Length of a Demonstration

You will find the length of demonstration is primarily determined by your audience. On almost any given weekend I, RebStaup, will be demonstrating somewhere. Whether at a Civil War re-enactment, Union Mills Homestead in Union Mills, Maryland or at the Carroll County Farm Museum in Westminster, Maryland you will find that the spectators are different where ever you go. I'll give examples with the above locations.

Civil War Re-enactments

At a civil war re-enactment you are getting a draw from people interested in the 1800's, which includes the civil war battles, old folk music, and "lost" trades. Not only are your spectators civilians but also the reenactors themselves. At an event like this you will usually draw large crowds and will not have to limit what you make. Most times you are creating thing to sell from your table or creating a custom order for someone. If you are creating something that takes a while to make, At this type of event I notice that the really interested ones will stop back to see how it is going.

Union Mills Homestead, Union Mills, Maryland

The Union Mills Homestead built in 1797 is a museum park now owned by Carroll County, MD. This park contains the Shriver Homestead as well as some of the businesses they owned. On this property is the house, water powered grain-mill, the bark shed (my blacksmith shop) and a tannery.

As a park you get the drop in visitor who comes to run their dog or to picnic on the grounds it is also visited during the school year by a lot of school kids. When demonstrating to this type of spectator you want to make something that you can complete fairly quickly say with in 15 minutes. This usually leaves you with the stand-by such as a leaf; s-hook; screwdriver, nail; etc.

The homestead also has planned events that draw a lot of people. When they have these events you find that you get a different type of spectator who like to stay around longer and a lot of time will drop back in to see what is going on. At these times you can make something larger or take a little more time as they are enjoying not just seeing what you are making but the process that is being used to make it. I would try not to go over 45 minutes.

Carroll County Farm Museum, Westminster, Maryland.

The Carroll County Farm Museum was the alms house (poor house) built in 1838 in order for Carroll County to be formed. This venue is also visited lightly as a park and during the school year by a lot of kids on field trips, so the same type of demonstrating is used for this as with Union Mills and keeping the demos to 15 minutes. The farm museum has many event during the year which draw large crowds. The farm museum also has a lot of other things to see. Museum displays of farming life, the main house, and different artisans from tinsmith, blacksmith, broom maker, quilters, cooks in the summer kitchen, this was a working poor house with everyone having a job there. With so many things to see at this venue, a 15 minute demo is best all around.

-- RebStaup - 27 Jan 2008