History isn’t just something in a boring book. It’s how we got here. The long and winding path humanity walked down that led us to right now. If you’ve ever been curious about the Middle Ages or the Renaissance, ever wondered what it was like to live during that time, ever dreamed of knights, kings, queens, and noble deeds…then you might just belong with us.
We are the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA), and we make history come alive. The SCA is an international organization devoted to the research and re-creation of pre-seventeenth century skills, arts, combat, and culture. We don’t just dress up and call each other “milord” and “milady.” We spend our weekends living in a shared world where chivalry, honor, and the pageantry of royalty are real things you can see, touch and experience for yourself. We create art, we dance, we sing, we do combat, we research; we build a little refuge based on nobility, honor, and respect for one another, away from the stresses and conflicts of the modern era. Ranks and titles in the SCA are earned entirely within the Society, not granted based on who you are in the modern world. If this sounds like a place you might want to be, please come check us out.
The SCA is divided into regional groups we call “kingdoms,” each led by Royal Sovereigns who have achieved those titles through their own merit. Iowa (except for the Quad Cities area), Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and the Fayatteville area of Arkansas comprise the Kingdom of Calontir. Within Calontir there are a number of local groups such as baronies, shires, and cantons. Iowa itself supports a Barony in Des Moines, a Canton in the Ames area, and a number of Shires around the state. For a weekend event near you, browse the Kingdom Calendar. We’re excited that you’re interested in the SCA, and we can’t wait to meet you at an event. As Shakespeare wrote, “We know what we are, but know not what we may be.” You may be a Peer of the Realm or even of Royal Blood: join us and find your own path to destiny!
Upcoming Events
There are many activities and events hosted by the local chapters of the Society for Creative Anachronism in Iowa and the local region in the next few months. New members are always welcome at events and meetings around the state.
Local Meetings, Classes and Fighter Practices
Local meetings are held around the state hosted by the various local chapters of the SCA. These are open to the public and guests are welcome to check out and attend our meetings to learn more about our hobby.
You are not required to wear historic costumes at our local meetings even when our members do. It is generally advised to attend a fighter practice or archery practice to learn about the requirements to participate before joining in. But our fighter and archery marshals are always ready to welcome more members
To find out where your closest local meeting is just contact us for more information and we can put you in contact with the group.
Summer Event Update First Half of 2020
Update: Due to COVID-19 restrictions, many of these events have been cancelled or postponed. Please check the event’s website or the relevant Kingdom Calendar for the most updated information.
Northshield Twelfth Night
Saturday January 11-12, 2020, Barony of Nordskogen (Ramsey MN)
Sadly, the traditional Twelfth Night event held in Omaha was cancelled this year, but there is still a Twelfth Night event that is an easy drive for many SCA members in Iowa to attend. The one held in Northshield. Several of us have attended this event over the last few years and can attest it is also a good time.
It is a one day event, where people show up in the morning and leave in the late afternoon. There is a lunch in on site and several nearby food options as well.
The event itself has a lot of fighting held in a large gymnasium that features ratan fighting, cut and thrust and rapier. There are usually a good number of merchants who attend with a variety of goods for sale.
One of the draws for many of us in the past has been bundling the attendance of this event with some shopping in Minneapolis, including SR Harris and many other useful stops.
More information can be found on their website:
http://northshield.org/Events/EventAd.aspx?ID=4427
Winter Coronation –
Jan 11 – Kansas City, MO
Coronations are held twice each year. They are the events where the current King and Queen step down and the current prince and princess are crowned to become the new king and queen to serve for six months. This coronation is a pretty easy drive for many of our SCA Iowa members in central, western and southern Iowa.
These events tend to be grand shows of ceremony and display. People will commonly wear their nicer historic costumes and bring items of heraldic display.
This is a single day event where people arrive in the morning, attend the morning court, take classes, look at the displays and talk to people during the day, attend afternoon court and then leave site in the late afternoon. There is often a feast held in the evening for those wishing to stay.
Being an event held in Kansas City there are plenty of places to get hotel spaces in many price ranges and many things to help an SCA member from Iowa make a fun weekend of it.
https://sites.google.com/site/wintercoronation/home
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask us and we can try to find you the information you need.
Clothiers Seminar
Feb 1 – Gardner, KS
Clothiers Seminar is a symposium with classes running all day covering various topics of clothing and costuming. These classes can cover all ranges of skills, cultures and time periods. Some of the classes may be lecture based others could be hands on projects. Most of the classes have no fee to attend beyond the site fee (about $20 for non-members)
https://shirecai.calontir.org/cs2020/
There is a lunch inn followed by a parade of historic costumes.
This is a single day event where people arrive in the morning, take classes, look at the displays and talk to people during the day, generally attend court and then leave site in the late afternoon.
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask us and we can try to find you the information you need.
Queens Prize Tournament
Feb 8 – Carthage, MO
Queens Prize Tournament is one of the big opportunities for the people in our Kingdom to show off the things they make and do. The easiest way to explain it to new members is that it is like an old style science fair where people can display and talk about their latest projects. This means people can walk around and talk to different people working on different things. You can see what they are doing, learn about different areas of the Arts and Sciences being explored in the Kingdom and talk directly to the people doing the exploring.
You will see entries made by people of all ages and all skill levels. Some members of the SCA in Iowa will participate and take a drive down to Carthage, MO. Queens Prize is a great first event for new members who would like to learn about history by making and doing, but this year’s event may be a bit too much of a drive for many of our newer members.
If you would like to learn more about attending Queens Prize, ask your local group members or contact us on here.
Chieftains
Feb 22 – St. Louis, MO
Chieftains, also called the Tournament of Chieftains, is a yearly events held in or near St Louis, MO. The event is mostly a fighting event and may have some classes.
This is for the most part a single day event. In general people arrive in the morning, Watch the fighting and then leave site in the late afternoon. Although this is a long drive for many of our SCA members in Iowa, it is a nice distance for many of our friends in the southeast corner of the state. And for those from Iowa who make a weekend of it there is not end to good restaurants and other diversions to choose from following the event.
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask us and we can try to find you the information you need.
Winter War Maneuvers and Northshield Kingdom A&S Faire
The weekend of February 29th 2020, there are two great event options within driving distance for many of our SCAIowa members. To the west, Winter War Maneuvers is held each year near Lincoln NE to provide fighters a chance to practice large group fighting during the cold months of winter.
This is a single day event where people arrive in the morning, fight during the day and then leave site in the late afternoon.
To the north in our neighboring kingdom of Northshield, Kingdom A&S Faire is being held. This is one of Northshield’s large arts and science events for the year. There will be many projects that people have worked on for everyone to look at and talk about. It is a one day event held in the Shire of Silfren Mere (Rochester MN) with people arriving in the morning, looking at all the displays and learning all day. Then there will be a royal court and people will leave in the late afternoon.
http://northshield.org/Events/EventAd.aspx?ID=4423
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask us and we can try to find you the information you need.
Gulf Wars
March 14-21 – Lumberton, MS
You might see some members of the SCA beginning to talk about Gulf Wars. Gulf Wars is a moderate sized foreign war of 5000-8000 people, held outside Lumberton, Mississippi, every year. This is a good sized events that has many classes and competitions as well as fighting, equestrian activities, thrown weapons and much more.
As much fun as this event is, it can be a challenge for newer members of the SCA to participate with. Not only is it a long drive down, but the weather can be very unpredictable. And it can be fairly hard to have a weeks’ worth of historic clothing to cover any weather condition from 80 to 30 degrees and from bone dry to very wet.
More information can be found at http://www.gulfwars.org/
If you are interested in attending a foreign war, then talk to one of our members. We can help set you up with a list of items you need to work on and help you to establish a realistic timeline so that you can get to the events you want to but also keep the fun in your hobby.
Spring Crown Tournament
April 11 – Jefferson City, MO
Once every 6 months a tournament is held in the kingdom to decide on the next King and Queen of Calontir. The best fighters in the Kingdom gather together and participate in a grand tournament and the winner will become the prince or princess by right of arms with their consort becoming the prince or princess.
After this they are given several months to get ready for their reign before they are made King and Queen at the next coronation.
These events tend to be grand shows of ceremony and display. People will commonly wear their nicer historic costumes and bring items of heraldic display.
This is a single day event where people arrive in the morning, watch the tournament, attend afternoon court and then leave site in the late afternoon. Sometimes there are classes and there are always interesting people to talk to during the day.
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask us and we can try to find you the information you need.
Melon Wars
April 24-26 – Burlington, IA
Melon Wars is a small event held every year in southeastern Iowa. It is a perfect event for a newer member to the SCA to come and explore.
This is one of the standard type of SCA events where activities ranging from socializing and fighting to classes. There is a breakfast inn as well as a lunch Inn and an evening feast. This is a normal 3 day event (Friday evening, Saturday and leave Sunday morning.) Camping is available and there is a limited amount of crash space in a large building. Other people just arrive on Saturday morning and stay for the day.
The fact that someone who doesn’t have camping equipment can come and find a place to sleep as well as the food they need, makes this an excellent starter event for people.
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask us and we can try to find you the information you need.
Spring War College
May 2 – Hallsville, MO
War College is a large regional fighter practice held yearly in our Kingdom. This one is held down in Hallsville MO
http://www.amlesmore.org/
Saint George and the Dragon
May 9 – Springfield, MO
This is a typical SCA event with fighting, archery, camping and the other fun activities that have kept this event a staple of the Calontir calendar for many years.
More information will be available on the Kingdom website when it is published.
http://www.shireofoakheart.org/
Melees & Mayhem,
May 18 – Topeka, KS May 18
Melees and Mayhem is a general camping event that is held every year in eastern Kansas. This event features camping, archery, heavy combat and Cut and Thrust combat.
If you have any questions about attending this event or any of the other events happening this spring and summer, just ask away.
Deodar’s Spring Arrows
Deodar is hosting an archery event this spring just south of Elkader, in northeast Iowa. This archery event features a somewhat unique set of walk through shoots in the wooded target ranges that many archers find fun and challenging. The site is very primitive and access may be challenging to some with mobility issues.
Tournament of Valor
May 22-25 – Wichita, KS
Valor is one of the longest running events held in the Kingdom of Calontir. It is also held in Wichita KS, so not many SCA members from Iowa go to this event often. It features heavy fighting, Cut and Thrust fighting, equestrian activities, thrown weapons and archery and Arts and Science classes. More information can be found off the link on the Kingdom calendar page.
Lilies War
June 12-20 – Smithville, MO
We are all definitely getting excited for Lilies war. Lilies is a 10 day event held just north of Kansas City. It is one of the largest events of the year in the area and has many unique features.
There are classes on a wide variety of topics every day of the event, including the lampworking tent that features many of our artisans from Iowa. The classes feature information for all different knowledge and skill levels and there is always something new to learn.
There are many Archery and Thrown Weapons activities every day of the war, including assistance for beginners.
Fighting at the war includes Heavy fighting and Cut and Thrust fighting.
There are also many other opportunities to learn at the informal social gatherings and Arts and Science socials that happen through the war.
But Lilies can be a challenge to attend if you are brand new to the SCA. If you are new and want to talk about what it takes to be ready to attend an event like Lilies, just ask one of your local members or ask us on here.
More information can be found at the lilies website http://lilieswar.org/
CalonCon
June 27 – Kansas City, MO
CalonCon is a daylong business meeting and training for group officers. This event is generally not attended by regular populace members, however anyone is welcome to attend if they wish. It is especially useful for people who are thinking about volunteering to become group officers.
This is a single day event where people arrive in the morning, and attend meetings all day. Meetings like this are very important in order to keep a large nonprofit organization like the SCA going, but it probably isn’t what a lot of people think of as fun. We would generally advise new members to attend a different event for more fun.
Warriors and Warlords
July
Warriors and Warlords is a smaller sized foreign war (a multi-day event often bringing more than one kingdom together. It is held in Wisconsin every year. This is a good sized events that has many classes and competitions as well as fighting, thrown weapons and much more.
This can be a fun event, but unlike many of the smaller local events, there are certain items of logistics that mean you might not want to try it on your own. But this is a great event to go to and see all of the things.
If you are interested in attending a foreign war, then talk to one of our members. We can help set you up with a list of items you need to work on and help you to establish a realistic timeline so that you can get to the events you want to but also keep the fun in your hobby.
Summer Coronation,
July 11 – Omaha, NE
Coronations are held twice each year. They are the events where the current King and Queen step down and the current prince and princess are crowned to become the new king and queen to serve for six months.
These events tent to be grand shows of ceremony and display. People will commonly wear their nicer historic costumes and bring items of heraldic display.
This is a single day event where people arrive in the morning, attend the morning court, take classes, look at the displays and talk to people during the day, attend afternoon court and then leave site in the late afternoon.
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask us and we can try to find you the information you need.
Kingdom Arts and Sciences,
July 18
Kingdom Arts and Sciences is one of the two Arts and Science based kingdom level events held each year. The format is much like that of a school science fair, where entrant’s bring displays of their projects to show and talk about. These make for excellent events to check out all of the different things that people are working on around the Kingdom.
There is also an A&S championship competition held at this event to determine the A&S kingdom champion.
This is a single day event where people arrive in the morning, look at the displays and talk to people during the day, generally attend court and then leave site in the late afternoon.
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask us and we can try to find you the information you need.
Feast of Eagles
July 25th – West side of Kansas City
Feast of Eagles is a yearly event held on the west side of Kansas City. The events has fighting, classes and a good chance to mingle with friends.
This is a single day event. In general people arrive in the morning, look at the displays, participate in activities, talk to people during the day, generally attend court if it is held, and then leave site in the late afternoon.
This can be a long drive for members of the SCA in Iowa, but there are also many fun things to do in Kansas City if you want to make a weekend of it.
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask us and we can try to find you the information you need.
Heralds Hill Event,
Aug 14-16 – Charles City, IA
The Heralds Hill event has been traditionally held every year just outside Charles City Iowa is a perfect event for a newer member to the SCA to come and explore.
This is one of the standard type of SCA events where activities ranging from archery, fighting and classes. There is a breakfast inn as well as a lunch Inn and an evening feast. This is a normal 3 day event (Friday evening, Saturday and leave Sunday morning.)
Some of the details for the event are up in the air at the moment due to damage at the site from a tornado last year. Follow along with the postings on the Kingdom page for updates to this very fun Iowa event.
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask us and we can try to find you the information you need.
Cattle Raids
Aug 22 – Lincoln, NE
Cattle Raids is held every year a little ways away from Omaha NE. It is a perfect event for a newer member to the SCA to come and explore.
This is one of the standard type of SCA events where activities ranging from archery, fighting and classes as well as equestrian activities. There is a lunch Inn and an evening feast. This is a normal 3 day event (Friday evening, Saturday and leave Sunday morning.) Camping is available and there is plenty of socializing space in a large, air conditioned building. The site is easy to get to just a little ways off of I80.
If you have any other questions, feel free to ask us and we can try to find you the information you need.