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How many are going to Pennsic War?

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Pewter_of_Deodar

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Sep 23, 2004
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Hey all,

How many here will be at Pennsic War? Which group will you be camping with? Interested in a Beginner's Mead Tasting? When do you arrive? All those sorts of things...

Pewter (the pre-registered already)
Camping with House deLondres in X-04
 

toolboxdiver

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Pewter_of_Deodar said:
Hey all,

How many here will be at Pennsic War? Which group will you be camping with? Interested in a Beginner's Mead Tasting? When do you arrive? All those sorts of things...

Pewter (the pre-registered already)
Camping with House deLondres in X-04


Where is it at Pewter??? sounds like a great time ...... you got some more info
 

Val

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Mar 8, 2005
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I'll be at Pennsic for all of both weeks.

I camp with the Oldcastle household, just look for the 30 foot round megalino with no ropes or side-poles and blue trimwork.

I would absolutely be up for a get-together. The earlier in the event the better (once the fighting starts I stay pretty busy).

Oh, and this MIGHT be better off in the SCA section, to avoid confusing the mundanes ;)
 

Mynx

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Waaaaay to far away for Pennsic, but I will be at the Clinton War this August :D
 

artmc

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Jun 22, 2004
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toolboxdiver said:
Where is it at Pewter??? sounds like a great time ...... you got some more info


Just incase anyone did not respond to this.

Pennsic War (August 5th to 21st, 2005)
http://www.pennsicwar.org

"Pennsic is held at the Cooper's Lake Campground in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania"

http://www.cooperslake.com/
205 Currie Road, Slippery Rock, PA 16057
(724) 368-8710



* art *
 

toolboxdiver

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artmc said:
toolboxdiver said:
Where is it at Pewter??? sounds like a great time ...... you got some more info


Just incase anyone did not respond to this.

Pennsic War (August 5th to 21st, 2005)
http://www.pennsicwar.org

"Pennsic is held at the Cooper's Lake Campground in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania"

http://www.cooperslake.com/
205 Currie Road, Slippery Rock, PA 16057
(724) 368-8710



* art *


WOW thats about 5 hours from me. I have a Pow Wow to attend the beginning but may just have to make it there for a few days the second week, Thanks Art
 

Pewter_of_Deodar

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Pennsic is about 12,000 people, dressing in medieval garb, spending up to two weeks in a large community created at Cooper's Lake Campground in Slippery Rock, PA. I suggest you go to the link that was provided in a previous post and do a little reading.

Pennsic is not a brewer's event. Pennsic is actually also not an SCA event strictly speaking. There are many non-SCA groups in attendance (like the Tuchux). It is a little pricey and you pay the same price whether you attend one day or all two weeks (check the website for details). Pennsic has rightfully been described as a Ren Faire on steroids...

In order to realistically attend, you need camping gear and medieval clothing for however many days you will be there. You will want a lot of your items to be medieval in nature (mug, plates, footwear, clothing). The only real rule is that you are requested to try and make yourself look "period" and try to hide the things that are not.

You need to find a group to camp with (highly recommended) or camp in the singles area. You probably need to be preparing now. Many people sleep in modern nylon tents. It is not a big deal and generally, anything that is in your tent can be modern since it is out of sight.

What you get in exchange is:
1. Evenings at wild parties (if that is you) that occur almost every night
2. Evenings around the campfire sipping mead and staring into the flames while listening to ladies with hauntingly beautiful voices sing old songs. (my favorite and VERY relaxing).
3. To watch mass battles with a couple thousand fighters banging on each other with rataan weapons while wearing armor up to and including full plate. (The mass battles are something to behold).
4. To attend classes on everything from meadmaking to period dancing to almost anything medieval. (see website)
5. To make new friends from all around the world, to fall asleep to the sound of drums in the distance every night, to feel for two weeks like you have stepped back in time.

I miss War (what we call Pennsic) the moment I leave the gates. By this time of year I cannot wait to get back to it! I have a list of things to pack and projects to complete before August and less than 100 days in which to do them.

Hope that I have painted a picture in people's minds...
Pewter
 

Pewter_of_Deodar

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More will be posted on the Mead Tasting party later. It is being hosted by myself and another poster here on Gotmead. It will be the Sunday before War week (middle Sunday) in the afternoon. It will be by invite only but invites will be attainable by request.

It is intended for Novice Brewers. The "price" for admission (besides your invite) will be one 750 mL bottle of cordials you have made or two 750 mL bottles of wine or mead that you have made. Spouses/significant others will also be welcome but they must also bring additional bottles for their admission. The idea is to have enough of everything for each person around the circle to be able to taste everything. We hope to have some Laurels in brewing available at the event to provide comments and advice on each item. The event is also intended to be a "tasting", not a drunken party...

I will start gathering names for invites about a month prior to War. We will likely restrict the event to about 3 dozen brewers. Comments or suggestions?
 

Val

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Mar 8, 2005
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Non-SCA folks need to realize that they will have to pay registration just to get on site, and they'll get funny looks if not in garb.
 

Pewter_of_Deodar

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Tuchux are an interesting group... I believe they originally formed as a splinter group protesting certain things within the SCA. They recreate a male dominated society where the men are referred to as Dogs and their women I believe are called Wenches. The wenches do cooking, cleaning, child care, etc. and are very subservient, but only to their dogs. They even do waterbearing for them during the battles.

They generally dress in leather and furs. The dogs look tough and the women generally look sexy. The dogs are excellent fighters, maybe the best in the SCA, and are used on the battlefield like Napoleon used his Imperial Guards...

The Tuchux have a certain mystique to them and have a lot of wannabee's and groupies as a result. They also have a certain elitism, some of it earned on the battlefield, some of it resulting from name calling, bigotry, and what I generally refer to as "petty high school BS" (the old cool and popular people making fun of everyone not in their circle of friends). They make it quite plain that they do not care what others think of them and speak their minds. Unfortunately the few I read posts from thoughtlessly trample people for anything from being gay or transgendered, to being a poor/beginning dancer that is not up to their standards. Not caring what others think seems to be their excuse for not having to show any restraint on their criticisms of others.

I will be the first to admit that my only contact with the Tuchux has been online and generally been very unpleasant. The situation on pennsic.net (another good source of info for people wanting to learn about War) is that one of the dogs will say something nasty, like about kicking one of the transgendered people in the nuts through their dress, and then all the wannabees and groupies will laugh and post in agreement.

Fortunately, the cold, thoughtless, elitism of the Tuchux and their groupies are in the minority at War. Most of us consider everyone else at War to be friends after spending a few hours sitting around a campfire with them. In fact we refer to each other as our Pennsic family...

I'd love to see a lot of you at War!
 

jeebeel

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Oct 22, 2004
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Hmmm ... "interesting" is one way to describe that.

Have fun and give us a story or two when you return.
 

artmc

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toolboxdiver said:
WOW thats about 5 hours from me. I have a Pow Wow to attend the beginning but may just have to make it there for a few days the second week, Thanks Art


And for me a little over 1 hour ;D

Plus the

The Greater Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival
http://www.pgh-renfest.com/

and the

Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire
http://www.parenaissancefaire.com/

Are within easy travel distance, particular the Greater Pittsburgh one Since I'm in
east suburbs of Pittsburgh. :)


The state RenFaire is held at Mount Hope Estate & Winery
http://www.parenaissancefaire.com/VirtualVineyard.htm

They also host the The Swashbuckler Brewing Company http://www.swashbuckler-beer.com/



* art *
 

hedgehog

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Well, its just an hour from me, but me thinks I will pass. the sad little pittsburgh renfest is a bit much for me(maybe it was just the klingons I see there every year), so this should definately be a bit overboard.
Though I would be interesting in hearing more about the mead tasting party.
just my 2 cents,
hedgehog
 

pain

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I will be there this year (my first time, though I play in the SCA around Raleigh, and attend ren fests nationwide). I don't know if I'll be there first or second week yet, nor the household. A girlfriend invited me to share her tent space, and I'm waiting for her to get back to me with details so I can register. I'll post details when I know more.

Needless to say, I'm stocking up on mead. I may be a Horde of one, but by the Gods, I'll uphold the Horde standards.

Vicky - planning to pitch a batch of black raspberry this weekend in preparation, as well as some short-term mead and at least one cordial, likely a black raspberry horilka (recipe on the bar above)
 

Pewter_of_Deodar

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Vicki,

I would like to invite you to our Novice Mead, Wine, and Cordial Tasting Party as one of our experts. Of course, you will need to bring your sample to share as well. I will post party specifics in the events section.

Thanks,
Pewter
 
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