Worcester Re-enactors

Time Travelers Convention 2

Worcester Reenactors Christmas party, the sequel.

By Ratboy

Well folks, it's that time of year again, towns have their Christmas lights up, shops playing the compulsory Christmas jingles and the adverts selling you everything under the sun.

For Reenactors its the time when kit gets washed, repaired and put into storage ready for the next season, except for those who attended Time Travelers Convention.

That's right folks, the Worcester Reenactors hosted the Sequel to last years Christmas party.

This second end of season party and saw party revelers from all over the UK converge on a hotel somewhere in Worcester, people in all manner of uniforms and period finery, ladies and gentleman in Regency wear right up to the WW2 US with a home guarder in attendance.

The Party kicked off at PM with the bar open (naturally!!) and music from our old time favorites “Green Man Rising” providing Folk/Gaelic music and this year we even had some music to suit the more modern taste.

Once the music had started and the drink was flowing the atmosphere was in full swing, soon party goers were on the dance floor with a nice old fashioned barn dance topped with ceilidh

dancing which was choreographed and called out by Sophie the professional dancer from “Blast from the Past” in attendance with the band.

Then at PM saw the music fade out and glasses being hastily refilled by the bar staff, it was of course time for the speeches and the speakers was Mr Wagg Ellis Jones, the Announcements were short and sweet thanking all for attending, the hotel and bar staff for being top teams, the band for providing quality entertainment. We then raised a toast to three dearly departed friends and colleagues from the reenactment world, David Bennett chairman of the WW2 LHA, Paul Allen of the Hoplite Association and Joan Marsh from the Regency Group all will be sadly missed by their families and friends, colleagues and fellow reenactors. They shall not be forgotten, as a toast was made to absent friends the next announcement was made, proving you should always keep your dances tickets with you, the prize a decanter of good port won by Sarah Juniper.

Then the final announcement ........... FOOD!! The great stampede, people pushing and shoving to get they're hands on some of the fine cuisine that had been laid on for the party goers, this pushing and shoving would rival any re-enactment skirmish. This magnificent feast was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Once plates had been cleared away and the last of the party poppers fired, it was time for more music and merriment, and in true Worcester re-enactors style some of us just couldn't refuse the opportunity to cause mischief, as a result a large number of helium balloons disappeared amid a wide variety of munchkin songs to cries of “god save the king” in chipmunk style voices, just had to be seen to be believed, Piece de la resistance of the helium feast was one party goer singing Le Marseilles after inhaling helium.

This subsequently led to our “Dance off” whereby four guests were chosen at random to replicate a dance performed by the dance caller. This again had to be seen to believed, and through the miracles of modern technology ........... you can see it!!! there is a video clip of the dances + a helium sing song on “You tube” just type in Time Travelers Convention 2 into You tube's search engine and you'll find it, it was truly a sight to behold. Once dancers were awarded their prizes and selected by clap “o” meter the 1^st prize winner was Lawrence of the 46^th eme had to repeat the dance, solo.

At midnight the clocks chimed and Cinderella had left the building, the party was over, reenactors started to leave in dregs as the band packed up, guests saying their farewells and their see you next years.

There was the usual scattered debris around the now empty hall that had housed a hundred odd reenactors enjoying themselves, remnants of balloons, party poppers, empty glasses and an eerie silence fell about the place.

All in all it was yet another great success and a fantastic party and fun was had by all, a big thank you to Kathryn Bentley and Wagg Ellis Jones for their Organization work and ticket selling......