Some Gettysburg reenactors will wear a mask this weekend, others won’t, organizer says

Hundreds are slated to take part in the reenactment of the historic Civil War Battle of Gettysburg this weekend, and some will wear masks as a coronavirus protection while others will not, organizers say.

Local Fox affiliate WPMT reported the reenactment event in Adams County, Pa., was given the green light Wednesday and will have over 700 reenactors in attendance.

“Everybody’s concerned about the COVID program. And, we’re trying to be a poster boy for that particular program,” said Kirk Davis of the Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association.

When asked about whether masks will be enforced for the event, Davis said “some men will be wearing masks, some will not. They’ll be absolutely at least six feet apart.”

Due to the volume and crowd size of the event, organizers will place particular emphasis on social distancing even during the reenactment.

“They’ll be more of skirmishes than in-line battles that we’ve seen in recent years,” Davis said.

He added that anyone going inside buildings or in the museums would be required to wear masks, and room occupancies cannot exceed 15 people.

“Because of the pandemic and the fact that these folks have not been out at all to honor any of the different battles that happened during the Civil War, I think the spectators and the reenactors are excited to come out here and enjoy this sunshine,” said Davis.

President Trump had initially floated Gettysburg as a possible site for him to accept the GOP presidential nomination as part of next week’s Republican National Convention, but he later said he would give his acceptance speech from the White House.