Your First Event

Are you or someone you know going to your first SCA event? Give a friend a hand with these quick resources...

What to Wear

Every attendee is required to make an attempt at wearing pre-1600 clothing. This can be as simple or as elaborate as you want or are able.

The first time or two, ask a friend if you can borrow clothes. Also ask if the event will have Gold Key available. This is a service that loans out costumes for the day. Some of the bigger events will have a Gold Key pavilion near the gate.

The Clothing section has very handy links with tips and tutorials for making your first "garb" (aka historical costume).

Accessories can complete the look be practical. Drawstring bags can be made by anyone with basic sewing skills, and you can hide away all your modern necessities like car keys and cell phones. Women tended to cover their hair in European countries during our period, so throw on a rectangle of fabric for a veil.

You will see some people in very basic tunics and other people in embroidered and bejeweled costumes. The people in the fancy garb aren't necessarily royalty or even more experienced in the SCA -- they just like fancy clothes! The only real indication of royalty is crowns. The Field Guide to Crowns and Coronets of the Knowne World can help you identify which crown is from what kingdom or principality.

What to Bring

If you're going to a camping event, you'll need a lot of gear! Try to camp with some friends who are already in the SCA for your first overnight event. Also check out the Camping page for tips about camping in the West.

For an outdoor event, at a minimum, you will probably want to bring your own feast gear, some food and drink, and something to sit on. "Feast gear" means a plate, cup, knife, spoon, and cloth napkin in a medieval style. Shop at thrift stores for a while, and you can find inexpensive plates and cups in wood, ceramics, or metal; utensils with a less-modern styles; and plenty of cloth napkins. Put these in a basket or plain fabric sack along with a rustic meal like bread, cheese, sausage, and fruit, plus a bottle of water.

A blanket can be sufficient to sit on, but for events like arts & science classes or court, you'll need a chair. Look for simple wooden folding chairs at Ikea, Cost Plus World Market, or Target in the outdoor living sections. These types of chairs can often be found for about $30 or less and, while not totally period, will fit in far better than modern camping chairs.

If you're going to a feast, you'll need to bring feast gear (which may include a bowl if a soup course is being served). At some sites, attendees may bring a bottle of wine or cider to accompany the meal, but check with the autocrat first.

How to Act

Be polite, of course. But don't be too afraid about screwing up, particularly about not knowing who is a bigwig and who isn't. Just treat everyone respectfully. Call people "m'lord" and "m'lady" and you'll be fine.

Introduce yourself. And keep doing it for the first few events (or even the first year or two!). This can also be an entry into getting someone to repeat their name so you can remember it.

Ask questions. Find a good moment when you're not interrupting the action (such as during court or a tourney), and ask the person who looks like they know what's going on if they could tell you what's going on. If that person doesn't have the time, hopefully someone else nearby will.

Compliment people. If you see a costume you admire or an A&S display that's great or a pavilion you admire, tell the person who made it. This can be a good conversation starter.

Don't over-do it. Know your own limits, whether this has to do with time out in the sun, amount to drink, being in crowds, going without sleep, or whatever normally tests you in the mundane world. Because you don't want your first few SCA events to run you ragged! Pace yourself so you can enjoy the experience.

Resources

An Inquisitive Monkey at West Kingdom Court -- Follow little George as he finds out how to be a proper gentlemonkey at his first Western event.

An Unofficial Glossary of Terms as Used in the SCA -- You don't need to know every single one, but this is good to peruse so you know what "the Eric" and other Westernisms mean.