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Events, Gatherings and Socializing
 Events
Throughout the "Knowne Worlde" (US, Canada, Europe, Australia &
the South Pacific), there are events and happenings nearly every
weekend. An event is where we gather to engage in our various pursuits in
the SCA... To fight in a tournament or war, to show off our latest
creations, to take or teach classes, etc, etc. At camping events, we'll entertain guests in our encampments;
and at larger events we'll catch up with friends from far away
Demos
Fairly frequently we will do a presentation for the general public,
known as a "demo." We do educational demos for schools and scouting groups;
recruiting at public fairs, sometimes in shopping malls or at community
sponsored cultural events, like a First Night celebration or a "Toys for Tots" event.
Shopping & Merchanting
People have been trading, buying and selling goods and services
for thousands of years. In the SCA there's a healthy market for
many kinds of goods and services. Many events feature a market where
you can find a shiny new helmet, clothes to wear at events, raw
materials for special projects, books, art, antiquities... The quality
of items you'll find will vary from bric-a-brac to the works of
master craftsmen.
At larger events merchants have been known to occupy a whole field,
or an entire gymnasium. Most SCA merchanting at events is not ad-hoc.
There is usually a merchant coordinator who will collect small fees for
spaces, ensure that there is enough space for all the merchants,
and be otherwise generally helpful.
Camping
Many events last a single day or a few hours. Often though, in good
weather, we have events that last two or three days. Many people will "day
trip" while others will camp overnight. Though many SCAdians who camp out do so in regular nylon tents,
others will take their experience a step farther and do so in canvas Pavilions, Yurts, Wedges, and Marquee tents.
The overnight experience consists of campfires, storytelling,
and drums. Camping at an SCA event is hardly "roughing it". Many
people bring entire (portable) kitchens and beds and many sites
have cabins and showers!
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