Gardiner’s at Pennsic 43
Gardiner’s Company had a fun camp this year at Pennsic, in the back of Vair and Ermine on Battle Road. In addition to cooking, sewing, fighting, and general frivolity, Gardiner’s members participated in three main events.
On Sunday, Gardiner’s members set-up and staffed a table at the Pennsic Arts and Sciences Display in the Great Hall. We had a great selection of goods from woodworking and armour to embroidery and clothing. We tried to share the love of late Sixteenth Century English life and goods to any who dropped by to take a look. Ester was our driving force in reserving space for herself and Gardiner’s Company, as well as arranging for a good host of members to staff the table and talk about the arts on display.
Monday afternoon manly displays of skill were seen as the men gathered for Pike Drill. Master Hamilton took the lads through a brief reminder of the commands before setting out to march around the Pennsic Market area thereby ensuring the safety of all, clearly driving away all those with ill-intents by the cunning display of ferocity.
Zeke provided just enough color commentary to keep the lads entertained, and Adrian/Ian/Nigel/Ester’s brother led the crew in singing Jolly Broome Man and Amarylis to keep time.
We also held an Open Camp Night on Tuesday night that included many interesting and interested people, discussions varied from costumes to games to fighting, and lots of drinking.
Thanks all for a rousing Summer Muster, may we remember it fondly as winter’s chill creeps upon us.
More photos of the Arts and Sciences Display and Pike Drill are available. Alas, I believe we were all in our cups during the Open Camp night and neglected to take photos that evening.