[Western] Great Regional Demo Op!

[jlusk at crcom.net]

Greetings, good gentles of the Western Region!

Please circle your calendars on the dates of April 16 & 17.  Those are the 
dates of the 2nd annual West Texas CeltFest, and we've all been invited to 
participate this year.  Lady Almaith of Trelac and I have volunteered to help 
coordinate.

This is an excellent opportunity for our artisans to exhibit and demonstrate 
their skills, and for our fighters to show their prowess at a martial art 
perhaps not well known in the mundane world. 

If any of you have ever been to the Texas Scottish Festival and Highland Games 
in Arlington each summer, Elfsea presents a great SCA demo there.  We'd like 
to try for a mini-version of that demo.  There are period pavilions set up, 
artisans demonstrating the likes of weaving, spinning, embroidery, and charter 
painting, fighters heavy and light take to the list field at different times 
during the day, and the "Early Scotland" area is busy all day every day of the 
Games. 

This is just in the planning stage for the CeltFest, but the Board in charge 
of that event are very excited to have us come and "show off."  They just need 
to know how much room we'll need, and they'll provide it.  We'll be considered 
CeltFest volunteers, so there is no charge for us in garb to (wo)man the 
demo.  

Right off hand, I envision 2 or 3 period pavilions, a list field, lots of 
banners and color, all of us in our best garb, and everyone having a great 
time.  I hope most of you can come and enjoy and perhaps help the SCA grow in 
West Texas.  

Oh yes, don't let the title of CeltFest think that excludes your persona.  
I've bragged about our wonderful Middle Eastern dancers, and our brave 
Japanese and Chinese folks, and we're all welcome.  In fact, if the dancers 
and bards would like mention in the CeltFest's daily program, that can be 
done. 

Last year the Fest was held at Odessa College.  It may be there again this 
year, or perhaps at UTPB, the site hasn't been finalized yet.  The area will 
be fenced and security is already hired, so our possessions should be safe.  

So, please consider this as a fun weekend to show off what we do and how we do 
it.  Fighters, you can also consider it practice for Bonwicke's event the next 
weekend!  

If you have any questions or suggestions, please send them to me or Lady 
Almaith.  The CeltFest Board has several more meetings planned, so your 
questions and ideas can be presented to them in plenty of time.

Thanks for your help!  This can be fun.

Your friend,
Lady Elewys
BTW:  The CeltFest itself is great fun.  They'll have Celtic-themed vendors, 
food booths, Highland games (including the Scottish Hammer Throw 
Championships), Rugby, and many, many musical entertainers and dancers, and a 
costumed-doggie contest, and more.  It's a fun weekend.