INCREASINGLY, WE ARE NOT ALL LOCALS

NOTE: Because of their extensive use of website and telephone message lines for information useful to spectators, this next criticism doesn't apply to CWS and either the Antietam or Gettysburg 135th.

More than you might suspect, a significant number of spectators are from 75, 150, 300 or more miles away. And more would come IF they could plan better, based on getting detailed information well in advance. That's a key reason why Civil War Spectator has come into existence--as a centralized source for detailed spectator information.

How can yo be convinced of that and act accordingly. Of course one clue, but an ambiguous (and late) one, is how far away from the site the hotels/motels are booked up for that weekend. As early as possible, please send us your event information.

Although some organizers don't care to make such information public, spectators do like to have an idea of the event's size--that is, a pretty good idea of how many re-enactors are likely to be on the field. We would be overjoyed to be able to post updated registration figures in the months/weeks leading up to the event.

Under the category of 'better late than never, if you plan to do repeat events and if you have no other way of getting data you can trust, get parking lot staff to keep track of out-of-state license plates. For out-of-state visitors, it beats most other types of guesstimations--such as having people raise their hands.

Unless in-state plates have county designators, counting in-state plates can only give you the ratio of instate to out-of-state visitors.

HANDOUTS

Even a one page sheet with a detailed site map and a summary of the historical action is cost effective and much better than the nothing that so often greets spectators.

Having more information is better than less. It allows those who care to be rewarded for their interest. We love maps TO battle sites.

But we can figure that out. We really love maps OF battle sites. Not just of vendors and pottys, but of the upcoming actions out on the field.
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