AR - I meant “period tent”. I’m not ready yet to try camping in high rent up by the Eric, but I’m getting there… I’m looking for the sort of thing that gets sold by Dragonwing and other such merchants. sigh
I’m also hoping to make a sunshade (our here in the West they’re called BC’s, thanks to Fredrick of Holland) but that may have to wait till after I get a second job… canvas is 'spensive!
I’ll talk to the local version of Abdul the Tentmaker and get back to you. 
Thanks for the link. That’s actually not too far away from me.
I’m guessing this is not the kind of thing that outsiders can come to, and buy food and crafts, is it?
Scylla, “Outsiders” are welcome, but not many come because of the gate fee (or maybe it’s the geek factor, who knows?). You need to make an attempt at pre-1600 clothing, which is also a bit of a barrier. If you contact a local SCA group, they might have clothes to lend you and your family. Check out http://www.sca.org and follow the links to find a group near you. Ask for “gold key” or the newcomer’s contact (chatelaine). There will be a “food court” and a swap-meet-oid area. There is also classes on various topics and other arts stuff to do.
Tristan, I don’t know if I’ll be at Beltane, but you can usually find me through the brewer’s guild.
And here’s an “n”. Please add it to my previous post.
Plus, Scylla, if you don’t mind everybody knowing you’re a newbie, anything you’d wear to a Renaissance Festival would work too–poofy pirate or peasant shirt, black pants, boots, and a belt would work. Any chance your mom’s stuff would fit you?
Also, from what I’ve heard, the shopping at Pennsic is about the best you’re going to find for medieval stuff, or things you need to make medieval stuff.
What is Pennsic? Pennsic, to me, is a dream take form…
First, you have to understand what the SCA is - a worldwide volunteer not-for-profit medieval/Renaissance re-enactment society. Buncha really smart, really imaginative folks get together in local bunches a few times a year at an event to socialize, dance, fight, costume, eat, and engage in period arts, all ostensibly within a pre-1600 mindset. OK, we’re a buncha weirdos, but we know how to have fun. 
You are encouraged to create a period persona and act accordingly, but it’s not required. Similarly, people are encouraged to become members of the Society, but it’s not required (unless you wish to fight or hold office). And, yes, there are a bunch of people who hit each other large sticks made of rattan while dressed in armor, but me, I just go for the schmoozing. 
This year is the 30th Pennsic War, originally a small event to decide the border between the newly-formed East and Middle Kingdoms (turns out the loser - the East - got Pittsburgh ). It turned into an annual “friendship war,” and it remains the largest event in the Society. 10,000+ people show up from around the world for 16 days of camping, revelry, fighting, shopping, and everything a small, local one-day event offers, but magnified by, well, 10,000.
Pennsic is not a “Ren Faire” typical of many parts of the country - they do it for profit and for the public, we do it not for profit and for just us (although anyone is welcome to attend, even if you’re not a member, but we only advertise to members, and anyone who attends has to pay the site fee, which is usually just a few bucks, and is expected to participate, particularly by wearing period garb). They have paid actors to re-create a specific point in time, and sometimes a specific event in history; this is a hobby for us, and we tend to have quite a mish-mosh of periods and locales. SCAdians and Faire folk rarely intermingle, and I’ve even found animosity from one group to another, but the reality is we’re both doing the same thing, just coming at it from different directions and viewpoints.
This year will mark my 12th (I think) consecutive year at War, and the 11th year of my running the Clan Blue Feather encampment (Clan Blue Feather is the queer social/historical research group within the SCA). I’m also once again running the annual Blue Feather Ball, quickly becoming one of the most fun and best-attended parties of its kind at War. I consider it my annual battery recharge, and despite having moved to the west coast, I intend to return every year for this time-honored tradition of mine.
Everybody’s in it for different reasons - I go for the people, for I find them to be, on the whole, an intelligent, imaginative, fun bunch. (Hey, sounds like the reasons I post here! 
)
Speaking of, one post to go…
Esprix
scylla - Unfortunately, Pennsic does not allow for ‘one-day’ shopping trips - you pay for the total of the event from the day you arrive, even if you can only be there for that day. Considering that there are more that 10,000 people (and 50 porta-potties) at the event, the logistics of checking who belongs on-site and who should have left already would be an exercise in futility.
Consider that Pennsic (the war between the East and the Midrealm) is now fought in AEthelmearc, just as Gulf Wars (the war between Triamris and Ansteorra) is now fought in Glen Abun/Ahban/Obin**, the new Principality carved out of Meridies. Criminey, what other wars are there?
Sigh.
Since we’re all revealing names…
Lady Beatrice de Winslow
calligrapher
Trident Keype Pursuivant, Barony of Darkwater, Kingdom of Trimaris
persona: whatever is not in the laundry
**Someone help me on this, I don’t want to insult anyone’s home turf!
Say “Hi!” to Lady Tudor Glitz for me, will ya?
For the curious, there are some great Pennsic stories on this site, as well as everything you ever wanted to know about SCA life and then some.
The other Wars are Estrella in Atenveldt, War of the Lilies in Calontir, and the Great Western War in Caid.
screech-owl, you’re looking for the Principility of Gleann Abhann.
For the curious, there are some great Pennsic stories on this site, as well as everything you ever wanted to know about SCA life and then some.
The other Wars are Estrella in Atenveldt, War of the Lilies in Calontir, and the Great Western War in Caid.
[sub]preview, dammit. PREVIEW![/sub]
I’m actually really unhappy with GWW… my first war 5 years ago was West-Caid, and now they don’t do it, as Caid wants to have a big ol’ war… sigh
and I can’t afford GWW gate, not for a weekend war. Sucks to be me…
Any Outlanders on the board? I hope to someday make Pennsic, probably after I finish grad school/dissertation, etc. I’ve been to a couple of Estrella Wars, and am really hoping to go to Gulf Wars, after all, what fun is a medieval event where there are no horses allowed?
So screech won’t feel all alone…
Lord Daffydd ap Gryffn, Ex-Herald of the shire of Amurgorod, and currently attending meetings in the Barony of Wyvernwood, i.e. Tampa.
I am attempting to attend Pennsic, but there is a possibility of me going to Scotland and Ireland for the same two week period, which would (barely) take precedence.
Vidi Vici Veni!
Coorect me if I am wrong, but IIRC, Pennsic does not allow horses (brought, rented or otherwise) on site at all. I believe that also goes for greyhounds (coursing animals). And pets in general are banned from site. Service animals are permitted however, with the understanding that there are no such things as “Seeing-Eye Ferrets”.
I’ve always enjoyed reading about SCA – but never have felt motivated to get involved. (Partly because when I traced my genealogy, most of my ancestors were fighting each other – I wouldn’t know which side to join!)
However, I need to do a mini hijack… from an earlier post of Esprix’s:
I read this as Canadian, and wondered why I hadn’t heard Matt_mcl’s expression of glee already!
Certainly - it is spelled “correct.”
You are correct - no pets allowed on site except service animals, and no equestrian activities (although there has been talk of it from time to time). Our camp had someone show up with a cat last year, and we had it properly disposed of. (Er, in a kennel, that is. )
And Poly, if I’m right, matt would be considered an East Kingdom resident, which is where I’m originally from, so, really, we’re closer than he thinks we are.
Esprix
Esprix
Smart-ass.
Yup, Quebec, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland, as well as eastern Pennsylvania, eastern New York, Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine.
BdW