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Festival Report AS XLVII (2013)

Submitted by Christine Bess ... on April 5, 2013 - 3:46pm

Rowany Festival AS XLVII

Rowany Festival AS XLVII was held from Thursday 28th March 2013 to Tuesday 2nd April at Glenworth Valley near Gosford, NSW, Australia this Easter. There were five of us this year from the Cresent Isles that made the journey 'across the ditch' to Terra Rosa...

We all were hosted in style in our respective campsites, old friendships were strengthened, and new friendships were forged amongst the populous there setting the scene for six glorious days in the ever changable Valley weather. <--break->

I would like to take the opportunity at this stage to thank the Northern Reaches campsite that not only invited me over but had set up and provided, a tent, towels, airbed, bedding, feast gear, a porta loo, shower and amazing food and atmosphere...not to mention the gumboots... to make my festival experience the best it could ever have been. Thank you to my new friends as it truly re-enforced the idea spirit of why we do what we do and why we do it, and they have been extended full hospitality back as is only fitting. 

The Festival itself saw a wide and varied timetable of fighting, A and S, impromptude courts and scheduled ones. The A and S had around 80 classes/activites on offer and there were more war scenarios/tournaments/classes for heavy and rapier that you could point a sword at.

I had never been to this site, and while I know different people have different opinions on it, The list fields were well laid out, the tavern and village green well used. The tavern and Village Green saw an injection of new life this year - and we would like to thank all those who made this work - the tavern crew and the organisers and participants in the Lochac Olympics.

It just so happened that Mistress Antonia's tent was positioned accross from the Rapier field, and so I divided most of my time happily between learning about period painting and fighting. Antonia had been inspired by Master Yanof's 'creative making stuff' area at Canterbury Faire, and thought that she would create a space like this at festival where she could practice period techniques and anyone that was interested could come and watch/learn/create themselves. 

Rapier was alive and well, and the Sunday saw Don Emrys take his Guildmasters prize, which was hard won and well fought. The Guild were lovely to get to know and we had the testing of a new weapon in one of the tournaments, which threw a few people - but in a good way. 

Court was excellent - we had several Knightings and a Pelican ceremony and some lovely awards given to those that truly deserved them, the pagentry was fantastic as always, and we had fine weather through most of the event's days, keeping us comfortable during these times. 

There were a few sadnesses on site - Shawn's tent catching alight due to an unattended candle, and an unusually big King tide which caused flooding on the opposite side of the Swamp. These two things were regrettable incidences, but thanks to the quick thinking and generous help of the populous, these two matters were delt with quickly and with a cool head.

Singing was also alive and well, and we managed to have  a great en masse session on one of the nights as well as a few wonderful classes run by Mistress Bethan, and I was very gratefull to the few dancing lessons I had been to up In Ildhafn when I was dragged into the ball straight after one of these sessions!

The last night witht he Boar's head Theatre was a pot luck of wonderful performances kicked off with the charmingly wonderful puppet show that had a very famililar theme....reading personal adds in the local rag leading to....a pina colada anyone??...It truly was a very entertaining evening. 

I would thoroughly recommend travelling to festival - especially with  the new site - as I understand that there will be bunks and other facilitites on site that will make people that already do not have connections/don't wish to impose on a particular household to wayfare. 

See you all there next year!

Christine.

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