Rowany-Festvl-msg

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Rowany-Festvl-msg - 5/15/11

Comments on and suggestions for those going to the Romany Festival. The largest SCA event held in the kingdom of Lochac, held near Sydney, Australia.

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NOTICE -

This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday.

This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org

I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with separate topics were sometimes split into different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance, the message IDs were removed to save space and remove clutter.

The comments made in these messages are not necessarily my viewpoints. I make no claims as to the accuracy of the information given by the individual authors.

Please respect the time and efforts of those who have written these messages. The copyright status of these messages is unclear at this time. If information is published from these messages, please give credit to the originator(s).

Thank you,

Mark S. Harris AKA: THLord Stefan li Rous

Stefan at florilegium.org

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From: Antonia di B C <dama.antonia at gmail.com>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Festival Article Help

Date: April 3, 2011 11:09:42 PM CDT

To: Stefan li Rous <StefanliRous at austin.rr.com>

On 4/04/2011 3:26 PM, Stefan li Rous wrote:

<<< I've also started collecting some of the advice which has been given in response to her questions and will likely be turning that into a message file in the Florilegium. I'm assuming that this coming event is Rowany Festival, right? As compared to Canterbury Faire? Or did I get them mixed up? Many of the big SCA events have similarities but there are also differences. And since some of the similarities are already covered in files about other events and in the SCA-CAMPING section, I'd like to put more emphasis on the differences, but we'll see. >>>

This is Rowany Festival upcoming. Canterbury Faire is in February.

In terms of prep, they are *completely different*. Festival site has little in the way of amenities-- they have to bring in water tanks, portaloos, etc. There is no electricity, showers, etc. Food means cooking in campsite or joining a food fund. There's no indoor space-- only tents. Prep means bring or hire your own *everything*.

Canterbury Faire site has a hall, bunkrooms, classrooms, a commercial kitchen, two small kitchens, flushing toilets and hot showers, laundry facilities, bells to toll the hours, etc. etc. If you don't want the hassle of preparing food, there's a meal plan, and if you're flying in, we can arrange things like bedding loan and inexpensive tent hire.

CF has the reputation of being easier to attend than Festival if you live anywhere in Lochac but Sydney/Newcastle.

Festival attracts 800+ people and runs over Easter weekend; Canterbury Faire is getting close to 300 attendees and runs a full week in late January/early February. Base price for Rowany is AU$98 for a single attendee. CF is $NZ83.

Festival's web pages. http://rowany.sca.org.au/festival

Canterbury Faire http://sg.sca.org.nz/cf

Antonia di Benedetto Calvo

The following was submitted to me by email but the writer asked to be kept anonymous.

Stefan

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Subject: Re: [Lochac] Festival Article Help

Date: April 3, 2011 11:52:03 PM CDT

To: Stefan li Rous <StefanliRous at austin.rr.com>

You're sounding like you could use some background.

I've been to Festival once and Canterbury Faire once, so this is a new-to-SCA-camping perspective and a new-to-camping-generally perspective as well. You can use whatever bits of this you like for the Florilegium but I would prefer my name is removed.

Rowany Festival is held near Sydney, Australia, and is nominally held over the Easter long weekend (Thursday night to end of Monday). In reality some people start turning up on the Monday or Tuesday before and help with set-up and do SCAdian things. I've only been there from the Friday morning so I can't give any more information on what goes on. Wednesday and Thursday night of this week are free soup kitchen. From Friday to the end of Monday is the event proper. Most people arrive Thursday or Friday, and most leave Monday or Tuesday, although I think some stay until Wednesday. This is the biggest event in Lochac and last year numbers, including day-trippers, were around 600-650 from memory. This year over 500 people have booked already. I have been told in previous years it was closer to 1,000. This is not a catered event but there are food funds set up by groups/households that can possibly be joined for an appropriate fee, or individuals can feed themselves. There are sometimes open food funds but these too are set up by individuals, not the event team.

The site is now in Glenworth Valley, near Gosford, NSW (about half an hour away), and it is one of the dampest, most humid places I have been (but this I'm told is fairly normal for NSW at that time of year). I'm not sure if it's actually a swamp, but there are boggy areas that are marked out to be avoided, and squelching footsteps from inadequately waterproofed footwear are common. Hems will get muddy. Be prepared to do a lot of washing when you get home and not to feel clean and dry at any time. There are no showers; bring your own. (I have heard there were at the site before this one, in Yass, ACT - portable gas showers.) There is a train to Gosford and from there people can get the shuttle service set up by the event team if they pre-book.

There are portaloos and compost loos on site, but it is possible to hire portaloos for your own camping area, to save people those long, cold walks through the dark in the middle of the night.

The 'short walk' mentioned is to the car park, out of sight of the main event. There is a main area, which includes the tavern, the permanent merchants, the hall marquee (used for dancing and court, etc), the main tournament field, and the A&S tents. Behind the hall is the rapier field, and beyond that is a band of campsites. Behind the merchants there are more campsites, forming an 'L' around two sides of the main area which spreads over the rest of the central valley.

There are four areas outside of this: the war field, two smaller camping areas (I think - I don't know - that one of these is a period camping area, and the other includes the Royal encampment), and the archery field. Up a hill but still in the main section is the children's boffer area, which can be seen if you face away from the campsites while standing in the main list field.

Site differences... Glenworth Valley is damp and muddy; Yass was dry and dusty. Yass got so cold at night people's tents iced over. Glenworth Valley gets cold too, but not so badly. There is a salt water river that runs through the site but what was being referred to was the run-off from rain throughout the site - there are a lot of dips and potholes in what otherwise appears to be a flat-bottomed bowl of a valley. It's very green and grassy, lots of fog in the mornings, but quite hot and humid once the sun burns it off.

Canterbury Faire, on the other hand... This is a much easier event to travel to. It's held outside Christchurch, NZ, at the end of January/start of Feb, and lasts a week. There are bunkrooms, camping if you prefer, showers, and low humidity (I'm not sure if that was the norm - people seemed a bit surprised that it only drizzled once). Anything you can hire or borrow (like bedding, feasting kits, garb - for the whole week!, etc) was advertised on the event website as well as through e-mailing lists. There is an open food fund run by the event stewards and in exchange for this you pay a fee and (this year at least) signed up for two rounds of chores (such as cleaning the hall after dinner, washing dishes, or kitchen crew). There are about 250 people overall. There is a short walk to a mundane swimming hole outside of site and it's about a 15 minute drive to the nearest small town that has a supermarket.

Both events include heavy, rapier, archery, A&S classes, merchanting, market days, etc. Canterbury Faire also has a feast one night (capped below the event capacity), and equestrian (I think this has happened at Festival before, and it might happen this year). This year Rowany Festival also includes the May Crown tournament. The other big heavy tournament at Rowany Festival is the Fighter Auction tournament, which is held on the Monday. I understand this to be the biggest heavy tournament in Lochac. There is another big tournament earlier in the event which is a Heraldic teams melee. Rapier tournaments there include the Queen's Glove of Courtesy (Friday morning) and a Baronesses' Tournament (Sunday afternoon). There was a Baronesses' rapier tournament at Canterbury Faire too this year, among others, but I don't know which if any of them are regular or anything about the heavy fighting there.

Date: Sat, 2 Apr 2011 18:45:21 +1000

From: "Brett Hollindale" <agro at powerup.com.au>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Festival Article Help

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

I guess my best advice is about cooking.

KISS. Keep It Simple...

One of my squires was a chef in the airforce. He offered to cook for the

household (at his first festival).

I said "Dude, you won't have time. There are a zillion things to do.

Places to go, people to kill, campfires to visit - forget it, trust me."

And sure enough, one day I found him eating cold baked beans straight from

the can because he didn't have time to heat them up!

My advice about food is canned meat meals with rice or potato or bread. Two

pots, very quick, very easy. We often add a self saucing pudding or shake

and make pancake for dessert.

Nuts, dried fruit biscuits and cheese dip.

KISS

:-)

Agro

Date: Sat, 2 Apr 2011 20:54:17 +1100

From: Ian Whitchurch <ian.whitchurch at gmail.com>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Festival Article Help

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

Two words.

Wool. Cloak.

Seriously, it's the one piece of garb that will keep you warmer, dryer

and happier than anything else.

Anton

Date: Sat, 2 Apr 2011 21:12:55 +1100

From: Donyale Harrison <donyale.harrison at gmail.com>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Festival Article Help

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

Have sober friends who know your tastes and will intervene if beer goggles

strike. Have a big stick for fending off the manky, aged and handsy. Find a

promising young squire and train him up right! Oh no, hang on, that last

one's my how to get a peerage advice.

In terms of clothes, you need two sets of outerwear and shoes/boots, so one

can dry while you wear the others. You NEED fresh underthings for every day

if you want to smell nice and be remotely clean by the end, so it is for

more worth you effort sewing lots of smocks or chemises than lots of frocks.

Of course, young people can ignore this advice and go for bling over clean,

but smell matters. Bring a pair of undies and socks for each day, plus

spares. Fungus is a bad, bad thing.

A cloak is great, but a coat is better, because it has sleeves and you can

do more things in it. Either way, make it 100% wool -- warm, insulating and

good at staying dry. Can't sew? Buy a plain or appropriately patterned wool

blanket, they're reasonably cheap at op shops, or a good length of 150cm

wide wool (you can fringe or hem the cut ends) and wear them folded and

secured with a pin or brooch. Any of these things will also keep you warmer

while you sleep at night. A square of wool folded in half and worn as a

shawl can be held in place with a belt, giving you a practical garment that

stays on while you cook or do something similar.

Sleep on a cot or campbed rather than air mattress if it's cool (as it may

well be), the more off the ground you are, the warmer you will be at night.

Travel clotheslines are brilliant and work, pack one and dry everything from

your tea towels to spare frock.

Hat, sunblock, drink plenty of water, WASH YOU HANDS REGULARLY -- your first

Festival is full of so much cool stuff that you don't want to miss anything

through heatstroke or illness.

Listen to Glynnis about how to make friends and learn things, and Agro's

food advice is very good, though my take on it was just to pre-prep and

freeze everything. Pour suitable quantities into zip-lock bags if you're

only cooking for one or two, or tupperware for more serious quantities.

Freeze it for at least three days in the coldest part of the freezer. Decide

which order you want to eat things in and pack into a cooler in the reverse

order at the last minute, then pop your fruit and veg in on top.

If you don't have enough food to fill your cooler, freeze blocks of water in

tupperware and use them for additional cooling. The more you pack the cooler

with cold things, the colder it will stay. Everything from proper mediaeval

food to spaghetti bolognese and goulash can be frozen. To reheat, just

remember to pull things out of the esky in time for them to thaw (the night

before at the beginning of festy, maybe lunchtime on the last day), and then

warm gently -- you may need to add a bit of water, especially for things

containing pasta.

Can't cook? Lots of good ready-made soups, pastas and curries at most

supermarkets. Vegetarian ones tend to be tastiest and carry least risk of

food poisoning if they thaw out.

ASK QUESTIONS! Unless people are obviously in the middle of something

important, most will be happy to take a moment to tell you what's going on,

or explain to you who someone or what something is. And if someone is a

twat, it's just because that person is a twat, not indicative behaviour of

all members of the SCA/Laurels/Knights/brunettes/bipedal mammals.

I'm sure I've missed something important ...

Yolande

Date: Sat, 2 Apr 2011 21:38:47 +1100

From: Paul Sleigh <bat at flurf.net>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Festival Article Help

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

Veteran of eighteen Festivals here, though only two of them at the new

site. I can offer some advice I only learned comparatively recently.

One year, I came along with my wife and daughters - aged 3 and 10, I

think, or thereabouts. We built a fairly impressive tent castle:

three tents, tarp floors, fences all around. It mostly kept the

BatPup under control, largely because she was a fairly placid babelet

and not especially adventuresome. But it was a lot of effort, only

made possible because we lived barely an hour from site back when it

was at Crossroads outside Yass and we lived in Canberra. A better

idea might have been not to bring a three-year-old at all, but we

wanted to see if it was even possible and we were prepared to head

home if it wasn't, so basically we weren't setting ourselves up to

lose.

It worked, but the key take-home was this: Festival isn't a

family-focused event. The new site is even less so, with that river

nearby and mundanes driving through at random. It's an event for

adults who want to have fun with other adults. It's certainly

possible for kids to enjoy themselves, and provided you don't expect

to be able to leave them to their own devices and never have to adjust

your lifestyle you can adapt. But it's not like mundania, where you

can stick them in front of the electronic brainsucker or drop them off

at school and carry on with whatever it is that parents do when their

kids aren't around (I don't know - we have no truck with television

and schooling). It's different.

That's not to say everyone under 18 should avoid Festival. Oh dear me

no! But they should be aware that this is not an environment geared

for them, and they (and their parents) should adjust to that.

Festival will not make all the allowances for its underage attendees.

The Tavern will not quieten down after 9pm. The joke about the

Laurel, the club-footed squire and the bucket of eels will not be only

told out of earshot of small people. (And in the old days I would

have added "the denizens of the waterhole will not put clothes on" but

those days are gone so never mind.) Parents who plan to go along and

expect other people to make special accommodations for them, allowing

them to go off and have fun while their kids rampage screaming through

the campsite or cause chaos in the kitchen tent, should feel

discouraged and reconsider. Parents who go along knowing that life

with kids is different and they'll have to find a different kind of

fun, or camp in a happy family commune with a roster of babysitting

duties and mobile phones always charged, will have a much better time.

I have more thoughts, but I have a BatPup who wants to be sung to

sleep, so I'll postpone them for another day.

: Bat :

Date: Sat, 2 Apr 2011 22:02:05 +1100

From: Mark Calderwood <giles at sca.org.au>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Festival Article Help

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

Keep a spare set of clothes- at the very least a couple of changes of

socks and undies- in a waterproof zip bag. Essential when your wicker

clothes hamper gets wet.

Set aside a little quiet time for yourself each day, either alone or

with your family/people you love. Helps keep you grounded and calm

when dealing with the rambunctiousness to arsehattery spectrum.

You don't have to compromise on period food. The exception to that is

coffee, you'll need it (coffee bags and sugar in a sealed container

so ants can't get in works well).

You're not obligated to say yes to anything people might ask you.

Giles

Date: Sat, 2 Apr 2011 21:40:18 +1000

From: "Glynnis Hollindale" <Glynnis at powerup.com.au>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Festival Article Help

To: "'The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list'"

Clothes

I keep one complete set in the car with some wipes and a small towel. It is

really only for my piece of mind.

I know that a short walk means that I can be dry/clean/comfortable if

anything goes drastically wrong. Strangely, I have only found that walk

worth the effort once in about 25 years.

As a risk, the chance is small but the consequence of feeling miserable is

not worth having all my eggs in one basket.

But more seriously, remember your medication.

If you need anything in an emergency, Murphy's law means that it will only

happen if you do not pack the little white pills. Whether it is hay fever,

asthma or an allergy to an insect bite, whatever your vulnerability might

be, take the necessary medication that will make you life more bearable.

Label it and secure it properly as well. And tell someone in your campsite

if you are not camping with a partner who knows what to do / where it is

/when it is needed etc.

Take care of yourself and you then have the capacity to enjoy yourself /

help others, etc

Glynnis

Date: Sat, 2 Apr 2011 23:23:25 +1100

From: Alonya Mazoyer <submarinechick at gmail.com>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Festival Article Help

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

I am attending my third Festival this year so my first one was only a couple

of years ago.

I guess the first this for this site is NO blow up mattress and if you have

no option, ensure you have a floor in your tent and a blanket under the

mattress and a mattress protector between your sleeping bag and the

mattress. This site can cool down due to fog. Things can get damp so hang

any bedding out in the sunshine for a couple of hours and ensure you take it

in while the sun is still on it. Damp bedding is rude. An extra blanket

could also make a difference especially as late April can start getting

cooler at night.

Also set your bed up first. Set up can take some time and it is nice to

have a bed to crawl into.

A chair to sit upon is also important. The ground gets damp at this site

and it sucks to sit on it for long periods. A good option for a not-obvious

modern chair is the fold up garden chair available for about $40 at Ikea.

Follow Agro and Glynhwyvar's advice on food. You cannot go wrong with their

advice. It is sound and comes from much experience. I would also suggest

you plan your food now, especially if it is only for yourself. A fuel

operated gas stove should suffice for one person with 6-8 cannisters if you

plan for tea and coffee.

I was lucky to attend Festival with others who have attended every Festival

for the last 20 years or so each.

You can find me at the Guild of Defense campsite which is located directly

behind the main pavilion. Please drop by and say hello.

Juliana

Date: Sun, 3 Apr 2011 07:55:00 +1000

From: Jacinta Reid <omnott at gmail.com>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Festival Article Help

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

I suggest that the first thing to organise is the ability to clone yourself.

After my first Festival, I figured that I needed three of me; one to attend

all the collegia and scheduled evening activities (balls, bardic stuff).

Another to attend and learn as much as possible about all the combat related

activities which run opposite other things and to hang out in the tavern

until all hours. And a third to be responsible by maintaining the campsite,

getting enough sleep, doing a few stints at the gate or as directed by the

event organisers, cook proper food, bathe, do laundry, actually *do* all the

"I'll finish/mend it on site, it's just a bit of hand-sewing" jobs I took

with me - while chatting with the lovely people I'd met, of course.

On a more serious note; I'm only just getting the hang of SCA camping, but

I've found that I really enjoy having a garment I think of as a medieval

dressing gown. Think of it as a hands-free cloak or a medieval snuggie. :P

I have learned that my garb should be mostly as light weight as I can get

away with. I can layer for warmth, but having lots of linen chemises and

tunic-dresses is as cool as I can dress and be 'medieval decent'. A chemise

with a sleeveless surcote is cooler and also decent, but barely.

For early morning privy trips, being able to drop a loose, fuzzy wool tunic

on over my head and be warm and decent is brilliant. Also; of an evening,

(most of my camping has been done in places with cool nights) *before* it

gets dark (at about mosquito o'clock.) I find it very useful to be able to

slip that wooly extra layer over what I am wearing *and* grab a cloak and

hood. Because once it's dark in medieval camping, it's really dark, one is

mostly reduced to sitting or standing around, and cold can take hold very

quickly. And going to bed cold can be painful.

Another point; wool serves as a bit of a spark arrester if you are near a

fire or flames. So a wool cloak or tunic handy as an extra protection of you

and your garb in that way, too, if you are planning on having a cider or two

around a fire of an evening.

Also, a pre-dusk trip to your campsite to get your warmer garb is a great

time to check that everything is in out of the damp (laundry, that tunic you

dropped on a chair mid-morning etc) and to revise what you are carrying --

collegia notes might stay in the dry of the tent, bug repellent and maybe

drinks and a goblet go into your basket/bag/box. Also, arrange your bed

ready to drop in to, and if you have a little 'lectric light source you

intend to use inside your tent, put it where you can remember / find it.

So I heartily recommend making at least one loose, simple tunic out of

blanket-weight wool (plain coloured blankets are good for this, if you can

find some secondhand/cheap). If you don't end up wearing the tunic, it will

still be usable as supplementary bedding or emergency/loaner garb if someone

else is freezing or has luggage which ends up soaked.

Other notes:

Sunscreen! Wear it! Reapply it! No, really!! Remind each other, offer to

strangers, and if you are not in possession of some, ask anybody for some.

It's one of those things which, like water, no civilised person will

hesitate to give you if you but ask. So do not go without.

Headgear: straw hats are recommended, and you'd be surprised how much sun

protection a veil provides. Oh - and if you have time for a relatively small

neat, fun project; flat caps. Hats and veils keep the sun off, and they

just look excellent. I never thought I'd adjust to wearing headgear, but I

found that it's *SO* worth the effort to make and to get used to wearing!

Bathing: as a backup minimum have a bulk tub of baby wipes and use handfuls

of them as a washcloth so you can have an approximate wash in your tent if

need be. (Yes, medieval camping may be done without bathing or even changing

one's clothes for the duration if that's your preference, but if you start

to chafe, or get a heat-rash in awkward places, it's good to be able to

wash, even if only after a fashion.) You will need a rubbish bag to put the

used wipes in.

I have seen some great packing lists linked on this mailing list before, but

I can't find it in my bookmarks. Maybe ask if someone knows the link?

celsa

Date: Sun, 3 Apr 2011 08:01:14 +1100

From: Catherine Connor <paladin_c55 at hotmail.com>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Festival Article Help

To: The Shambles <lochac at lochac.sca.org>

Lots of good advice in the previous posts!

To add to it.. Keep a bottle of water in your tent for drinking and brushing your teeth- makes you feel much better after too long at the tavern.

BOOTS!!! Waterproof them with snow seal!! Wet feet make me miserable. SOCKS!!! Take extra pairs. Take more than you think you will need.

Take baby wipes. When you can't be bothered to heat water etc for a shower, they are good for making you feel fresh.

Food- take easy snacks like nuts and trail mix. FRUIT! Also a couple of cans of yummy food for when some silly sausage leaves your precooked stew out of the cooler overnight and then says, "but of course we can still eat it!" (HE has never had food poisoning in his life and thinks I am being a big softie!)

Have fun, and try to get some sleep occasionally.

Catherine of Glastonbury

Date: Sun, 3 Apr 2011 08:15:29 +1000

From: Zebee Johnstone <zebeej at gmail.com>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Festival Article Help

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

Earplugs.

Because you *will* be camped next to someone who snores at 747 levels.

Or who makes a habit of staying out till 2am then coming home drunk.

I second the idea of a warm loose tunic or coat that you can throw on

to go to the privy.

If you don't have time to make a tunic, then see if there is any kind

of blanket in your local op shop and put a hole in the middle for your

head. Head through hole, belt or rope around it, good enough to go to

the loo in.

Some form of easy to get on water resistant footwear is a good idea

too. There will be dew on the ground at Glenworth, and plenty of

grass for it to be caught in.

You will need something to sit on. With luck you can find a

wood/canvas director's chair somewhere or an Ikea wooden chair (which

has the advantage that it works as a kitchen chair too, so isn't just

used once a year) or a stool. If you must then one of those nylon

folding squatter's chairs but please try and find something less

modern looking if you can.

Silfren

Date: Sun, 3 Apr 2011 08:19:06 +1000

From: "Sideshow Mel" <melinahall at optusnet.com.au>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Festival Article Help

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

Everything everyone has said is really great, & I'd like to add my 2c.

I take my garb in plastic boxes, to keep it dry. Modern I know, but also

inside my tent. (Which is a dome anyway). When I have not taken plastic

boxes I have put my suitcase up on wooden blocks or some other method of

getting it off the ground. My first year at Festival there was a river

through my tent & all my stuff got wet.

To maximise my fun time & minimise my work time I eat off paper plates & use

disposable cutlery. I ensure it's all biodegradable because I like to be eco

friendly, but as long as you don't leave it on the ground when you leave,

you could use plastic. Eating is more of an inconvenience than anything else

at Festy, so washing up being non-existant is even better.

Waterproof shoes. I take gumboots, I'd rather have dry feet than period

shoes, but a sneaky alternative is to wear two pairs of socks with plastic

bags wrapped round your feet in between the two pair of socks to keep your

feet dry. Wet feet equals misery.

Asa

Date: Sun, 03 Apr 2011 13:18:07 +1200

From: "Bartholomew" <bartholomew.baskin at gmail.com>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Festival Article Help

To: lochac at lochac.sca.org

Thyri asked:

<<< I want to compile all the advice you have about First Time Festival

goers. What lessons have you learned that would be helpful for a new

camper? What advice would you give to someone planning to attend

Festival for the first time? >>>

Some advice which katherina and I once wrote for travellers from our

parts (usually first-timers) can be found here:

http://sg.lochac.sca.org/festival.shtml

It may need updating, and of course isn't as relevant to someone who

can drive from home to site <g>.

Bartholomew

Date: Sun, 3 Apr 2011 14:11:55 +1000

From: Zebee Johnstone <zebeej at gmail.com>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Festival Article Help

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

On Sun, Apr 3, 2011 at 1:45 PM, Marie Brooker <madmender at gmail.com> wrote:

<<< I have some concerns about our tent, as it has a dodgy made base- the tarp

floor section is sewn at the base of the wall at ground level. ? We're not

sure how best to combat this, as a new tent is just not in our budget. Its a

Jackaroo tent. >>>

Be careful in the siting of your tent so that you are not in a dip,

and have your stuff off the ground or in waterproof containers.

Perhaps bring a small cheap tarp to put the bed on so that you can

lift the edges of that up to stop water flowing under the bed if the

worst happens.

(I don't have a floor at all in my period pav, I have a bamboo mat as

a floor covering and things have been quite dry every Festival at

Glenworth. Even last year when it rained a lot beforehand and rained

during. Be careful where you site and you should be fine. I was a

few metres away from one of the aforementioned tent rivers, theirs was

a hired tent put by the tent people in a very stupid place.)

Water is available from a tap, so bring something to put it in, but

you don't need to cart it yourself.

We have a 25l tank and a trolley to wheel it on, if you have a few

people in your campsite then that amount of water holding is useful

and the trolley makes it very easy to manage.

Silfren

Date: Sun, 3 Apr 2011 16:40:11 +1000

From: Anika Page <anika.page at gmail.com>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Festival Article Help

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

I know everyone is suggesting things and this probably has been covered, but

the two things I think everyone needs to bring for their first event is a

warm wool cloak, and a small torch or handlight (or glow stick) they can tie

to their belt.

The toilets are NOT well lit at night, and if it's your first Festival or

camping event, you might be wearing garb you are not used to. Having a light

in the loo which will not set fire to your tunic is ESSENTIAL. It might be

more medieval to carry a candle, but sometimes it's a comfort and safety

thing. The number of slightly tipsy newbies I've handed my torch to as they

desperately try to work out how to get INTO the loos on a cold 2am Festival

night...... A small (even LED keylight) torch with a loop or something to

tie it to your belt can be really amazingly useful.

And yeah, warm wool cloak, whether it be a dry Festival or a wet one.

--Lyssa.

Date: Sun, 3 Apr 2011 20:05:18 +1000

From: Cat Colwell <eslyssa at gmail.com>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Festival Article Help

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

Absolutely, first thing on our to do list when we took on stewarding

festival

1. Arrange full moon for festival - tick!

Ameline

On 3 April 2011 18:59, Anwyn Davies <anwyn at internode.on.net> wrote:

<snip> it is always a full moon at Easter, <snip>Agro

<<< Ah, memories of more than one Festival listening to young thing staggering

out of the Tavern musing how lucky it was that there was a full moon at

Festival and wondering if the Stewards had planned it...

Blod, sad to be missing it. >>>

Date: Sun, 3 Apr 2011 20:06:27 +1000

From: "Sideshow Mel" <melinahall at optusnet.com.au>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Festival Article Help

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

RE; Having to put a mattress on the floor of a tent, whether it be an air

mattress or a foam mattress. When I've had to do this, I have gotten a tarp

just slightly larger than the mattress, put it under the mattress & duct

taped it to the mattress, so if any water has gotten into the tent, it's

gone between the floor & the tarp, & the mattress has stayed dry. A

waterproof sheet would also work, but I couldn't find one in a double

mattress size.

For really wet Festivals, or when I've doubted the waterproof-ness of the

tent, I've also put waterproof pillow covers on the pillows, under the

pillow case, & always wool on top of the bed, so that if the tent takes in

water from above it can't get through into the rest of the bed, since wool

blankets are fairly water repellant.

Dry equals happy!

Asa

Date: Sun, 3 Apr 2011 21:18:22 +1000

From: Paul Sleigh <bat at flurf.net>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Festival Article Help

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

Asa wrote:

Dry equals happy!

Ah, memories. A song on that topic:

http://flurf.net/batpage/WatchingTheTents

: Bat :

Date: Mon, 4 Apr 2011 13:25:04 +0930

From: "Anwyn Davies" <anwyn at internode.on.net>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Festival Article Help

To: "'The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list'"

Rowany Festival has shifted sites several times. It used to be on a private

farm, (several site-moves ago) which had a waterhole in a gully, and so was

always pretty cold as it received direct sunlight for only a short period of

the day. Because it was a short trek away from the camp site, and visually

isolated, you had no idea if the waterhole would be in use as you headed

down until you were pretty much on it. The water also wasn't what you'd call

crystal clear - if you chose to swim in your chemise, your white linens

would come out looking yellow from the algae. It was notorious for being the

swim that left you grottier than when you went in - but on a hot Festival

day, it was divine!

I still remember my first Festival, aged 20, swimming with three female

friends. As we had limited numbers of chemises with us, and the waterhole

was empty when we arrived, we chose to swim naked. Before we were ready to

leave, however, Sasha (a big burly Russian chap, notorious for suffering

from foot-in-mouth disease) came tromping down with a bunch of new fighters,

stripping armour as they went, and with Sasha loudly explaining the whys and

wherefores of Festival to these young, male Festival-virgins. I still giggle

when I remember the look on his face as he realised there were several

young, stark naked ladies frolicking in the water; after a second of

wide-eyed shock, he decided to play it cool. His young companions were not

quite sure where to look, but Sasha decided to go the route of 'not

concerned, seen it all before, this is the SCA, women swim naked in the

waterhole all the time and no one thinks anything of it'. He, however, made

the choice to enter the water with breeches and shirt still on.

So in Sasha went, still talking loudly, nonchalantly wading in, determined

to prove how unfazed he was, until he hit waist-height in the water,

whereupon he stopped, with an agonised look on his face.

"What's wrong?" we called out from the freezing cold water.

"I forgot to take my box out," he replied, "and it's leaking in!"

I'm not sure if we laughed more then, watching his face, or re-telling the

story at the campfire later that night.

Date: Mon, 4 Apr 2011 16:18:57 +1000

From: "Sideshow Mel" <melinahall at optusnet.com.au>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Festival Article Help

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

> What does the event have in the way of public shower facilities?

There are NO public showers at Festival, only what you bring with you, or

your campsite brings. The only public facility provided at Festival are

toilets, a mix of plastic porta-potties & composting toilets.

Asa

Date: Mon, 4 Apr 2011 16:43:29 +1000

From: Zebee Johnstone <zebeej at gmail.com>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Festival Article Help

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

On Mon, Apr 4, 2011 at 4:18 PM, Sideshow Mel <melinahall at optusnet.com.au> wrote:

<<< There are NO public showers at Festival, only what you bring with you, or

your campsite brings. The only public facility provided at Festival are

toilets, a mix of plastic porta-potties & composting toilets. >>>

There have been other facilities at previous sites. As Glenworth is

not a facilities campground, we have what we bring in. It's also low

lying so massive amounts of waste water from temporary showers would

be tricky to deal with. I believe the owners of the site have

vetoed constructing public showers but I could be wrong. Even if

they haven't someone has to commit to trucking the materials in,

setting them up, maintaining them, taking them down, and taking them

out. And someone gets to pay for all that too.

There is a creek running through the camp (it was running beside it

the first few times,but it's through it now!) which people swim in,

and other users of the Glenworth site sometimes kyak through.

(getting exclusive use of the place would be horribly expensive as

we'd have to pay for forgone revenue) There isn't enough privacy for

stripping off, so people wear anything from modern swimwear to

shirts/chemises to trews and tunic.

I'm a natural grot (and spent a portion of my childhood living in a

packing shed with the "bath" being a basin by the fireplace) so a

wipedown and maybe a quick basin bath does for me. I do rinse my

fighting shirts which get to dry for a day each, that seems to work

well enough.

Silfren

Date: Mon, 4 Apr 2011 17:05:21 +1000

From: Anika Page <anika.page at gmail.com>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Festival Article Help

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

There are no public showers on site, but the river is clean and free to swim

in. You can bring your own shower equipment if you wish.

The public toilets are great composting toilets, which smell much better

than the portaprivies, but have about four steps to walk up in order to

enter them. Some people find these steps inconvenient, and they hire the

portaprivies.

--Lyssa

Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2011 10:33:40 +1000

From: Keith Luc-Romanis <keith.romanis at gmail.com>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Lochac Digest, Vol 29, Issue 79

To: lochac at lochac.sca.org

Ovens at Festival a quick history:

- At Wilton there were 44 gallon drum ovens out the back of the tavern that

were wood fired

- At Wilton Master John of the Hills and Master Charles of the Bark ran a

bakery for a while on site using gas powered commerical ovens

- Mistress Marguriete and Mistress Gabriella used a similar gas powered oven

to make pies (I think at Tara)

- At Crossroads the Lemmings built a brick woodfired oven

- At Crossroads and Glenworth Valley Abbotsofrd have a woodfired brick and

earth oven to bake bread and currant buns!

I've eaten out of all of them and they are all great!

Hrothgar (being a bit boring, but there you go)

Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:20:28 +1000

From: Del <del at babel.com.au>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] ovens at Festival

To: The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list <lochac at lochac.sca.org>

Here's the Abbotsford bread oven, during construction:

http://images.jeremygregson.com/festival/IMG_2240.JPG

... and after:

http://images.jeremygregson.com/festival/IMG_2241.JPG

Del

Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2011 11:40:15 +1000

From: Laura Iseman <laiseman at optusnet.com.au>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] ovens at Festival

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

Abbotsford has built an oven from bricks and mud in camp for many years now.

At Crossroads we could leave it up and only re-build when we thought we

could improve the design. At Glenworth we store the bricks in the storage

container. I built this years in about 2 hours (possibly less), with a

couple of people hauling mud for me. It did help that we were on the river

bank and so didn't have to haul it very far. the mud had chopped grass mixed

in to it since we didn't have any straw.

You can see it under construction at

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36906401 at N00/5667590532/

Miriam

On Fri, Apr 29, 2011 at 7:11 AM, Willhameena Power <

willhameena15 at optusnet.com.au> wrote:

<<< We have gas ovens that we bring for camp use, there are no permanent ovens

on site, though you may be able to build ovens for use if you can ensure

that nothing is left after festival that would injure horses etc, it would

be something to discus with the stewards if you were interested, as they

have similar rules for fire pits

Dominica >>>

Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2011 16:10:10 +1200

From: "Zane R. V. Bruce" <zane at paradise.gen.nz>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Lochac Digest, Vol 29, Issue 79

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

Hrothgar wrote:

<<<

- At Wilton there were 44 gallon drum ovens out the back of the tavern

that were wood fired

- At Wilton Master John of the Hills and Master Charles of the Bark ran a

bakery for a while on site using gas powered commerical ovens

- Mistress Marguriete and Mistress Gabriella used a similar gas powered

oven to make pies (I think at Tara)

- At Crossroads the Lemmings built a brick woodfired oven

- At Crossroads and Glenworth Valley Abbotsofrd have a woodfired brick and

earth oven to bake bread and currant buns!

>>>

There was also the chuffer furnace and oven I built at the St Florians

campsite at Crossroads. Mainly mud-mortared stone, a couple of steel

doors for the fire chamber and oven, plus two beer keg chuffers and a

chimney to keep a good draft on the fire. Unfortunately derelict now as

the chuffers were removed when Festival moved.

Date: Sat, 30 Apr 2011 20:30:37 +1000

From: Ian Whitchurch <ian.whitchurch at gmail.com>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Vehicles on site

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

All Festival sites have issues.

Wilton was too small.

Tara was used occasionally.

Crossroads had dust, and air-braking trucks.

Peats Ridge has quad bikes, and others that share the site.

Any site we choose will have issues.

Anton

Date: Sun, 1 May 2011 13:39:28 +1000

From: Cat Colwell <eslyssa at gmail.com>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Minority of one...

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

On 1 May 2011 13:23, <masterwolf at optusnet.com.au> wrote:

<<< No not the only one - I like crossroads

I would like it more after a bit of regular rain - but it was a site with a

lot of potential

Luan >>>

Oh, I'm certain that Del is not the only one.

I only experienced 2 Festivals at Crossroads (each with a trip to hospital

for dust exacerbated breathing problems), and even so I would have probably

kept attending a Festival held at Crossroads, likely to the annoyance of the

Chirurgeons.

But I'm not sure I would have been ambitious enough to *Steward* one where

each of the trips to site and back took 3 hours. Yes, I do realise that 3

hours is nothing to the marathon drives by many attendees, but doing it

multiple times and still having enough energy and patience to *run* Festival

at the end of it is a level of sanity that I both wonder at and applaud in

the past Crossroads Festival Stewards.

(...I can't deny that Crossroads seemed a site with a lot of potential. But

many who were attendees at all the Crossroads based Festivals have suggested

to me that it had much of the same unfulfilled potential at the end of our

time there as it did at the beginning. Your experience may differ.)

As for whether Rowany should renew its contract with Glenworth, or look

elsewhere, or even back to Crossroads - I am sure will be a topic of great

discussion within the Rowany Senate. But I must admit, I will find it very

hard to support a move that makes it even more difficult on those mad enough

to Steward such a massive event.

Regards

Ameline

no-longer-Festival-Steward

Date: Sun, 1 May 2011 14:17:44 +1000

From: Irina Lubomirska <ilubomirska at gmail.com>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Minority of one...

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

On 1 May 2011 13:39, Cat Colwell <eslyssa at gmail.com> wrote:

<<< But I must admit, I will find it very hard to support a move that makes it even more difficult on those mad enough to Steward such a massive event. >>>

That seems like a very important consideration - if a site is inconvenient

for stewards, either the event doesn't happen, will be run badly or will

result in only a few people being willing to steward, risking their burnout.

Personally, I've only ever been to two festivals - both at Glenworth, so

have nothing to compare it to. But I like how green and beautiful the site

is and the atmosphere it creates. I like the fact that it is not sub-zero

temperatures at night. And that you can't see street lights, major roads and

other such distractions.

I'm not much bothered by the humidity, but I don't like how wet/muddy/flood

prone it is (our campsite had to be moved as the original site was under

water). Or the length of the drive from Melbourne. Or that it gets dark

pretty early. Or the road in/out.

And frankly, if I don't like it, I can either suck it up or not go to

Festival. Its my choice. It is not the job of the stewards to meet my every

like.

There will *always* be something something, someone will dislike about any

site. People with dust-related breathing problems will probably prefer the

flood-prone Glenworth to the dusty Crossroads any day. People who can't bear

the humidity will prefer the opposite.

Unless people can propose a solution to problems, without creating more

problems, there's no point whingeing.

Alliette

Date: Sun, 1 May 2011 18:21:56 +1000

From: Paul Sleigh <bat at flurf.net>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Minority of one... (plus one)

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

Ameline the Confused

> ...who was hospitalised because of the "irritation" of dust at Crossroads

I was rather vocally in favour of ditching the Crossroads site after

five years of dust, hills and fire bans, and I'm glad the Senate

managed to find possibly the best available site in all of NSW. That

said, the closest any of my family came to hospitalization was when my

twit of a daughter decided to spend a day without any food or drink

and played in the enormous mud puddles. Result: hypothermia and blood

sugar crashes all over the place, and she's lucky we had friends in

the Agaricus site who knew better than I did what to do about it.

There were deal-breakers about all the sites except, in hindsight,

Tara. Fairholme Park had the simple problem that we weren't allowed

to use it -- it was a rented farm, and we couldn't keep accommodating

a thousand campers without repercussions. Crossroads had the dust and

the distance (though it was quite convenient for Politarchopolans) and

the eternal fireban that did immense damage to the ambiance of

Festival. Glenworth Valley has the rampaging mundanes (who weren't

that bad the two years I saw them, but may have gotten worse) plus the

whole flood-plain-with-only-one-exit problem that might never matter

but might one day cause fatalities. The funny thing is that we (well,

the Senate at the time) ditched Tara because they'd broken the

contract of exclusivity, and nearly a decade later we have even worse

problems with mundanes and fewer options.

So if I had a time machine, I'd pop back to 2001 and convince Rowany

to put up with the girl guides and stay at Tara. At the time, of

course, I was gung ho about the possibilities of Crossroads, and very

much in favour of ditching Tara, so if I had that time machine I'd

have to convince myself first.

All of which is to say: hindsight is 20:20, and no site is perfect.

My personal opinion is that I strongly dislike Glenworth Valley but I

*hated* the Crossroads site, and if the choice were between those two,

I'd pick Suthmoot.

This opinion has been provided free of charge. Two cents worth would

be way overpriced.

: Bat :

Date: Mon, 2 May 2011 03:30:20 +1000

From: Corinna <umbra at iinet.net.au>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] other locations

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

To be fair, Glenworth Valley doesn't give us the site to ourselves either - just a small part of it.

Of the three sites I've been at (Tara, Crossroads and Glenworth) I liked Crossroads the least because of the ferocious winds (our household was on the ridge) which pretty much made our period tent unusable and festival very uncomfortable. Tara had the advantage of being easy to access with no real likelihood of getting flooded out. Glenworth has the atmosphere - misty/foggy evenings with campfires enhance the medieval feel.

Elysant

Date: Mon, 2 May 2011 03:42:15 +0000

From: Melinda Elliott <mel_elliott100 at hotmail.com>

Subject: [Lochac] Stuff about Festival site

To: <lochac at lochac.sca.org>

Some facts about Festival site:

Glenworth Valley has a number of areas that we would be able to use to run Festival, not just the spot that we currently use. The original Festival site was further down the valley. It is gorgeous. It's really isolated, and there would be no passing traffic of any kind. No quad bikes, kayakers, etc. It's roomy. There's a fair bit more space than we currently use.

But...

The road to get there is terrible. It's over 4 kilometres of winding, narrow, muddy trail. You think the access to the current site is dodgy? You ain't seen nothing. When Gillian and I ran the first Glenworth Festival, we knew it was going to be problematic. But the real kicker was that the original site was much more of a sinkhole than the current site. We made the strategic decision to move Festival to the current spot when it became apparent that there was only about 1 acre of ground that wasn't ankle deep. This was 2 weeks before Festival 2008. We have stayed at the "contingency site" ever since. The other areas that were offered for our use were: too small; no better in terms of standing water and access; or were right up the top of the valley, well within sight of the public. I think we made the best choice available to us at the time. That is not to say that another area within Glenworth could be investigated for future Festivals. We had not been told that our site was also used for the kayaks and the quad bikes when we chose it...

Rowany is not "locked in" to a contract with Glenworth Valley. I believe that the agreement made with them is fairly informal, and we have made no commitment to them. If you have a better idea for Festival site, then please, let the Rowany Senate know! Don?t just say ?Oh, it should be here? - do a little bit of research, find out the cost, any pros and cons of the site, etc. Cataract Scout park may well be worth considering. Are there others like this? Unfortunately, Tara has been sold and is no longer an option. There are relatively few provisos for a Festival site, but these can be hard to meet: it must be in NSW, and the closer to Sydney, the better. It is still Rowany Festival, after all!* It has to be big enough, they have to allow us to erect marquees, toilet blocks, have archery, and so on. It's highly unlikely that the Senate will consider a new Festival site for 2012, but it may be considered for 2013 or beyond.

When it comes down to it, the only way that you can make Festival more to your liking is to volunteer for something. Don't like the way the campsite is laid out? Volunteer to be the campsite coordinator. Want more control over who enters the site and how? Volunteer to run the Gate. Have serious issues with the way Festival is run? Volunteer to run it yourself. The SCA is not a spectator sport. You get out what you put in, and the more effort put in by more participants, the better it will be for everyone. Solutions are always a better thing to bring to the table than problems.

Hunydd

* I was not involved in the process at the time, but I believe that the Kingdom was offered the opportunity to take over the management of Festival, and was either unwilling or unable to do so. The other reason that NSW is going to be a... more fair... place to hold this event is that it is sort of central. A bit. Yes, a very small bit if you are coming from Tassie or Perth, this is true.

Date: Tue, 3 May 2011 08:34:52 +1000

From: "Sideshow Mel" <melinahall at optusnet.com.au>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Ow

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

The NEWCASTLE airport is about an hour away from Glenworth Valley. I know this because every year Draco flies down while I drive, & I pick him up. A shuttle or pick up offer from NEWCASTLE airport could be much easier. [than Sydney]

Asa

Date: Tue, 3 May 2011 09:14:01 +1000

From: Irina Lubomirska <ilubomirska at gmail.com>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Ow

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

On 3 May 2011 08:48, Zebee Johnstone <zebeej at gmail.com> wrote:

<<< I had no idea people used that (Newcastle airport], learn something every day! Which airlines fly into Newcastle, is this likely to be a viable option for enough people to make a shuttle worthwhile? >>>

Virgin Blue, Jetstar, Qantas. Tiger doesn't. Don't know re any regional

airlines.

Date: Tue, 3 May 2011 09:19:31 +1000

From: Alonya Mazoyer <submarinechick at gmail.com>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Ow

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

Newcastle airport would be a great idea for those who are flying

domestically. Not so if you are an international.

I was one of the people assigned to be a shuttle for those arriving at

Gosford train station as it was something that was physically possible for

me to do this year being so soon after surgery.

For those who have not utilised the shuttle service from Gosford before, it

is a great way to get to site.

Gosford is about 20-30 minutes from site, and has a fantastic little

shopping centre for all your last minute needs.

The shuttle service is provided mainly by the kind residents of Rowany but

other baronies and shires as help out as well and is essentially a volunteer

service. If you are flying in a day or 2 before, let the stewards know as

there are people who do multiple trips from site to the city again and could

potentially collect you from the airport and transport you to site for the

cost of airport parking, which is cheaper than getting the train from either

airport.

Another thing you can do to make your travels easier is if you are from a

far flung group and there is a person who is crazy enough to drive your gear

to site, put cash into the petrol fund, provide some nibblies for the

driver/s and travel with less equipment. I know a few people who do this

and then help out to unpack the vehicles or pack up as required. It works a

treat and those who are travelling by air are not so encumbered by stupid

amounts luggage. As a regular traveler with stupid amounts of luggage, I

speak from experience.

Glenworth Valley is not the easiest to get to but there are things that the

stewards, various attendees and you can do to make your travels easier and

smoother. Please, please, please let the stewards know well in advance as

they can do anything within reason as long as they have the information and

enough notice. If left to the last minute there is the risk of being left

out.

Juliana

Date: Tue, 3 May 2011 09:26:17 +1000

From: "Sideshow Mel" <melinahall at optusnet.com.au>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Ow

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

Well a person could fly into Sydney from anywhere, then get a flight from

Sydney to Newcastle, & get picked up from there. I reckon it's actually

easier to get from Glenworth Valley to Newcastle Airport than Gosford Train

station. I've picked up people from both, & the airport doesn't need complex

inner CBD navigation.

In my experience, I have always picked up people travelling from Brisbane,

so one short flight or a direct train trip Bris - Gos.

Qantas, Virgin & Jetstar all fly into Newcastle. I can't say where FROM, as

we've only ever flown BRIS - NEW.

I can't comment on the rest of Silfren's questions, as I will always, always

drive to Festival, so I can ensure I have the infrastructure I need.

Asa

Date: Tue, 3 May 2011 09:31:37 +1000

From: Georgia Winter <winter.georgia at gmail.com>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Ow

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

Virgin doesn't fly Sydney-Newcastle, only to/from Brisbane, Gold Coast and Melbourne.

Qantas the same. And jetstar.

I suspect that is why people don't fly there from other places ;-)

Honore

Date: Tue, 3 May 2011 10:03:52 +1000

From: John Colwell <milesdecolwell at gmail.com>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Hiring Tents for Festival

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

It's probably worth pointing out that there is now year round storage

at festival, for a reasonable fee, and has been for several years. I

think its $20sqm but don't quote me.

The northern duchies liked it sooo much they added a second shipping container.

If your big cook/eating tent for your household is going to be paid

off in two/three years then you only really need the extra expense to

get it to festival once.

This is something we tried to get done for 5 years at Crossroads and

couldn't. At Glenworth it took two years.

Miles de Colwell

Date: Tue, 3 May 2011 12:34:51 +1200

From: David Robb <ender at paradise.gen.nz>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Ow

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

On Tue, 03 May 2011 10:48:23 Zebee Johnstone wrote:

<<< I suspect most people who fly in to Sydney would prefer a shuttle from

the airport to negotiating the train system from Mascot to Central

then to Gosford, is there anyone who has done the train thing and can

they share what it was like? >>>

All of us travelling from Ildhafn this year caught the train from the airport

to site. It was easy and relatively comfortable on the way to site, and easy

but less comfortable on the way back because the train was already pretty full

of people travelling to the Easter show by the time it arrived at Gosford.

I'd also like to say big thanks to Don Loyola and Miles de Colwell for

providing a very welcome shuttle service to and from site from Gosford

station!

If you are going to travel by train, limit the number of bags you're trying to

wheel/carry/drag. More than 2 per person is a pain to load and unload from the

trains, and the carriages aren't really set up for people with large bags.

I'll certainly plan on catching the train again next time.

--William

Date: Tue, 3 May 2011 10:49:56 +1000

From: Braddon Giles <braddongiles at gmail.com>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Ow

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

On 3 May 2011 09:26, Sideshow Mel <melinahall at optusnet.com.au> wrote:

<<< Well a person could fly into Sydney from anywhere, then get a flight from

Sydney to Newcastle, & get picked up from there. I reckon it's actually

easier to get from Glenworth Valley to Newcastle Airport than Gosford Train

station. I've picked up people from both, & the airport doesn't need complex

inner CBD navigation. >>>

The train from Sydney airport to Gosford station requires one change

at Central. That is easy if you are used to public transport and have

a little foresight, or a complete nightmare if not. Not everyone is

used to public transport. No blame or judgement here - this is about

horses for courses. The train to Gosford is great, if you can do that.

The flight to Newcastle is great as well, in a different way. You

choose. This year I drove from Festival to pick up Maud from Sydney

Domestic terminal at 9.30pm - if it was during the day she would have

caught the train to Gosford.

I prefer the pick up at Gosford station over Nexcastle airport, but I

fully understand where Asa is coming from.

I have travelled to Festival from both within the Central Axis and

from distance. I have always found the Festival Stewards to be

understanding and cooperative to my transport needs. But I know that

we have a relatively large logistic effort, so we arrive early and

leave late, and that way we are not causing any problems and no one is

in our way. I don't know if it would still be kisses all round if I

drove a big truck from Queensland onto site at, say, Friday midday, so

we don't do it.

The dates and times for Festival aren't a secret. The road down isn't

a secret. The stewards have a great reputation for assisting and

guiding people who travel from a distance, and also for legitimately

denying access to vehicles when that would diminish the overall

experience for the rest of the players.

If you drive onto site on Friday then you are carrying your stuff from

the carpark. If you have an emergency then a car on site is the sign

that our courtesy and chivalry is winning, which *enhances* our game.

More power to the stewards.

Giles.

Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 09:33:17 +1000

From: "JTStewart" <jtstewart at westnet.com.au>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Hiring Tents for Festival

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

Moving Festival to Crossroads helped increase the numbers attending. I

believe that the numbers attending Festival at Tara had just broken the

1,000 barrier before the move. Except for a drop to 800 odd on the first

year at Crossroads the numbers stayed over 1,000 each year. However the

numbers attending festival plummeted from well over 1,000 to around 600 for

the first 3 festivals at Glenworth. I haven't heard what the numbers were

for this year but I would be surprised if over 1,000 turned up even with the

Crown event there. For whatever reasons since the Rowany Festival was moved

to Glenworth people have not been going to Festival in the numbers that they

had in the past. In some ways I have found the smaller festival more

enjoyable than when it was larger.

As to atmosphere that is a very subjective thing. I preferred the Crossroads

site with its more interesting terrain, fewer bogs, no leeches and cleaner

air. YMMV

As to injuries I have no idea and it would be interesting to see actual

numbers on reported injuries for all festivals.

Contrary to certain opinions Festival did not make Crossroads any more

commercially viable than it was before Festival turned up. My personal

opinion is that Festival went to Crossroads too early and a couple more

years of preparations would have had the site organised better. In matter of

fact festival was a huge distraction from the goals of Crossroads. Again

YMMV.

John of the Hills

(Also a Crossroads member)

Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 10:49:16 +1000

From: Somhairle Mac Nicail <sorle.sca at gmail.com>

Subject: Re: [Lochac] Hiring Tents for Festival

To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"

On Wed, May 4, 2011 at 9:33 AM, JTStewart <jtstewart at westnet.com.au> wrote:

<<< I haven't heard what the numbers were for this year but I would be

surprised if over 1,000 turned up even with the Crown event there. >>>

Be surprised. My estimate (from my position of Head Troll with access

to the booking numbers and signed waivers) is that 1000+ people who

came to Festival this year. This is a rough personal estimate. Formal

numbers have not been finalised.

Sorle

Booking Officer and Head Troll

Rowany Festival 2011

Somhairle Mac Nicail: Lochac Historian, Shambles List Boss, etc.

Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 20:01:04 +1000

From: Catherine Connor <paladin_c55 at hotmail.com>

Subject: [Lochac] Wonderful Spirit!

To: The Shambles <lochac at lochac.sca.org>

I would like to put on my Miss Mary Sunshine hat here for a bit and share some happy observations about Rowany Festival.

After (nearly) a week living in our version of the Middle Ages, where things are oh so much nicer than the real Middle Ages, we had lots of practice being polite and nice and courteous. This stood people in very good stead on that last Tuesday, when we were packing up in the rain, and driving cars through the mud, and dealing with wet feet, wet clothes, and tired to the bones!

I walked all through the encampment in bare feet with my umbrella, on a couple of errands. I gave out a few necessary hugs, but all in all everyone was wonderful. There were smiles and cooperation and all was good! Some people had a bit of bother driving their cars out in the mud, so some helped drive and some helped push. People helped their neighbours when needed.

In all this post Festival blah, please remember that the SCA is about a wonderful spirit that we share. It has been with us from the beginning, and hopefully will continue. I refuse to get jaded or turned off, even at my advanced age.

To all my wonderful, wacky and creative friends out there- BIG HUGS!!!

Now be nice, or I shall have to get stern.

Catherine of Glastonbury