Canterbury Fool

 

Hosted in-person by Device of Lions Gate

The Barony of Lions Gate (Vancouver, BC )

Event Summary

Event Main Contact (Event Steward): Jaqueline Lefleur
Date: April 1 , 2023
Site opens at: 8:00 AM on April 1th 2023
Site closes at: 9:00 PM

Event site:
Semiahmoo Fish and Game Club
1284 184 St Surrey, BC V3S 9R9


Canterbury Fool

An event, with a side of humour.

As the eventing season begins once again, come join us at the Barony of Lions Gate at our whimsical event Canterbury Fool, this April Fool’s day.

  • Join us in the Lions Gate championships in the gentle arts: arts & sciences, bardic, and games.
  • Join us for salons throughout the day discussing and showcasing the martial arts and gentle arts.
  • Join us for “Bard for a Bit” and at the Grand Bardic Gazebo in the evening!
  • Join us for games, indoors and out, for young and young at heart!
  • Join us on the archery range, with bow, crossbow, or try out combat archery.
  • Join us for dance, whether new to dance (we’ll teach you!) or a long time sashayer of the floors, at the evening masquerade dance!
  • Join us for a picnic meals for lunch and dinner, or partake of the feast for Fools, a Jester’s Repast, offered by SwanSong Kitchen for lunch, dinner and a few a la carte delights.
  • Partake of the merchants or the Wolf and Drum Tavern.

Come one, come all, to the joyful, foolish, and whimsical Canterbury Fool.


This event includes the following activities and/or services:
Has Merchants
Has Classes
Offers Youth & Family activities
Has Archery activities
Has Bardic activities
Has Arts & Sciences activities
Offers a feast or meal

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Accessibility Information

This site has level access to the hall, a ramp to the outdoor gazebo, and accessible washrooms. Court will be recorded.

Site Fees

Fee Type Cost*
Adults $25*
Minors (18 and under) Free
*SCA Members will receive a $5 member discount off the cost listed above.

Event Schedule

Time Activity Location
8 am Doors Open – Set up Hall
8:30 am Gate opens Hall
9 am Hospitality beverage station opens Hall
9:30 am Opening Court Hall
10 am Bardic championship – judged performance Hall
10 am Scribal arts salon
Archery salon		 Hall and
Parking Lot
10 am Archery field opens West field
10:30 am Combat archery
pinata challenge		 West field
11 am Rapier/Fencing salon Parking Lot
11 am SwanSong Kitchen opens Hall
11:30 am Games Championship – round 1 – period darts Hall entrance
Noon Picnic lunch break Hall
Noon Bardic championship – populace bardic performance Hall
12:30 pm Games Championship – round 2 – semi-finals – Nim Hall
1 pm Arts & Science championship begins Hall (or as required)
1 pm New Artisan Challenge
Thrown Weapons salon		 Hall and
Parking Lot
1 pm Crossbow challenge West field
1:30 pm Games Championship – round 3 – finals –
Four-Field Kono		 Hall
3 pm Archery range closes West field
4 pm Gate closes Hall
4 pm Gate closes Hall
4:30 pm Closing court Hall
5 pm Picnic dinner; SwanSong Kitchen opens for dinner Hall
5:30 pm Dalgona sugar cookie game –  playing with your food can be fun! Hall
6 pm Grand Gazebo Bardic Circle Grand Gazebo
6 pm Dance (newcomers welcome!) Hall
7 pm Masquerade dance – for experienced dancers; bring your masks! Hall
8 pm Pack up begins –
please lend a hand;
many hands make light work		 Hall; Gazebo, Parking lot
9 pm Event closes; lock up

Meal Information

SwanSong Kitchen will be merchanting food once again, serving a feast for Fools, a Jester’s Repast for both lunch and dinner. Tasty and thrifty!

SwanSong Kitchen is very pleased to offer the following choices for day food, prepared by Briana and Ewen. Lunch will be available from 11-3, Dinner from 5 on.
Lunch Options:
  • Leek or Bacon Quiche $2 slice
  • Scotch Egg $5 each
  • Cold Plate: Bread, Cheese, Pickle, Apple, plus a Sweet. $4
  • Pita and Hummus $3
  • Greek Plate: Kebab, Feta and Pilav in a Pita, served with a side of Hummus and Olives $7
  • Chocolate Chip Cookies, 2/$1
  • Saffron Custard Tart, Lemon Tart $1 each
Dinner Options:
  • (Lunch leftovers at Lunch prices, plus)
  • Swedish Meatballs in White Gravy, Served in a Bread Bowl with Lingonberry Sauce $8
  • Greek Dinner: Meat and Veg Kebab, Rice Pilaf, Spanakopita, Pita Bread and Hummus, Olives. Ekmekh Bite $10
In addition we will be supplying a hospitality table, with Coffee, Tea, Hot Chocolate and Water, by donation.

Tournament Information

Come compete in any of the three gentle arts championships: Arts & Science, Bardic, and Games.

The Lions Gate Arts & Sciences Championship and Bardic Championship 

The deadline to declare your intention to enter the championship(s) is Sunday, March 5, 2023. Single entries are also welcome from those who do not wish to vie for the championship, with the same deadline to express intent.

The Arts & Science and Bardic Champions are meant to be an inspiration and role model for teaching and encouraging others. As Champion, you will represent the Barony through your leadership and by your example.

Entry Requirements:

1. Two entries are required to enter the competition.

One entry will follow a traditional item/performance, presentation, and documentation format.

– The entry will be weighted as 60% of the overall score and will be formally judged by a panel.
– The entry must be consistent with a pre-1600 date and can be from any culture including Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas.
– An A&S entry can be an object (book, clothing, footwear, box, etc.) or a research paper. It consists of the item/research paper, a visual display, documentation (showing your progress, research, conclusions, etc.), and an oral presentation to the judges.
– A Bardic entry is a performance piece. It consists of the performance, documentation (showing your progress, research, conclusions, etc.), and an oral presentation to the judges.
– When declaring your intent to enter, please indicate which of the following categories your entry most likely fits into:
Arts and Sciences – Object
Arts and Sciences – Process
Arts and Sciences – Experimental Archaeology
Arts and Sciences – Research Paper
Bardic – Musical Performance
Bardic – Visual Performance
Bardic – Spoken Word Performance
Bardic – Pure Composition Spoken Word
Bardic – Pure Composition Music
Bardic – Dance
Bardic – Original Music
Bardic – Original Spoken Word
The second entry will be judged by the populace, based on overall impression.
– The entry will be weighted as 40% of the overall score.
– No documentation is needed for this entry. Period-accurate entries are welcome, as well as entries that are inspired by the past or SCA culture. Yes, this includes filks!
– A&S entries will be displayed to the populace, and Bardic entries will be performed to the populace during a scheduled time.
– Using the “beans in a cup” or similar method, populace members will cast their votes for the entry/performance of their choice.
– These second entries are intended to show the skill of our artisans and performers, as they present to the populace and your Baron & Baroness, and not to a panel of judges. They’re meant to be less serious than a traditional competition, and yet still indicate that the winner is a true Champion in their field.

– These two scores will be combined to determine our Arts & Sciences and Bardic Champions.

2. Each entrant must be present at the competition (no proxy judging).

3. An entrant must submit a letter of intent to Their Excellencies of Lions Gate and the Arts & Sciences Minister by March 5, 2023 (although earlier is preferred!). This is to ensure suitable judges can be located prior to the event. Email is perfectly acceptable and encouraged. The letter should include your name, home branch, any fealty ties (if you’re a squire, a protégé or an apprentice for instance), detailed descriptions of your entries and any special requirements you may have for your entries. Email addresses are:

4. Entries may not have been previously entered at Kingdom or Principality level. A piece can have been entered at a Baronial or Shire level previously but only if there has been significant, notable changes (you should be able to discuss these changes with the judges).

There is no theme for the Arts & Sciences Championship or Bardic Championship.

For more information, please liaise with the Baronial Arts & Sciences Minister at lionsgate.artsnsci@tirrigh.org.

Lions Gate Games Championship

Come one and all to compete to be the next worthy to hold the title of Game Champion of Lions Gate!
The Champion will be chosen through three rounds of skill, wit and intellect:
  • First, a round of period darts to narrow the field of challengers, highest scores will move on.
  • Second, the game of Nim, a quick and challenging little game to eliminate all but the top two contenders.
  • Finals, best of three in the game of Four-Field Kono!
Rules for each competition will be available on-site at the event.
If you have *period style darts* please bring them along.

Youth and Family Activities

Although there will be no formal YAFA activities, we will have games and some fun crafts for children and youth and their families.

Games will be outdoor including kubb, hunkerdown, and quoits.

Crafts will be indoor and include colouring sheets, window heraldry, building sticks, bracelet weaving with wool, stickers and mask-making.

Sit a spell and do some things with your children!

Volunteer Information

Please consider helping out at gate or setting up, packing up, or decorating the hall or the big gazebo outdoors. Contact names and times below.

Roesia du Bois – Head Gate

  • 8 am – 4 pm gate shifts hourly

Sylvina du Bois – Volunteer Steward

  • 8 am – 9 am hall decor set up (indoor)
  • 4 pm – 5 pm gazebo decor set up (outdoor)
  • 8 pm – 9 pm hall pack up (indoor)
  • 8 pm – 9 pm gazebo decor pack up (outdoor)

Please contact lionsgate.volunteers@gmail.com with the activities and times you can assist. Merci!

Merchant Information

Come view the wares of our fine merchants!

  • BC Chains – Rhun – tapestries, leather notebooks
  • Glass Weirdo – Mistress Catrina – glass beads, bracelets and glass art
  • Intriguing Designs – Cerridwen – hats and leg wraps
  • Scissors Studio – Shelby – Leatherwork and costumes

Classes Offered

Workshop / Salon Schedule

Indoor Workshops

  • 10:00 – 12:00: Scribal Arts
  • 1:00 – 2:00: New Artisan Challenge
  • 2:00 – 4:00: Hand-sewing
Outdoor Workshops
  • 10:00 – 11:00: Archery
  • 11:00 – 12:00: Rapier / Fencing
  • 1:00 – 2:00: Thrown Weapons
  • 2:00 – 3:00: Heavy Fighting

Emergency Preparedness Information

The hall has exits on three of four walls: west, north, and east. In case of emergency, please gather in the parking lot to the south, away from the building, to give space for first responders.

Bland but important public service announcements

  1. There is a river running through it – keep you littles close and your service animals leashed.
  2. Smoking in the west entrance breezeway; please use the ash cans.
  3. The water in the bathrooms is not potable. We will have dish washing stations at lunch and dinner beside the kitchen entrance.
  4. Temporary parking at the fish hatchery for those with accessibility and mobility needs – for those wishing to attend the Bardic Grand Gazebo.
  5. The hall has exits on three of four walls: west, north, and east. In case of emergency, please gather in the parking lot to the south, away from the building, to give space for first responders

This page for event id 8149 was last updated: April 1, 2023
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