March 29, 2025
Come celebrate Ostara with the Mighty Barony of Dragon’s Laire! Tournaments! Youth & family activities! Potluck! Arts/sciences project area! In Anglo-Saxon times, Ostara was the celebration of the Spring Equinox. The theme for this event is 7th-century Anglo-Saxon.
Activities include a Dragon Egg rescue tournament for both Heavy and Rapier, classes, a Dragon Egg decorating competition, a Dragon Egg hunt and games, and a project area for those wishing to work on arts and sciences. A Barbeque of meats (provided by the Barony) with potluck side dishes is also planned.
Our esteemed event steward is Adelheide Leeuwin .
See this event on the Kingdom calendar (link).
Where, when, and how much?
Where: Community Building in Island Lake County Park, 1087 NW Island Lake Rd, Poulsbo, WA 98370
When: March 29, 2025 – 10am to 9pm
Cost: Adult non-members $25, Adult SCA members $15, Youth 17 and under FREE
– For more information about paid SCA membership: https://www.sca.org/join-us/
Pre-registration is OPEN through March 15th (link to form) — this is to get a head count so we can prepare! And you can find the potluck dish sign-up here.
Schedule (preliminary)
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 8:00 pm – 10:00 pm (Friday) | Friday night Site setup |
| 9:00 am (Saturday) | Site Opens to the Event crew |
| 10:00 am | Site Opens to the General Populace |
| 11:00 am | ” Dragon egg ” painting Board games begin |
| 12:00 pm | ” Dragon egg” hunt |
| 2:00 pm | Youth Armored Combat |
| 4:00 pm | BBQ potluck (start time is subject to change) |
| 8:00 pm | Clean-up |
| 9:00 pm | Site Closes |
Activities
Youth & Family Activities
Dragon Egg hunt: What young person doesn’t love a spring egg hunt?
Dragon Egg decorating competition: Unlike chicken eggs, dragon eggs are made of wood — paint them during the event and take them home as a keepsake.
Kids’ fashion show (time TBA): Come join us for a costume parade, in the spirit of a medieval mummer’s parade! Bring noise makers and dress-up clothes! We will have a costume contest for kids and adults! Everyone who is a kid at heart is welcome to come get silly with us. Volunteers requested to help judge!
Youth Armored Combat: There will be pick-up fights and, hopefully (if we have enough participants) a tournament. Perhaps even group combat? Loaner gear will be available for youth (ages 6–17) who want to try this out for the first time. A parent or guardian must be present when your youth is fighting.
Is this your first time attending an SCA event with a minor (ages 17 and under)? Please fill out a waiver in advance and bring/send it with your child or teen! Click here for more information, or a get a direct link to the form.
Board games for all ages
A games round-robin tourney! Several games of different strategic difficulty, all easy to learn, with options suitable for all ages (young to old). The luck-based race Game of Ur. The three-in-a-row strategy game, Nine Men’s Morris. The deep strategy game of Hnefetafl, where opponents have different goals and therefore need different strategies. The Game of Goose and Mancala for the strategically challenged. And chess and checkers, of course!
Arts & Sciences project area
There will be open space for you to bring any medieval-themed arts, crafts, and science projects that you are working on. Interested in classes? Check out our Arts & Sciences Day Camp just the week before (March 22nd).
Food & Drink
Bring your own lunch
Please pack a picnic! There is a microwave available if you want to reheat your food. Hot water and the Baronial hospitality stuff (a selection of teas, etc.) will be available.
Potluck Dinner
Barbequed meat will be provided by the Barony and prepared by our most excellent, dynamic, BBQ duo: Thangbrandr Sløngvandbaugi and Hans “Moose” Dalheim
. The Barony will also provide water and lemonade.
Elisabeth de Rossignol will coordinate the potluck (for side dishes, desserts, etc.) — here’s the sign-up sheet. Please label your potluck dish with the ingredients, so that people with food intolerances / allergies can make informed choices. And bring a serving utensil! As with all SCA food events, remember to bring your own “feast kit” (plate, bowl, cup, and utensils).
We strongly urge you to consider potluck dishes that are safe to serve at room temperature. (If you’re unsure, please just ask Countess E.) Facilities to warm up food or keep it cold, and space for coolers and crock pots, will be very limited. The site has table and chairs, a countertop with a sink, a fridge, and a microwave. There are not many outlets around the room. The room is a comfortable size but not overly large.
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 an event like this, 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 — click the link to email the Chatelaine, Aoife Aileanach .
If you plan to join the meal, you should also bring a “feast kit” and your potluck offering. A feast kit is simply 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!
Please label your potluck dish with ingredients, so that people with food allergies & intolerances can make informed choices. And remember to bring a serving utensil! Where the potluck is scheduled for the evening of an all-day event, most people will also pack a picnic lunch and some beverages for the daytime.
There will also be Arts & Sciences and Bardic activities. Watch, join a class, or bring a craft and participate! Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself, let people know you’re new, and ask questions.
Finally, this event has martial activities (fighting) — everybody can watch, and bring your fighting equipment if you want to participate. For informal practices, you can ask the Marshal in charge (link: more about the Marshallate) to bring loaner gear for you to try things out. For tournaments and wars, we ask fighters to be pre-authorized in advance (to prove you understand the safety requirements and rules of engagement). Pre-authorization is typically done during the regular local fighter practices.