Midsummer Faire

updated ?

A woman sitting at a table at a medieval faire

Midsummer Faire was an event I created and autocratted in June 2017. The event was designed to essentially be an extended demo, to draw in local people and families who might be interested in joining the SCA. This was my first time autocratting an event.

We had 114 attendees. There was no gate fee, though we did offer a fundraiser lunch ($5 each), which when combined with donations ended up with a $63.05 profit.

I made all the volunteers name tags out of straight pins and twill tape using this fabulous idea from Meisterinne Genoveva von Lübeck's blog. For site tokens I tied yarn around little wedding favor bottles of bubbles from the Dollar Tree.

My fabulous and diligent staff:

Deputy Autocrat/Head Gate Keeper: Aurellia Silvana

Merchant Coordinator: Lord Vytautas Vilkas

Garb Display and Gold Key: Baroness Eadyth Woderose and Elvira dos Santos

Beadwork and Block Printing: Lady Arnora in Rauða and Lady Fjǫrleif in Rauða

Missile Weapons: Lady Rose Eileen Robertson

Agriculture: Lady Caelain Grantaich

Calligraphy and Illumination: Lady Isabel Henry

Herald: Lord Eoin Mac Èadbháird

Head Cook: Baron Wulfgang Moennich von Luppin

Assistant Cooks: Master Tomas de Montroig, Mistress Melisent la Ruse, and Baroness Bojzena z Osturna

Games Coordinator: Lady Damiana Morena

Bardic and Dance Instructor: Lady Jeane Kilmeny

Kumihimo Instructor: Mistress Aelfwynn Gyrthesdohtor

Drop Spinning Instructor: Baroness Magda z Stalburg

Marshal in Charge: Sir Abran de la Barra

Rapier Marshal: Master Dante di Pietro

Demo Fighters: Lord Ulfarr Refskegg and Sir Bryce de Byram

Garb Swap: Niese Keppel

Lady Bronwen McFinlay Memorial Bead Competition: sponsored by Baroness Magda z Stalburg

Additional Volunteers: Lord Hjörr Guðmundson, Baroness Signy Biarnardottir, and Lady Elizabeth Tender Herte

Special thanks: Their Excellencies Baroness Magda and Baron TJ, as well as my parents and sister, who are not SCA participants but helped anyway!

Photo Gallery

Planning with graph paper cutouts of the buildings and fields on site	Planning with a diagram made using Pixlr Editor from an aerial view of the site on Google Maps	Planning with a diagram made using Pixlr Editor from an aerial view of the site on Google Maps
Bubble favor site tokens - made using Dollar Tree wedding favor bubbles and yarn tied around the necks	Game board for the human Game of the Goose in progress. This is a 20' x 20' canvas, with a spiral and spaces painted and Sharpie'd on.	Game board for the human Game of the Goose in progress. This is a 20' x 20' canvas, with a spiral and spaces painted and Sharpie'd on.
Lord Hjörr Guðmundson working tirelessly to finish erecting pavilions	Lady Toki Ima and Baroness Magda z Stalburg	Bubbles and water toys!
Playground time!	Rapier and armored combat demo space	Rapier and armored combat demos
Master Dante di Pietro	Master Dante di Pietro and Lord Ulfarr Refskegg fencing	Master Dante di Pietro and Lord Ulfarr Refskegg fencing
Master Dante di Pietro and Lord Ulfarr Refskegg fencing	Master Dante di Pietro and Lord Ulfarr Refskegg fencing	Master Dante di Pietro and Lord Ulfarr Refskegg fencing
Master Dante di Pietro and Lord Ulfarr Refskegg shaking hands	Hydration station featuring sekanjabin contributions from Lady Isabel Henry, Lady Marie d'Andelys, and Lady Elizabeth Tender Herte!	Hydration station featuring sekanjabin contributions from Lady Isabel Henry, Lady Marie d'Andelys, and Lady Elizabeth Tender Herte!
Sir Abran de la Barra takes a water break	Game pavilion	Games coordinator Lady Damiana Morena teaches a game
Games coordinator Lady Damiana Morena teaches a game	Games coordinator Lady Damiana Morena teaches a game	Bardic, beading, block printing, garb swap, and missile weapons pavilions
Bardic class taught by Lady Jeane Kilmeny	Bardic class taught by Lady Jeane Kilmeny	Beading, block printing, garb swap, and missile weapons pavilions
Beading, block printing, garb swap, and missile weapons pavilions	Niese and her girls making necklaces with Lady Arnora in Rauða and Lady Fjǫrleif in Rauða in the beading pavilion!	Lady Rose Eileen Robertson talking about missile weapons with a guest
Merchants Row!	Merchants Row!	Changing tent - for changing into Gold Key. We used a pavilion, two folding screens, and some sheets (the screens are a bit see-through)
Changing tent - for changing into Gold Key. We used a pavilion, two folding screens, and some sheets (the screens are a bit see-through)	Baroness Eadyth Woderose's Gold Key loaner garb and Garb Display	Lady Aurellia Silvana as Head Gate Keeper
Lady Caelain Grantaich's agriculture display	Lady Isabel Henry's Calligraphy and Illumination Display	Chatting in the fellowship hall
Baroness Magda z Stalburg teaching drop spinning	The Lady Bronwyn McFinlay Memorial Bead Competition, held in honor of a dear populace member who passed away in 2016.	Lady Damiana Morena leading a human Game of the Goose!
Lady Damiana Morena leading a human Game of the Goose!	Lady Damiana Morena leading a human Game of the Goose!	Lord Vytautas Vilkas takes over as seneschal from Lord Hjörr Guðmundson during afternoon baronial court
Speaking as autocrat in baronial court	I got a Watkyn! Baron Watkyn of Kent carves names into wood as largesse for people. The carvings are then presented at court, where the recipient is informed he "found it in the parking lot"!