Unlike role-players, reenactors deal only with real-life events between Antiquity and the Modern era. They are usually united into clubs, strictly by the era being reconstructed.

Historical reconstruction festivals are designed to gather enthusiastic reconstructors who specialize in a certain segment of history. They restore the chosen era in its most spectacular manifestations. Reconstruction festivals can be dedicated to individual iconic events in history (like the celebration in 2015 of the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo) or focus on recreating the general atmosphere of a particular time period.

The program of the festival of historical reconstruction necessarily includes a military component. As a rule, it is tournament fights of fencers and equestrians, demonstrative performances of military units as well as boogurt – a general fight, recreating the reality of major battles of the past.

A separate area of such events, focusing on the combat component of history, are championships in historical medieval combat.

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Living histories are usually designed to educate the public. These events are not necessarily mock battles, but instead aim to portray the lives and, more importantly, the lifestyles of the people of the time. This often includes both military and civilian experiences. Sometimes stories or acting sketches are used to draw viewers’ attention to or explain everyday life or military activities. Craft and cooking demonstrations, song and entertainment, and lectures are more common. Combat training or duels may also occur, even when there are no larger combat demonstrations.

Combat Demonstration

Combat demonstrations are mock battles put on by reconstructed organizations and/or individuals, primarily to show the public what battles might have been like in that period. Combat demonstrations are only partially based on actual battles, if at all, and may simply consist of demonstrations of basic tactics and maneuvering techniques.

Battle Reconstruction

Battle scenarios are reconstructions in the strictest sense of the word; battles are planned in advance so that companies and regiments perform the same actions as they did in the original battles. The simulated battles often “take place” on or near the original battlefield or in a location very similar to the original battlefield. These demonstrations vary greatly in size from a few hundred fighters to several thousand, as do the arenas used (proper balance can often make or break the spectacle for the audience).

Tactical Combat

Unlike battle reenactments, tactical battle events are usually closed to the public. Tactical battle scenarios are games in which both sides devise strategies and maneuver to defeat their opponents. Without a scenario, a basic set of agreed upon rules (physical boundaries, timelines, victory conditions, etc.) And judges on the ground, tactical battles can be seen as a form of real-time role play. If firearms are used, any real weapon fires blank cartridges (depending on gun control ordinances).

Tactical reconstruction is one of the activities of the Society for Creative Anachronism, which holds tournaments using worked (non-damaging) versions of medieval and renaissance weapons.

Commercial Reconstruction

Many castles that offer tours, museums and other historic tourist attractions hire actors or professional reenactors to add authenticity and experience. These reenactors usually recreate part of a particular town, village or event over a period of time. Commercial reenactment shows are usually staged according to a script. In some places, permanent authentic displays are set up. By their nature, they are usually living history presentations rather than tactical or battle reenactments, although some have larger temporary events.

In 2008, the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve and the staff and buildings of Tryon Palace in North Carolina were the historical backdrop for life in the early 1800s depicted in the documentary film “The Mystery of the Mardi Gras Shipwreck.”

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Their main distinctive feature is the absence of fixation on a particular era, as well as the focus on the military component of history. Large military-historical festivals produce a kind of excursion through the times and countries within the framework of one event.

Their participants from different “eras” usually demonstrate their art on different days of the festival, joining together in a gala performance of the final day.

In Western countries, such events are clearly divided by time – Viking Festival, Medieval Festival or by a specific event from the past. A mixed style of historical festival is the so-called Medieval or Renaissance fairs, which gravitate more towards the format of a show than a serious reconstruction.

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