Registered Re-enactors Information
From WUS
Wasaga under Siege 2012 - Registration Information
Please read carefully the following information as new information has been added and updated.
Also if you have pre-registered online and are no longer attending please inform me ASAP in order to better plan for logistical items especially provided meals.
New - I’m happy to announce that the Penetanguishene Ship’s Company has volunteered to take over the coordination of naval activities during the battle scenarios. They have some great ideas to help enhance the naval activities and will be in contact with all the naval units participating in this year’s event for input and feedback. If you are bringing a boat or canoe to the event I encourage you to contact the Penetanguishene Ship’s Company at hmsbadger@csolve.net
New – As of last year (2010) pets are no longer allowed on the island during the Wasaga under Siege encampment and event for both re-enactors and public. We have had to deal with many situations over the past few years regarding pets and have decided the liability risk is too high. Please make other arrangements for your pets if you were intending on bringing them to Wasaga under Siege.
New – SummerBound tours is offering a cruise boat tour on the Nottawasaga River for participants of Wasaga under Siege 2011. Travel 5km up the river to the Schooner Town Bridge before journeying down the river to the mouth and view of Georgian Bay. A special half price of $10 per person has been arranged for participants. This offer is valid from Wednesday, July 20th to Friday July 22nd with a four person minimum per trip. For more information or to book a cruise visit www.summerbound.ca or call 1-888-286-4528.
New - Ontario Parks is excited to announce that Nancy Island Historic Site will have a brand new 3000+ square foot Welcome Centre opening the summer of 2012. This new building will become a focal point for Wasaga Beach Provincial Park and certainly help draw visitors to Nancy Island as we gear up for the bicentennial. The building will still be under interior construction during this year’s event; however the participants will have access to the modern washroom facilities which will be up and running for the event. New – Once again this year our committee will be holding a silent auction throughout the event on various historical items. All proceeds from this auction will go towards offsetting the cost of this year’s event. We will also have used re-enactors items, SGB War of 1812 Bicentennial, Nine Mile Portage items among other things for sale as well. All auction, used and new items may be bid on or purchased at the registration tent.
We are asking that every re-enactor, group or unit bring a gift for the re-enactors appreciation draw that will take place on Sunday morning. We are asking that the gift/prize reflect the history of your hometown, re-enactment group/unit or just historical in general. Each re-enactor will receive a complimentary draw ticket at registration and tickets will be drawn starting at 9:00am at the Jack’s Nasty Face Entertainment Area. You must be present with your ticket to claim your prize. Those who donate prizes please make sure you mark somewhere on the item who donated it and where it came from. Prize items may be dropped off at the registration tent anytime before Sunday morning at 9:00am.
Registration – When you arrive please park your vehicle temporarily in the parking lot and inform the park staff or volunteers manning the gate or the front desk that you are a re-enactor and are looking for the registration tent. They will instruct you to proceed over the bridge to the island and the first large marquee tent you see should be the registration tent. If you have pre-registered and filled out your form completely you will be instructed to work down the table and receive your registration package and kit. If you have not pre-registered you will have to fill out a registration form.
Please make sure you provide documentation of your 3rd person liability insurance coverage information as no re-enactor will be allowed to participate in the event without it. Whether you are in the battles or just a camp follower (including children), you must have coverage. House or car insurance is not 3rd person liability insurance and you are taking a big risk if you are relying on the fact that it is. For those re-enactors who do not have 3rd person liability insurance, temporary coverage for the event is available for $5.00 a person or $20.00 per immediate family.
I would like to remind everyone that the consumption of alcohol on Nancy Island Historic Site is a privilege as all Ontario Parks have a total alcohol consumption ban. At no time should there be any modern bottles, cans, cases or other modern alcohol containers. It is mandatory to use period mugs, cups, glasses, decanters, etc. Failure to comply with these rules will lead to charges and monetary fines from the park wardens as well as a total alcohol ban at future Wasaga under Siege events. Charges that could be laid include public intoxication and liquor in public place other than residence under the Ontario Liquor License Act. If everyone can police themselves as well as their own groups it would be greatly appreciated.
We will once again be asking re-enactors to volunteer some time to act as sentries on the bridge to interact with the public and to encourage fellow re-enactors to cover up any alcohol they may be transporting over to the island during public hours. Canvas bags will be available for re-enactors to cover up cases of beer, LCBO bags, etc. Please return the bags to the bridge once you have stowed your alcohol in your tent. Sentry duty is open to any male or female adult re-enactor who is in period clothing. We will also have some redcoats, headgear and muskets available for those who wish to look more official during sentry duty. Times for sentry duty will be Friday – 10am-6pm, Saturday 10am-9pm and Sunday from 10am-4pm. Men and women dressed in civilian clothing are encouraged to participate especially during battle event times. The sign up sheet will be located in the registration tent for minimum one hour blocks. I would also like to thank everyone who volunteered their time last year as sentries, it was greatly appreciated.
We will once again be encouraging re-enactors to refrain from putting empty alcohol containers (Beer Bottles/Beer Cans/Liquor/Cooler Bottles, Wine, Etc.) in the open blue mesh recycling bins and garbage pails. This is clearly for a visual purpose in order to reduce the public image that alcohol is not being consumed on the island. We are asking that you bring all your alcohol and beer containers to the registration tent where they will be properly stored away from public view. We are also asking all our participants to donate your alcoholic containers, beer bottles and beer cans to the event in order to help us offset expenses. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated. Last year we raised over one hundred dollars from returns. Thanks to everyone who donated their bottles and cans.
Please review our Black Powder, Tactical and Encampment Safety Guidelines as there have been many changes and updates. All firearms and artillery pieces will be inspected and approved prior to participating in any tactical or demonstration. Our new safety guidelines are available on-line via our website and everyone including non-combatants are required to be familiar with them.
Re-enactors and participants are reminded that only proper period attire is to be worn at all times when the historic site is open to the public. Re-enactors that are taking advantage of the beach area are encouraged to minimize beach attire while on the island. We are also asking everyone to refrain from drying beach attire including towels and other non-period clothing on the fences or in other areas in clear view of the public. Nancy Island is open daily Friday 10:00am to 9:00pm, Saturday from 10:00am to 9:00pm and Sunday 10:00am to 4:30pm during the event.
Over the past eight years our committee has noticed that there has been an increase in re-enactors bringing friends and family members who are not normally re-enactors or belong to any re-enactment group. Many of these potential re-enactors come as they are interested in perhaps joining the hobby. However, we have noticed that some have come strictly for the free accommodations and use of the beach and the attractions it offers. If you are planning on bringing friends and family who are not re-enactors and who have no intention of dressing in period clothing or participating in the event in some meaningful way, please have them find other accommodations for the weekend. Also all participants that are staying on the Island for the weekend including non-re-enactor friends and family must have 3rd person liability insurance coverage.
This year the Friends of Nancy Island will once again be running a BBQ selling sausages on a bun and hot dogs at the concession stand located at Jacks’ Nasty Face Stage area. Help support our event as all proceeds from the concession stand help offset the expenses of Wasaga under Siege 2011. Pepsi is our official beverage sponsor for the event and we will also have Pepsi products available for sale. The concession stand will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
We are also asking participants who are attending to save and bring in tabs off any beverage cans to help raise dollars for wheelchairs. They can be dropped off at the registration desk.
Also there will be small tubes of sunscreen available to all participants in exchange for a donation to the Canadian Cancer Society.
As many of you are already aware, Wasaga Beach offers a huge variety of attractions, activities, entertainment and restaurants on top of the longest freshwater beach in the world. For those participants arriving early we encourage you to take advantage of all the attractions Wasaga Beach has to offer.
Wasaga under Siege 2011 invites the ladies & gentlemen of the Nancy Island Historic Site Grand Encampment to take tea on Saturday, July 23rd at 10:30am in the hospitality tent hosted by the ladies of the Incorporated Militia of Upper Canada. Please bring your own tea cup, plate, spoon and chair. To satisfy the appetites of our guests, we shall be serving treats from the Georgian Period, baked by the finest camp followers of the Incorporated Militia of Upper Canada. The guest speaker will be Elizabeth Webb and the topic of the day will be Regency Accessorizing on a Budget. If you would be attending, please send your compliments to Darlene Kingstone at ilikebatman@gmail.com at your convenience. Children accompanied by an adult are also welcome to attend as well.
Sleeman’s Breweries Ltd. has once again come on board as the official beer sponsor of Wasaga under Siege 2011 and Colchester Ridge Estate Winery has come on board as the official wine sponsors of the event. They will be providing Sleeman’s and CREW products for the hospitality tent on Friday and Saturday evening from 9:30pm till 1:00pm and we will have Sleeman Draught, Lager and Honey Brown on tap as well as various brands of CREW wines. We also encourage all participants to support Sleeman’s and CREW Wines in purchasing their products during the Wasaga under Siege weekend.
For those that have requested and received permission to stay on the Island on Sunday night, you must be packed up and off the Island by 10:00am on Monday.
Straw will not be provided anymore at Wasaga under Siege events as Ontario Provincial Park by-laws have ruled straw as an extreme fire hazard. Please make other arrangements for bedding if you planned on using straw.
50/50 tickets will also be sold for $2.00 each or 3 for $5.00 to help offset cost of entertainment and food for the event. The 50/50 ticket draw will be held at the end of the day on Sunday. Names, addresses and phone numbers will be on the tickets and therefore you do not have to be present to claim your prize.
Please check out who the official sponsors of Wasaga under Siege 2011 are and where possible support them by purchasing there products or services. Also please inform them that you are part of Wasaga under Siege 2011 in order to acknowledge that they are benefited from sponsoring this great event.
Once you have arrived and officially registered the encampment co-ordinator will escort you and show you where you will be setting up your tents. Please try and use as minimal space as possible as it is an island and space is at a prime. Spaces will be filled on a first come first serve basis and saving or reserving spots will not be tolerated if the space is needed. No specific areas have been set up for different unit types, however we will do our best to keep unit types together as best as possible. Please try and minimize your encampment as much as possible and sharing fly’s is also encouraged.
Once you have familiarized yourself to where you are setting up camp you may proceed back to your vehicle and the loading and unloading area. Depending on the time of day, we are trying to reduce the amount of vehicles and congestion on the island as there is only one small bridge leading to it. All re-enactors will be asked to unload your vehicles on the mainland and flat top golf cars will be available to transport your equipment to your camp site. In the case of sutlers, artisans and re-enactors with a huge amount of equipment, exceptions will be made but must be pre-arranged or approved by David Brunelle. Re-enactors who are allowed to drive over to the island are ask to unload your vehicle quickly and completely before beginning to set-up camp as only a set number of vehicles will be allowed on the island at one time. Patience and co-operation are asked of all re-enactors as this logistical component of the event will be very hectic, especially during peak times.
Re-enactors, participants and volunteers will once again be asked to park their vehicles at Wasaga Plains Nordic Centre which is located on the other side of the river in order to allow for more public parking during the weekend. Shuttle vans will be running back and forth on a regular basis starting Thursday morning and running until Saturday at noon and commencing once again at 4:00pm on Sunday. Re-enactors and participants may also arrange transport to and from Nancy Island Historic Site at the registration tent 24 hours a day however emergencies will take precedence. Those re-enactors and participants arriving prior to Thursday will be asked to park your vehicles in the Nancy Island Parking lot and then move them to Wasaga Nordic Centre before 10:00am Thursday morning. Security will be provided Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at Wasaga Nordic Centre and the Nancy Island parking lots. Any special arrangements for parking your vehicle the entire weekend in the Nancy Island parking lot must be pre-arranged and approved by David Brunelle.
We ask that once you have parked your vehicle for the weekend that you try and leave it parked for the weekend especially during the day. You will be provided with large florescent parking passes that should be kept on the dashboard of your vehicle at all times so park staff and by-law officers know that your vehicle is part of Wasaga under Siege. Make sure you fill out the parking pass and include your name and group association.
Remember this rule: If you have parked your vehicle on a paved surface you have parked in the wrong place. Parking tickets and towing may occur and there is nothing the Wasaga under Siege committee can do to help you!
Wood and Water are provided.
Garbage bags will also be given out at registration with the garbage drop off area being at the foot of the bridge. Garbage will be picked up each morning around 9:00am. Please have any garbage materials dropped off before this time.
Please try and keep fire pits to a minimum and sharing fire pits with other re-enactors is greatly encouraged. Please save and replace the grass sod as to help lower the lawn impact on the site. Please remove garbage and metal before replacing the sod. Also remember that no fires should be left unattended. Any fires left unattended will be immediately extinguished by park staff or event volunteers.
Saturday & Sunday morning breakfast are provided as well as Saturday evening’s dinner. Tickets are needed for all meals.
Unfortunately no modern camping will be allowed on the historic property of Nancy Island. Campgrounds may be located at www.wasagainfo.com
Shower facilities are not available; however the world’s largest fresh water beach is located only seconds away for a refreshing swim.
For information, questions, directions and emergencies, the registration tent is the place to go.
A first aid station will be on-site 24 hours a day starting Friday at 12:00pm and they will have a tent located neat Jack’s Nasty Face Entertainment Area.
Period merchants, blanket traders, craftsman and artisans will be setup along the main walkway and special events area. Over 15 period merchants/blanket traders/demonstrators are expected and shopping for period goods & services should be excellent.
At 10:30am the famous Redcoat Iron Man and Iron Women contest will take place. Re-enactors wishing to participate can sign up at registration and receive the guidelines for the competition. Prizes will be awarded to the top competitors in the men and women categories.
David J. Brunelle - Wasaga under Siege 2012
