Candlemas 2025

Barony of Dragon’s Laire
&
Barony of Blatha An Oir

Their Excellencies Dragon’s Laire and Blatha An Oir invite you to join us for camaraderie and feasting, as we celebrate a joint Candlemas in the borderlands on February 1st, 2025.

Our event Steward is Jessy Gateman . The theme for this year will be the Danish concept of hygge (pronounced who-ga)–the atmosphere of warmth and enjoying the good things in life with good people.

We look forward to seeing you!

Also:
Kingdom calendar link: https://antir.org/events/candlemas-28/
Facebook event link: https://www.facebook.com/events/306651379104558

Volunteers needed!

Volunteers are always needed as many hands make light work.

We encourage our newer members to step out of their comfort zone and lend a hand. It’s a great way to meet new people and get your name out there.

If you wish to help please reach out the event steward, Jessy “Jess” Gateman (jessy.gateman@gmail.com) with what you’d like to do.

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Arts & Sciences Activities

Games:
There will be hosted games in the morning in the Whitmore Room and unhosted Chess in the afternoon.

Classes: There will be classes on food preservation, common arrow types used in the medieval period, a hands-on Norse hood class, and dancing. See the schedule (below).

Bardic Activities:
Have a poem or song you wish to perform? Perhaps playing music is more your thing? Join other bards on stage throughout the day for an open bardic circle. Or join the Quick Quire and sing rounds and easy part songs from the SCA time period. Choir experience is welcome but not necessary. Come join us!

Terrific Trio Largess Derby:
Enjoy making largess? This is the event for you. Make three similar items to be donated to largesse. One item will go to each Barony, and the third will go to another participant. The winner will be determined by populace vote, and the winner will be given the first choice of item. (What is largesse? Click here to learn more.)

Dragon’s Laire Scholars Meet & Greet
Ever wondered what the DL Scholars Programs is all about? Who we are and how to join us? We are having a Meet and Greet and wish to invite all and sundry to join us. We’d like to have Scholars speak briefly, a minute or two, on the projects they have done or wish to do in the future. Also, time permitting, a discussion of the future of the program.

Martial Activities

HL Poseidonis Lakon will be leading a round robin prize tourney. The number of rounds will be determined by the number of fighters present, and the final fight will be best out of five, with different weapon forms each time. He will be making the prize– which is sure to be amazing!

Crow Party

Who doesn’t like small shiny objects? Join us for our first ever Crow Party! Bring a handful of small treasures and trinkets to share with others. These could be shiny rocks, marbles, beads/charms, cool shells, old site tokens, etc. This is a great way to meet new people in a fun and low key setting.

Family Activities

There will be drop-in family activities for our younger attendees throughout the day in the main event space. The event site has an outdoor playground for children provided the weather is accommodating.

Lunch by donation

Italian Wedding Soup (also known as a type of Roman minestrone) done two ways–one with meatballs and one with mushrooms. A GF version can be made if needed, however, you need to message the team before the event.
Focaccia or sour dough bread
Crudite (veggies and fruit)

Feast Menu

Rowyn MacLost will be the feast steward for our evening meal. In keeping with our theme of hygge our feast steward, Rowan McLost, has come up with a menu of comfort foods from around the Knowne World.

First course:
Selection of sausage rolls and hand pies (UK)
Crudite and fruit

Second course:
Mini bento Boxes (Asian) with choice of protein, egg, rice, and veggies

Third course:
Roast beast (Norse)
Ratatouille (French)
Ful Mudammas (African/Egyptian) a flavorful fava bean stew
Bread and herbed Roman cheese dip/spread

Fourth course:
Persian ice cream
Crisp cookies
Remaining fruit
Bread and cheese

Beverages provided will be coffee, hot tea, cider, ice water, and lemonade.

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Schedule

The schedule for Candlemas is below — there may be last-minute changes, due to unforeseen circumstances. These will be announced on-site.

8:00am	Site opens early– ONLY for event staff, set up, and kitchen crews.
10:00am	Site opens for all attendees.
10:30am	Hosted Games in the Whitmore Room – by Lucy of Leke Open Bardic Circle with Karl inn Irski
11:00am	Class: “The Whey of Cheese: Food preservation and the uses of whey” by Gondul the Unwitty, in the Whitmore Room Family Activities in the main event space with Nikkipa Lakaina
noon	Lunch Crow Party
1:00pm	Class: “Period Dancing” by Mestari Rosa Marcella in the main event space. The dance selection will depend upon the number of participants and their skill level. Class: “English Military Arrows of the 14-16th Centuries” by Richard Westwood in the Whitmore Room. A discussion of new information, and some hands-on demonstrations, of crafting these arrows. Unhosted chess in the Whitmore Room
1:30pm	Armored Combat (heavy) Tourney outside near the play and picnic structures
2:00pm	Dragon’s Laire Scholars Meet & Greet in the Whitmore Room Quick Quire with Elizabeth Mead on the covered front porch. Come test your voice with a period song.
3:00pm	Class: “Norse Hoods” by Astridr Vilborgardóttir in the Whitmore Room. This will be a hands-on class limited to 10 students. Cost for supplies $10.
4:00pm	Activities end in preparation for court: family activities, chess, and open bardic circle
4:30pm	Court
6:00pm	Feast
8:00pm	Clean-up
9:00pm	Site closes

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About the Site’s Accessibility

The site has ample paved parking with limited accessible parking and concrete sidewalks. There is a ramp up to the front door. Inside, the main event space is located down a short flight of stairs. There is a single person wheelchair lift to allow chair users access to the main space. Restrooms have accessible stalls. If you have specific accessibility needs that are not covered here please reach out to the event steward, Jessy “Jess” Gateman (jessy.gateman@gmail.com) with your needs and we will do our best to accommodate them.

New to the SCA? A little bit about what to expect…

You can check in and pay your daily fee at any time the entry Gate is open. Once you’ve checked in at Gate, you will get a site token to pin on your clothing, and you can come and go for the day. People will arrive at different times throughout the day, depending upon their interests and schedule.

For this event, you should try to come in “garb” (an attempt at pre-1650 clothing). You can borrow garb from the Gold Key deputy of the Chatelaine’s office, either for Dragon’s Laire (Kitsap county people) or Blatha an Oir (Pierce county people). Contact emails below.

Dinner is provided if you attend the feast, but lunch is on your own. Many people will bring a picnic lunch or go off-site to purchase lunch nearby.

You will want to bring a “feast kit” — a cup, a plate, a bowl, a napkin, and eating utensils. Feel free to bring more things if you want to dress up your place at the table, but those are the essentials! This particular site requires us to use flameless (battery-operated) candles for decorating. Most feasts just serve water, and there’s usually a coffee and tea service throughout the day. Some people bring their favorite soda. If you are of legal age, this site does allow alcoholic beverages–in discreet containers. Feasts often have extra food at the end, so you can bring leftover containers if you want to take some home. Plastic wrap to fit over your feast plate is the simplest!

Finally, this event has Arts & Sciences activities and space for Fight Practice. We invite you to watch the presentations, watch fight practice and meet some of our fighters, or bring a craft and join a table of people working on their own projects! Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself, let people know you’re new, and ask questions.

Contact For More Information

Event Steward: Jessy “Jess” Gateman (jessy.gateman@gmail.com)
Chatelaine for Dragon’s Laire: DragonsLaire.Chatelaine@AnTir.org
Chatelaine for Blatha an Oir: BlathaanOir.Chatelaine@antir.org
Arts and Sciences Minister: DragonsLaire.ArtNSci@AnTir.org