Getting News

by Judi McWilliams

“Calling all Regiments and Re-enactors to order” ….Ontario Festivals Visited is a website dedicated to discovering, visiting and promoting Ontario’s great festivals and events. With the War of 1812 Bicentennial coming soon, we have expanded our site to include the War of 1812 Celebrations website . In this new website we explain, promote and honour the Ontario War of 1812 Bicentennial Celebration and the re-enactors who participate in them. Even though the official celebrations don't begin until 2012, we have started promoting and now with the hope that we can build interest in all that is being planned! The timeframe of the celebration events (2012 to 2014) parallel the events that occurred almost 200 years ago. I have already had the pleasure of interviewing Mr. David Brunelle, Project Director for the Southern Georgian Bay War of 1812 Bicentennial Committee. Check out my interview with Dave at http://warof1812celebrationnotes.blogspot.com/. Now, here is the point of this Blog! We are looking for interesting and informative information about you the re-enactor, the organizer, about your regiment, about your plans for the Bicentennial Celebrations and your plans for this year. Although there are other websites out there, it is our hope that we can provide an easy, fun and informative website for all to enjoy with ease. “A one stop shopping experience” so to speak! If you, or anyone you know, is interested in submitting information to our War of 1812 Headline News page or to our Event Calendar, just send us an "information" e-mail. Here is the e-mail address gary@ontariofestivalsvisited.ca . We are also looking for people to interview for our War of 1812 Articles section. We want to tell your story! All you need to do is to contact us by telephone at 1-888-818-0255 or by e-mail at judi@ontariofestivalsvisited.ca . We will make the necessary arrangements to get “your word out”! So, join in on the Celebrations!

War of 1812 Headline News - This page is updated regularly to provide you with current and topical War of 1812 Celebrations news and information.

War of 1812 Articles - The War of 1812 Celebration Articles contains a series of articles specifically written to tell you about the War of 1812 celebrations, its participants (re-enactors) and the people who organize and manage these events. It will also give you a glimpse of the past, help you understand the present and perhaps, show the direction of the future for our two great countries. Throughout the life of the War of 1812 Celebrations (plus before and beyond), articles will be added regularly.

War of 1812 Newsletter - This is a quarterly publication dedicated to promoting the various War of 1812 Celebrations and Re-enactments that are taking place over the next several years. Each issue contains articles and photos specific to the War of 1812 Celebrations and the events surrounding them.

War of 1812 Events Calendar - This section contains monthly calendars showing upcoming War of 1812 Celebration events. Each event is listed on the dates it is being held and, where possible, there a link back to the event's website.

War of 1812 - Interview Series

by Judi McWilliams

There are many amazing people connected with re-enacting and the War of 1812. The Interview Series will include talks with event organizers, re-enactors and suppliers. Our first interview is with David Brunelle. David is a re-enactor, organizer and now heads the Southern Georgian Bay War of 1812 Bicentennial Committee as Project Director.

Interview with David Brunelle (Part Two)
Without hesitation Dave replied “Sergeant James Keating” otherwise known as “One Gun Keating”. James Keating was a sergeant in the Royal Artillery. He was skilful in the handling of a British field gun forcing the Americans to surrender Fort Shelby on the upper Mississippi in July, 1814. He later became Fort Adjutant at the military base in Penetanguishene. He was a prominent figure in the community and, as a promoter of public education, he has the James Keating Public Elementary School in Penetanguishene named after him. I wondered at this point if Dave Brunelle had a nickname. As a matter of fact he does, “1812”. Anyone who knows Dave in his local community knows him just as “1812”. Dave’s football jersey number is “1812”. When signing raffle tickets at his local curling league, instead of signing his name, he just signs “1812”. Perhaps being known as “1812” is less confusing for folks in the community as there is another Dave Brunelle in town. Our Dave told me that he is known at History Dave and the other Dave Brunelle is known as Basketball Dave (as he is coach for the local team). History Dave gets cheques in the mail frequently for basketball tournaments among other mail and phone calls for Basketball Dave. One time there was a full page article in the newspaper about a basketball summer camp in town with History Dave’s photo. History Dave is tall and athletic but not the correct Dave. To this day the two Dave’s have not met. The story is funny, but what is truly apparent is how serious Dave Brunelle, “1812”, “History Dave” takes his “hobby”. I hope you get to meet up with him in the field some day! He is a very, very interesting “Character”!

War of 1812 - Interview Series

by Judi McWilliams

There are many amazing people connected with re-enacting and the War of 1812. The Interview Series will include talks with event organizers, re-enactors and suppliers. Our first interview is with David Brunelle. David is a re-enactor, organizer and now heads the Southern Georgian Bay War of 1812 Bicentennial Committee as Project Director.

Interview with David Brunelle (Part One)
With the War of 1812 Bicentennial celebrations fast approaching and many special activities happening along the way, I wanted to continue my research on the War of 1812 and find out as much as I could about it. It’s not often you get to speak with “1812” personally! That’s just what I did a weeks ago, when I was treated to a conversation with Mr. David Brunelle, currently the Project Director of the Southern Georgian Bay War of 1812 Bicentennial Committee. Dave is well versed in the War of 1812 as he has been involved in re-enacting for about 20 years now. He tells me it that it was his love of history and the military that initially intrigued him into this life of re-enacting. It has kept him going all these years. Dave was introduced into the “hobby” while he working as an interpreter at Discovery Harbour. Mr. Brunelle is currently with the Royal Newfoundland Regiment Bulger’s Company. It is now a Not-For-Profit/Charity group promoting living history. As I spoke to Dave, I began to realize just how much knowledge and information he had to share with me. For those of you who have been on the field in battle or at an encampment with Dave, or visited a re-enactment and have seen him in full uniform, you will see just how serious and professional he is while “in character”. I started my interview with him asking the question “how true to authenticity are you while participating in re-enactments?” Dave said, “as true as possible for all aspects, from all the equipment to the training, drilling and knowledge. Some encampments are out-of-public-sight, so the “authenticity” issue can have some leeway, as is doesn’t play such a role in the effects of the visual observation by the public audiences”. (My “Ten Foot Rule” applies here, I guess!) In seeing Dave at several re-enactments I noticed that he usually wears a particular uniform. It led me to ask him what his favourite “character” was while portraying in living history re-enactments.
(To be continued)

War of 1812 Discovery Series (#7 - Continued)

by Judi McWilliams

Over the past few years the Festival Nomad and I have had wonderful experiences visiting War of 1812 Re-enactments around Ontario. We find these re-enactments amazing and extremely interesting! In this NEW War of 1812 Discovery Series, I want to share with you some of our experiences, while attempting to shed some light into the actual historic.

Christmas 1812 Style... (Part Four)
We Canadians, along with our French and Scottish counterparts, focused on New Year's Day during the War. It was more common to refer to it as “Seasonal Festivities”. Especially in today’s society, it seems that people are becoming more and more frustrated with the “commercialism” of the “Seasonal Festivities”. Society's “stress level” seems to be high, with the enormous expectations, we put on ourselves to provide so much for our families and friends during the holidays! During the War of 1812 the people from Upper Canada, American soldier “newbie’s” and Protestants too looked, with disdain upon Christmas decorations and pomp. So much so, that during Christmas, church was poorly attended and there seemed to be a cold indifference to it all. However, as mentioned above, the French Canadians and Scottish did celebrate New Year’s. The Scots called “Hogmanay”. Growing up, every New Year's Eve, at midnight, my parents would stand outside their front door and loudly ring an old large school bell and bang on pots and pans. We thought they were “crazy”, not to mention that our neighbours might get upset! But, as I have now learned, my parents perhaps weren’t “crazy” as we thought! I have discovered that this tradition started during the 1812 period of time, as the folks were making all that noise to drive out the old year and ring in the new! In 1812, they would march along to a torch lit parade as well as enjoying large bonfires. As far back as the 16th Century, the New Year’s traditions continued further with the French Canadians starting the New Year off by giving a gift. Even though our modern “Santa Claus” was not part of North America until around 1822, these gifts were given by most ethnic groups with such items as rag/wooden dolls, wooden muskets/swords, clothing/food/blankets/fruit. I believe this is where my parents also got the tradition of putting large fresh orange/apple/walnuts in the bottom of our Christmas stockings each year. It reminds me of simpler times, when I was young and how a single gift kept us amazed and occupied for hours and days . No matter how modern and high-tech our society is today, it thrills me that young children still seem to gravitate towards the simple part of the “Seasonal Festivities”. With all the gifts and chaotic commotion, children still simply enjoy playing with the “box” the gift came in. According to my research, it wasn’t until approximately 1781 in Sorel, Quebec, that the German soldiers brought Christmas to Canada. Several regiments of German troops, at that time, would have likely carried the Christmas traditions on during the War of 1812. At the least, an officer in the King’s German Legion would decorate a lemon tree with lights and oranges as his Christmas tree. They say it wasn’t for another 50 years that the Christmas tree became a common item in English society.