WWII Weekend at Dakota City May 21 & 22

[Puma Mami]

This isn't a gun show, and we can't get a table or anything. But it might be good to have a few of us go over in Appleseed attire and do some 7th stepping. They say they get 1,000 attendees, so maybe 500 per day. I would guess Saturday would be the higher attendance.

These are very serious WWII reenactors, so it would be best to have an instructor with me who knows all about the rifles, CMP, etc. They may be interested in a marksmanship clinic with the "old army course," or to bring kids in their family to it to make sure that heritage gets passed down! . Has anyone tried talking to people an event like this yet?

This is at the Dakota County Fairgrounds, south of Farmington off Hwy 3.

http://www.dakotacity.org/index.html
http://www.12thssmn.com/dakotacityww2

Armed Forces Day WWII Living History Weekend with the 12th SS Panzer Division MN

The European Theater of WWII will be highlighted during this living
history weekend. A tank division of the Historical Reenactment Society will be
present . This event features period  equipment, costumed participants, and
activities. Village buildings may be staffed by costumed hosts.

10:00am Site Opens to the public and Registration Closes.

10:30am Weapons Demo on the North Side of the Fire Barn.

11:00am 1940's Civilian Fashion Show in the Big Tent behind the Drug Store.

11:30am Battle by the Depot.

12:00pm Tuskegee Airman Talk at the Harness Shop.

12:30pm Reenactor Lunch (Goulash) on the North Side of the McMenomy House. You Must
Have A Meal Ticket to Receive Food. Only $15 for 4 Meals. Tickets can be purchased at the
Depot.

1:00pm Veterans Symposium in the Big Tent behind the Drug Store.

2:30pm Battle by the Depot

3:00pm Airborne Jump Demo on the North Side of the Harris House.

3:30pm Infantry Demo on the North Side of the Fire Barn.

6:00pm Reenactor Supper (Hamburgers) on the North Side of the McMenomy House. You
Must Have A Meal Ticket to Receive Food. Only $15 for 4 Meals.

7:30pm Swing Dance Lesson in the Big Tent behind the Drug Store. Open to the Public.

8:00pm Hanger Dance in the Big Tent behind the Drug Store. Open to the Public.

[AFTERMATH]

Seventh stepping?  Heck, this sounds like fun all together!
Shouldn't have to break out the  to get you all there!

[Puma Mami]

Seventh stepping?  Heck, this sounds like fun all together!
Shouldn't have to break out the  to get you all there!

Who would like to go with me and do some 7th stepping? I'm thinking Saturday mid-morning to mid-afternoon will have the highest attendance. I do have a bunch of trifolds and some other literature. So that part is covered. It would be great to have some of you guys in your USMC shooting jackets to talk to folks.

Is there any interest in having me check out a professional video camera from community TV and do some filming of you guys working this event? maybe some interview stuff with you? I'm far enough along on the classes that I can do that now. [note: I can't if it's raining. Might need Sunday as an alternate if it rains Saturday. And would need to get permission first.]

Saturday, May 21st is also Armed Forces Day, "a single holiday for citizens to come together and thank our military members for their patriotic service in support of our country." There's a downloadable poster and info here: http://www.defense.gov/afd/

[Puma Mami]

Looks like it's going to be rainy. So this event isn't a good candidate to be filmed with the professional and non-waterproof camera equipment (it's a $3,000 camera and if I check it out, I'm responsible for it).

I'm still planning to go on Saturday and talk to people and hand out flyers. Let me know if you'd like to join me. Rain may make it less crowded and easier to talk to the reenactor folks.

[sparks1]

Looks like it's going to be rainy. So this event isn't a good candidate to be filmed with the professional and non-waterproof camera equipment (it's a $3,000 camera and if I check it out, I'm responsible for it).

I'm still planning to go on Saturday and talk to people and hand out flyers. Let me know if you'd like to join me. Rain may make it less crowded and easier to talk to the reenactor folks.

What time will you be there? I'll see if I can swing down. Is it ok to pass out flyers?

[Puma Mami]

What time will you be there? I'll see if I can swing down. Is it ok to pass out flyers?

I'm planning to be there from 10am to about 1pm.

We don't have official permission to hand out flyers or have a table or anything. So my plan is to wear Appleseed clothing (and hopefully get questions that way), carry flyers and materials, and talk to people. Ask if they've heard of Project Appleseed, and then if there's any interest, offer a flyer to them (and additional literature depending on their level of interest). I don't think we will run into trouble doing it that way.

If I had been bringing the camera I would have called and asked about permission for doing filming. I think that's more touchy.

[AFTERMATH]

CMP catalogs may be a good idea, if anyone's got any.   

[Puma Mami]

CMP catalogs may be a good idea, if anyone's got any.   

I don't have any. Do you Sparks? Maybe you would like to join us, Aftermath? 

[AFTERMATH]

CMP catalogs may be a good idea, if anyone's got any.   

I don't have any. Do you Sparks? Maybe you would like to join us, Aftermath? 

I haven't any cats, I may be able to make it don't know right now though...

[sparks1]

All my CMP catalogs went to the gunshow promos.

[Puma Mami]

All my CMP catalogs went to the gunshow promos.

I'll print some 1/2 sheet postcards with the 2010 catalog cover on one side, and 1/2 of the back of the catalog with the M1 and their logo, address and web address on the back. We can hand those out instead of catalogs. I think they will be OK with that since it's pictures of their materials, unchanged, and we are directing people to their own web site for the purpose of participating in the CMP program.

Do you guys have more catalogs on order, too?

[Puma Mami]

Sparks1 and Aftermath - I'm sending you guys my cell number by PM so we can arrange where to meet (if you can make it). I haven't been there so I don't know if they have multiple entrances or stuff like that.

I'm still planning on being there 10am to 1pm, but the weather looks bad, with rain all day and thunderstorms starting around noon. So I guess we'll see how much is indoors...

[Puma Mami]

I talked to a lot of enthusiastic and interested people about Project Appleseed today, including four National Guardsmen. I handed out about 30-40 flyers.

It was raining, and that did make attendance lighter so it was easier to talk to the reenactors at the event. I talked to one of the co-chairs, and he said he would be glad for Appleseed to have a place there next year. So we will definitely need a folding table and a canopy for Minnesota Appleseed.

It was a fun event, with the highlight being the big battle they do with blanks. Lots of M1s and .45s going off.
   
The guys who had to pretend they had been shot and killed were lying on the ground, in the rain, in their nice vintage uniforms for some time. Very dedicated folks!

They have lots of tents and displays inside the buildings with interesting historical items and weapons, a half-track and many Jeeps, Allies, Nazis and Soviets represented, and a few civilian ladies. Everyone was dressed completely authentically, down to their cots, backpacks, tents--everything. Very nice event.   I definitely recommend it! They are having it again Sunday, May 22, 10am to 3pm. And I guess we can look forward to next year, too. 

http://www.12thssmn.com/dakotacityww2
http://www.twincities.com/news/ci_18101870
http://www.hamptonnews.net/2011/04/ww-ii-re-enactment-event-scheduled-may.html
http://www.dakotacity.org/

[AFTERMATH]

 

I'm disappointed, I couldn't make it... 
Sounds like an awesome time...  Did you get any of the dimensions for their tents?  Hmmm...  Bit of canvas and we'd fit right in.


Great work! 

We'd better start setting up the planning schedule for next year.

[Puma Mami]

Yes, it was fun!

Did you get any of the dimensions for their tents?  Hmmm...  Bit of canvas and we'd fit right in.

No, I didn't pull out my trusty tape measure.   Those Army tents are very heavy cotton canvas, and to get one would cost us close to $1,000. If we tried to dress up a modern 10' x 10' shelter with olive drab canvas, we might end up with a collapsed structure if it rains. That cotton holds a lot of heavy water! We could try a lighter olive fabric to put a cover over a modern canopy, though.

There was one group there with a modern white canopy-type shelter. I didn't take a picture of that, though. Some other groups were given space inside the Dakota City Heritage Village buildings.

[JustJeff]

Yes, it was fun!

Did you get any of the dimensions for their tents?  Hmmm...  Bit of canvas and we'd fit right in.

No, I didn't pull out my trusty tape measure.   Those Army tents are very heavy cotton canvas, and to get one would cost us close to $1,000. If we tried to dress up a modern 10' x 10' shelter with olive drab canvas, we might end up with a collapsed structure if it rains. That cotton holds a lot of heavy water! We could try a lighter olive fabric to put a cover over a modern canopy, though.

There was one group there with a modern white canopy-type shelter. I didn't take a picture of that, though. Some other groups were given space inside the Dakota City Heritage Village buildings.

You can get the old style surplus (olive drab heavy canvas) tents at http://www.govliquidation.com/ on occassion.  Sometimes there are multiple tents in the lots, so the costs are higher, but they aren't too expensive.  I think the last one I saw went for about $450.

[AFTERMATH]

Some other groups were given space inside the Dakota City Heritage Village buildings.

Officers' quarters!  That's where we wanna be!

You can get the old style surplus (olive drab heavy canvas) tents at http://www.govliquidation.com/ on occasion.  Sometimes there are multiple tents in the lots, so the costs are higher, but they aren't too expensive.  I think the last one I saw went for about $450.

I wish they had some liquidation points near me....  Probably why they don't have any real nice surplus stores in MN...  Freight is ridiculous these days...