Case fourteen

Mackinac State Historic Parks’ seasonal Fort Fright event at Colonial Michilimackinac, one of their historic sites, provides material for an exploration of creating accurate and entertaining overlays in these unique venues. It will highlight the real-life consequences of special event planning and attractions at a historic site. By nature of considering historical sites as a type of attraction, and their special events programming as an extension of such, research and the construction of fact-based, culturally sensitive narratives are a focal point of the exercise. The case’s emphasis on guest inclusion, as well as research, supplements extended undergraduate and graduate studies in creative and analytical coursework. Higher-level secondary school students may engage with this material as a first exposure to its concepts. In a non-academic setting, organizations and businesses will find this exercise a useful tool for workshopping their own special events. This case study and its exercises are designed for a class or group of a moderate size of 35 or less.