Each year there are events in New Zealand and Australia where people gather and make camp for a few days or a week.
Our biggest camps (pre-COVID) are:
- Canterbury Faire - north Canterbury, January
- Rowany Festival - outside Sydney, Easter
We also try to get in some camping locally each year.
A camping event usually involves a mix of arts classes, tournaments or war fighting, and perhaps a play, a ball, a feast, and a court or moot where people’s contributions are recognised.
Though many people who camp out do so in modern regular nylon tents, others will take the opportunity to experience the event in canvas pavilions, yurts, wedge tents and marquee tents.
These events usually consist of campfires (if there are no fire restrictions, and the venue allows), story-telling, children playing and having fun, games, catching up with friends (old and new) from around the country.
Camping at an SCA event is hardly ‘roughing it’. Many sites have kitchens, bunk rooms, showers and toilet facilities. Sleeping on air mattress or replica rope and slate beds are commonly set-up to add comfort to the tent.
