[Glaslyn] North Texas Irish Festival

[Steppes Seneschal]

North Texas Irish Festival, what a great place for us to show off.  It
consistently has been one of the best public exhibitions of our little
hobby.  As a matter of fact, our group won the trophy for BEST
CULTURAL DISPLAY a couple of years ago.  In a day and age where
writing a letter to a friend has been replaced with an email,
demonstrating calligraphy for scrolls and painted achievements has a
huge impact.  We see this stuff daily, whereas most people see
calligraphy only on wedding invitations, and much of that is done by a
machine.

Granted, many of my skills would not be "allowed" there for various
reasons (Brewing – TABC and Dallas would freak, and Tanning hides –
the people eating around the area would freak), luckily my activities
are the exception and not the rule.  Weaving and spinning are always a
big draw as are the costumes.   After seeing the map today, we
definitely have that large open area to fight in.  If the numbers for
heavy practice stay as high as they have been, then it would be short
sighted to not relocate the fun to Fair Park for the day.  Let's not
forget the light weapons fighting in this.  Show the public why you
wear the white or red scarf on your arm, it's because you're good with
a blade, fast, sure footed and focused.  Few in the modern world could
consistently hit a swinging tennis ball with a thin steel blade.  The
archers are not to be left out of this, we might not be allowed to
shoot, but we could bring some toys to show off.  I shudder to think
that many people actually think that the odd mechanism used in the
movie "Van Helsing" was a working crossbow.  And, I'll bet you a penny
that the average Joe does not realize that the last name Fletcher, is
actually from the trade of making and fletching arrows.   I don't
think the feather-burning jig would be welcome, at least its smell,
but the rest of the fletching process would be, plus you might end up
with a few dozen more arrows, or bolts, than you had the day before.

Let's see. I have now picked on the calligraphers, the weavers, the
costumers, the heavy fighters, the light fighters, the archers, the
bowyers and the fletchers. Who did I leave out? Of course the
herbalists!  I even have some home grown dried hops to contribute to
the demo!  Granted, that is all that I have, so we will need some true
herbalists to set up this display.

My point is simple, this is our time to shine.  Don't show up because
you feel you must, show up because you truly enjoy your craft, and see
the benefit in bringing others 'to the light'.

-- 
Jon Rolfsson
Steppes Seneschal