Embers and Ambrosia

Hosted in-person by

The Barony of Blatha An Oir (Tacoma-Pierce county, WA )

Event Summary

Event Main Contact (Event Steward): Angharat verch Reynulf
Date: May 24 , 2024 until May, 27 2024
Site opens at: 3:00 PM on May 24th 2024
Site closes at: 12:00 PM on May 27th 2024

Event site:
Swiss Sportsman Club
9205 198th ave East Bonney Lake, WA 98391

This is a Level 1: Other (Branch primary events of regional or Kingdom interest) event.

3:00 PM12:00 PM

 This coming Memorial Day weekend,  Blatha an Oir again combines three events to bring people together from across the Kingdom in their passions and interests. We are hosting Embers and Ambrosia, Celtic Bardic, and Daffodil Archery at the Swiss Sportsmen’s Club the weekend of May 24-27, 2024. This is a wonderful site to kick off the event camping season with a mix of indoor/covered event space and even areas for younger children to burn off energy when parents or siblings are in classes.

We are looking for instructors for A&S classes in all genres and invite any who wish to share their knowledge of the Medieval Arts and Sciences to teach a class, no matter where you reside in the known world. This is our Barony’s main learning event of the year; we encourage all to attend whether a beginner looking to begin a new skill, or a master craftsman, and are looking for a wide range of classes to fill those needs. There will be space to set up if you prefer a demonstration lay-out – blacksmiths, weavers, cooks, glass beads, wire-weaving, martial technique, all are welcome! Spaces will be available both indoors and out, with some area set aside for the Baronial A&S and Bardic Championships. It is our hope that we will have classes geared not only for fibers, food, music, and fire, but also for those looking to add to their fighter’s kit, to learn about becoming a junior marshal, or even for hunting, hawking and being a Peer, or even discussion about An Tir traditions!

This event is created and supported by the efforts of champions, officers, and enthusiasts, whether to instruct or learn. Come for the day, come for the weekend and participate – as a student, as an instructor, on the range or even in the Friday Torchlight Tourney. Support those competing in the Daffodil Archery tournament, the A&S Championship, the Bardic Championship, the Shield of the Barony Tournament, or the Panther’s Claw Rapier Tournament.. We are also looking to have Kingdom Guilds consider showcasing the skills of their members and give people a chance to learn more of the talents within the greatest Kingdom of the Known World.
As is the custom for An Tir, all youths, aged 17 and younger will enter for free with their attending or permission from parents/legal guardians. We encourage instructors comfortable with the YAFA program to also offer classes for our youth at the event, or to suggest teas, socials or other fun things to do over the weekend.
There is a limited amount of space available for merchants, please contact the event team if you are interested in attending the event as a merchant.

For the Bardic championship on Saturday: Please prepare two pieces to perform. At least one of these should be period or period-adjacent, though they do not have to be appropriate to your particular persona. In addition, please be prepared to answer these questions:

1. Why do you want to be Bardic Champion?
2. How do you plan to serve the Barony as Bardic Champion?

And a third question which will be asked on site. 

Please also be prepared to answer questions asked by audience members.

For the Arts and Sciences Championship on Saturday: This will be “the always learning challenge.” Bring 2 items, one of choice, and one attempt at an art form new to you that you created within the last year. You may focus your presentation on the choice item, but must expect to be asked about what you learned from the other, and what you will “carry forward” from your learnings into the practice in the future.

For the Shield of the Barony Championship at noon on Sunday (for those fighters who have never won a tournament only):  Introduction, with flair. The fighters will introduce themselves and their inspiration (If they have one), the fighter whom the Baroness declares has the best introduction will receive one victory toward the Round Robin. This is a bonus point, and even though the other fighters will effectively have lost this round, they will not receive an overall loss. Provided there are enough contestants (at least 4), there will be a round robin with the best scores moving onto the next round. If only 4 fighters, the one with the best scores will fight in the final round. In the case of only two fighters, we will procede directly to the final round. Final Round will be the best of 7 and will be fought with weapon and buckler.       

The Panther’s Claw Rapier Tourney will be Saturday afternoon after the Jr.  Rapier Marshal class taught by HL Katryne MacKim.                      

 A full class schedule is planned to be available no later than 30 days prior to the event.

Saturday Evening Court will be followed by a potluck dinner in the Alpenhall.

Event Schedule:

Noon – site opens to Merchants

3 PM – site opens to campers

7 PM – Torchlight Tourney

 Saturday

8 AM Gate Opens

9 AM Morning Court – Invocation of Competitors

9:30 AM (or after Morning Court)

Archery and Thrown Range opens

10 AM

A & S Competition begins

Rapier/Heavy fields available

10 AM – 1 PM

Pysanky: Creation & History

10  AM – Noon

Illumination for Beginners

History of Medieval Dairy, Food Preservation, and Cheese Making

10 – 11 AM

Ancient Sports & Superstar Athletes

11 AM to Noon

Make Your Own Broom

11 Am to 2 PM

Shield Prep

Noon to 1 pm

First Round Bardic Presentations

Mead Making 101

Identifying Unlabeled Fabric

Youth Music

Noon to 2 PM 

In Case of Reign

1  – 2 PM

How to Make Beeswax Ointments

1 – 3 PM 

Introduction to Bobbin Lace in the SCA

Basic Rapier Marshalling

2 – 4 PM

Early Period Flax to Linen

History of Herbalism

2 – 5 PM

Shield Painting

3  – 4 PM

Lists Snapshot – Round Robin

3 – 5 PM

Rapier and Cut & Thrust Tournaments

 4   – 5 PM

2nd Round Bardic Presentations

Lists Snapshot Double Elimination

5 pm – COURT

Post Court – potluck in the Hall to be social, congratulate the competitors,open for bardic and games

 Sunday

10 AM 

Range opens, upon marshallate availability

10 – 11 AM

Bardic 101

Quick Quire: Intro to Choral Singing

10 AM – Noon

Viking Wire Weaving

10 AM – 1 PM

Making Medieval Ink

Noon

Shield of the Barony Tournament

Discussion of Period Songs

The Puabi Project: Clothing Bronze Age Mesopotamia

Italian Dance

1 – 3 PM

Preparing and Writing with a Quill

2 – 3 PM

Teaching a Class in the SCA

3- 6 PM

Washes: Painting According to Theophilus

Monday

Site closes at 1 pm 

General site and event information:

***Site opens for general public at 3pm on Friday May 24th, Event staff, volunteers willing to help put up classroom pavilions, and merchants are allowed on site at 12 noon.

General public: Camping available Friday thru Sunday evenings. Please note the per tent fee, and the limited number of RV hookups with their separate costs.

Gate opens Friday at 3 pm and Saturday morning at 8:00am closes before evening court.
Site closed Monday at 12 pm, everyone must be packed up so that event team can have the site cleaned by 3pm

Site Fee and Preregistration information:

 Pre Reg will open April 17th, 2024

  Pre Reg will close May 17th, 2024

  The Event Team Encourages you to pre reg if you are bringing an RV especially.

  Please note the RV Rates and Tent Rates are set by the site, the Barony does not profit from these fees, they are paid directly to the site after the event.

Non Member Site Fee: $35

Member Site Fee: $25

17 and under: Free with legal guardian (remember to bring waivers found on sca.org)

Camping fee: 

Tent Fee: $5/night. This for sleeping tents only, not for day shades or kitchen tents

 RV Fee: $30/night any hook up

This site has bathrooms AND showers.

 It is discreetly wet, please keep all alcohol within period/period-esque containers. 

Fires are allowed within fire pits only, and must not be left unattended at any time. Ashes/partially burned wood must be removed from site, there is no dumping area for them. DO NOT PUT ASHES IN TRASH CANS. Please be sure to have a bucket of water and fire extinguisher handy near any open flames. 

We will be using the Alpenhaus, which has a small kitchen area and electricity with a sink, fridge, and stove/oven. If you wish to use these facilities please talk to the event steward first. You will also be required to clean up after yourself in the kitchen, please don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink.

NO MARIJUANA IS ALLOWED ON SITE, REGARDLESS OF STATE RULES.  ANYONE FOUND USING MARIJUANA WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE IMMEDIATELY.  THE SITE RULES REQUIRE STRICT ADHERENCE TO THIS RULE. NO EXCEPTIONS.

Respectfully,

Meistari Angharat verch Reynulf
And the event team for Embers & Ambrosia/Daffodil Archery/Celtic Bardic

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Although the SCA complies with all applicable laws to try to ensure the health and safety of our event participants, we cannot eliminate the risk of exposure to infectious diseases during in-person events. By participating in the in-person events of the SCA, you acknowledge and accept the potential risks. You agree to take any additional steps to protect your own health and safety and those under your control as you believe necessary