E. Coast events now that the Gap is gone

Question and opinion regarding Living History / Reenacting.
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Buggy Man
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E. Coast events now that the Gap is gone

Post by Buggy Man » Mon Mar 25, 2019 11:56 am

Guys
Was just wondering about this; now that the FIG event is gone is there another big East coast WWII reenactment that everyone is going to? Did one of the other venues step up to fill the void left by the loss of Ft. Indiantown Gap's Battle of the bulge event?

Matt


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Re: E. Coast events now that the Gap is gone

Post by chibobber » Mon Mar 25, 2019 4:13 pm

Matt,
Do you think Mid Atlantic at Reading PA could fill the gap?(no pun intended)

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Re: E. Coast events now that the Gap is gone

Post by Hired Goon » Mon Mar 25, 2019 4:53 pm

W2HPG ran nice spring and fall events on a large property near Hazelton Pa. last year and this spring event scheduled for next month.
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Re: E. Coast events now that the Gap is gone

Post by Rustman » Tue Mar 26, 2019 6:58 am

The Mid Atlantic Air Museum (Reading show) event in June is geared for spectators. There is a lot of control of movement of reenactors and being as it's held on the grounds of a regional airport a lot of bureaucratic rigamarole to deal with. It's primarily an air show with some parades of vehicles, some demonstrations and a lot of static displays for ground elements.

There's another show in Virginia Beach held in May at the Military Aviation Museum the pet project of Jerry Yagen, owner of The Fighter Factory. I highly recommend that show. Again it's primarily an air show. But Jerry owns the property we set up on so the government hoops to jump through are removed. He has an original RAF control tower, Luftwaffe hanger, Nissen huts...

But neither does what GAP did. In September at Eisenhower Farm in Gettysburg is a large encampment weekend. On Saturday a large contingent of Allied forces convoy to New Oxford, PA to liberate that town from occupying German forces. Not as big as GAP but it is an event with tactical elements and not just static displays.

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Re: E. Coast events now that the Gap is gone

Post by battlebaby3 » Thu Mar 28, 2019 9:38 am

As the Event Coordinator, For the past 10 years the 99th Infantry Division Historical Society has hosted the Bridge at Remagen 1945 tactical and public battle in Tidioute ,Pa along the Allegheny River. Our event this year has changed to THE BRIDGE AT NIJMEGEN, 1944, Opeation Market Garden, 1944. Our event is one of a kind in the nation. We keep it to around 300 Reenactors so all get time in the field and in the town street fighting for the bridge and beyond. www.remagenbridge.com for more info and packet. ALL Commonweath and Americans troops are invited. Tanks and armor are lining up to go into Nijmegen. Saturday morning closed tactical point system in 300 plus acres of gravel pit and period forests with trails. We have heavy fighting for both battle. We advice each soldier to bring at least 200 rounds for the weekend. MG's normally go through 1000's of rounds per battle .Last year one GI 30 cal crew use 5,000 rounds just in the public bridge battle. Germans forces are almost sold out. Head to our website for a packet or contact me here. Welcome to NW PA and reenacting WW II.

Pat Tarasovitch, Erie ,PA
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Re: E. Coast events now that the Gap is gone

Post by Buggy Man » Mon Apr 01, 2019 5:16 am

Sorry for the long delay in my reply. Thanks for all the responses.

I don't think of Reading as a reenactment as much as it is a living history display combined with an airshow & MV display (what's not to like :) ).

Have heard good things about the Tidioute, Pa event. Glad to hear that aside from the public battle there's also a straight up tactical to go along with it. Have you noticed an increase in persons wanting to participate?

Is the W2HPG the organization that used to put on the GAP? The spring & fall events being held up in Hazelton,Pa sound interesting. ' have to look that up.

I'm aware of the Eisenhower Farm event held up in Gettysburg,Pa. It's one of the only times Gettysburg gets overrun with guys in OD rather than Blue & Gray uniforms :lol: . I remember a friend of mine who worked for the national park up there commenting that "Gettysburg was probably the only town in the world where you could walk down the street wearing the uniform of any Nation's military, carrying a weapon & nobody would look at you strangely....."

Matt

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Re: E. Coast events now that the Gap is gone

Post by battlebaby3 » Mon Apr 01, 2019 3:18 pm

For Tidioute, Pa are getting more units and armor attending every year This year with MARKET GARDEN many paratrooper and Commonwealth units are coming to fight. We take about 300 reenactors only. This gives everyone time to fight in both battles plus not be so crowed in camps ect. The Saturday morning tactical is 2 hours point system. Our website has more info. We felt to do both private tactical and public battle was the best idea for a event. German forces are almost sold out. German tanks and armor are pretty much filled. If you are a GI or Commonwealth trooper I can mail a packet to you. Just need mailing address.

Thanks- Pat
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Re: E. Coast events now that the Gap is gone

Post by doctordirt » Tue Apr 30, 2019 4:56 pm

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/doctord ... ain%202018

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/doctord ... ril%202019

The links are images of the last two events at Hazelton sponsored by W2HPG. Numbers are ~325 participants. Great turnout by German armor and support vehicles. Less so by the Allies, but significant numbers do attend.

This is a reclamation site of a former strip coal mine in rural Pennsylvania. Very few amenities - units occupy tents, there is no running water or electricity, Porto-Jons are on site. The battle space is great for Infantry, more limited for vehicles due to one main road through the zone of action. Campfires are permitted in the camps.

The event is well run, well planned, and has mainly common sense rules. Safety and authenticity are enforced. The chain of command is realistic -not a plethora of colonels and generals commanding platoons. It is an invitation only event. Pyro is permitted depending upon prevailing weather conditions.

It is not FIG. It has been cold, wet, windy and uncomfortable but a great deal of shared fun.

My 2 cents. Your mileage may differ.
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Re: E. Coast events now that the Gap is gone

Post by degerton2@gmail.com » Thu Feb 13, 2020 8:17 am

A new organization has been created to fill the "Gap". It is the World War II Historical Preservation Group or W2HPG. They have a listing of events on their website. All events are by invitation only. So contact them for more information. http://www.oocities.org/w2hpg/

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Re: E. Coast events now that the Gap is gone

Post by Rustman » Fri Feb 14, 2020 7:05 am

That groups appears to pre-date the GAP demise by a decade or two. The newest thing on the website is a 2009 message from the host server that the website is a mirror of the previous (and now defunct) Geocities website. I searched the name of the org since it's incorporated as a non-profit and couldn't come up with anything newer than 2007.

Matt
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Re: E. Coast events now that the Gap is gone

Post by battlebaby3 » Fri Feb 28, 2020 6:18 am

www.remagenbridge.com , The 75th Anniversary of the Bridge at Remagen, 1945. Will be held July 31- August 2, 2020. German forces and GI expecting to bring in tanks and armor. This will be the largest event for the anniversary held in Tidioute ,Pa. If needing a packet please contact me.
Our railroad convoy event in Titusville ,Pa will be held June 19-20. The Last Train to Remagen. This will be on the Oil Creek and Titusville Railroad. Running train battle with GI convoy fighting German held train. Both events hosted by the 99th Infantry Division Historical Society, Inc. Erie ,PA

Pat Tarasovitch, Event Coordinator
1942 GPW 63239 "Angel "
99th Infantry Division,393rd Reg., E Co. (Battlebabies)
99th Infantry Division Historical Society,Inc. Erie, Pa.
Event Coordinator The Bridge at Remagen, Tidioute.PA
Event Coordinator The Ruhr Pocket, 1945 Train / GI vehicle convoy Battle, Titusville ,PA

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Re: E. Coast events now that the Gap is gone

Post by MP45 » Fri Feb 28, 2020 7:39 am

Does the Remagen Bridge or railroad event have vendors?

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Re: E. Coast events now that the Gap is gone

Post by Lee Bishop » Tue Mar 03, 2020 12:55 pm

I've known a few guys who have gone to the Tidioute, Pa events, and they had nothing but good things to say. They had a great time, made new friends, traded a lot for neat stuff and said the event has the overall 'feel' the Gap had in the 90s, where you'd have those moments where it really felt like you were in the 40s. I'd love to get there someday, as the photos and video I've seen support it looks like a fine event.
doctordirt wrote:
Tue Apr 30, 2019 4:56 pm
It is not FIG. It has been cold, wet, windy and uncomfortable but a great deal of shared fun.
I don't know, cold, wet and windy sounds a lot like the Gap! The coldest I've ever been stateside was walking out in the tactical area at the Gap in the 90s...
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