Sunday only, at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. respectively.
Registration forms are attached and schedule follows, below. Call if you have questions.
Thanks again for your support of Old Fort Niagara and especially our 1812 events!
See you next weekend.
Jere Brubaker
Daily Schedule — Old Fort Niagara War of 1812 Encampment — August 31 & September 1, 2013
REENACTOR ITEMS NOT ON THE PUBLIC SCHEDULE:
7:00 to 8:30 Breakfast Service, at Log Cabin
8:00 to 12:00 Registration open, adjacent to OFN office (Saturday only)
8:30 Officers'/Unit representatives' meeting, at OFN office
5:00 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday Night Dinner distribution at Bakehouse
9:00 until 11:00 Tavern for event participants, in the Mess House (Saturday)
PUBLIC SCHEDULE:
10:00 Flag Raising
10:15 Infantry Exercise, with musket firings
10:15 Guided Tour: "Fort Niagara in the War of 1812" — Originates from Center Cannon
11:00 Musket Demonstration — Rush-Bagot Monument
Lecture (Saturday only): "War on the Niagara" by Lt. Col Richard Barbuto, US Army (ret.)
Regency Ladies' Tea (Sunday only) — Mess House, 1st Floor
12:00 Artillery Demonstration
12:30 Lecture: "Captain George Howard, 25th US Infantry" by Gregory Kloten
1:00 Uniforms of the War of 1812 — Rush-Bagot Monument
1:30 Concert of Military Music (Saturday only) — Rush-Bagot Monument
Regency English Country Dancing (Sunday only) — Mess House, 3rd Floor
2:00 Recruiting Demo (Kids' Program) — Rush-Bagot Monument
3:00 Opposed-side tactical [ie: Afternoon Battle]
4:00 Artillery Demonstration (Saturday); Musket Demonstration (Sunday)
SUNDAY: THE FORT CLOSES AT 5:00 P.M.
SATURDAY: The fort remains open later for the night battle.
The CUT-OFF for ENTRANCE to the Fort Saturday night is 7:00 p.m.
ADDITIONAL SATURDAY SCHEDULE:
5:00 & 6:00 Musket Demonstration — Rush-Bagot Monument
6:00 Guided Tour: "Fort Niagara in the War of 1812" — Meet at center cannon
7:15 Concert by the MacKenzie Highlanders' Pipes & Drums
8:00 Reenactment of the Capture of Fort Niagara
Public must exit the fort immediately following the Night Battle.
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