Members of the Barony of Glymm Mere dress in period clothing during one of the group's past events. The Barony is holding Mayfaire this weekend in Tenino City Park where it invites the public to join in its celebration of the Middle Ages to Renaissance time period.
A young fighter practices his skills, with the help of an adult, at a Barony of Glymm Mere event. The Barony is holding Mayfaire this weekend in Tenino City Park where it invites the public to join in its celebration of the Middle Ages to Renaissance time period.
A young fighter practices his skills, with the help of an adult, at a Barony of Glymm Mere event. The Barony is holding Mayfaire this weekend in Tenino City Park where it invites the public to join in its celebration of the Middle Ages to Renaissance time period.
Members of the Barony of Glymm Mere dress in period clothing during one of the group's past events. The Barony is holding Mayfaire this weekend in Tenino City Park where it invites the public to join in its celebration of the Middle Ages to Renaissance time period.
Barony of Glymm Mere member Rhea Thomas works on her loom during one of the group's past events. The Barony is holding Mayfaire this weekend in Tenino City Park where it invites the public to join in its celebration of the Middle Ages to Renaissance time period.
A young craftsman practices his skills, with the help of an adult, at a Barony of Glymm Mere event. The Barony is holding Mayfaire this weekend in Tenino City Park where it invites the public to join in its celebration of the Middle Ages to Renaissance time period.
The Barony of Glymm Mere invites one and all to take a step back in time at its Mayfaire event this weekend.
Members of the Barony, which is a chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism, will be competing in categories ranging from heavy fighting to beer making. The trick is they will be doing so using methods, techniques and equipment of the Middle Ages and Renaissance time period — 600s to the 1650s — from cultures across the world. They will also be dressed as those living in that time period.
Unlike a Renaissance fair, the SCA encourages participation from those who attend events. Mayfaire is the event where the Barony invites anyone to stop by and see what the SCA is all about.
“This event, Mayfaire, is the event every year that we have to show the public what we do and to try to get people interested,” Glymm Mere member Rhea Thomas said. “Like any true fanatics, we love to share our particular obsessions. … We’re trying to show as much as we can.”
It also doubles as a fighting tournament for the groups heavy and rapier fighters.
“This is when we have our Baronial championship,” Thomas said. “The Baronial championship carries the honor of the group for both heavy fighter and for rapier fighter.”
For those non-SCA members interested in testing their skills in battle, there will be an archery range and potentially a chance to join in a fighter practice, depending on the availability of gear that can be loaned out, for those 7 years old and up accompanied by a parent.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to watch fighting tournaments, peruse arts and science demonstrations in the Quarry House and take part in family activities like making butter or wooden dolls, joining the Baronesses for tea and a story and participating in a pinwheel relay race. There will also be demonstrations by an Olympia blacksmith who also demos in the fort at Tacoma and on lampwork bead making as well as merchants selling goods.
“We’ve got an unprecedented number of merchants for a small event,” Thomas said.
The Barony of Glymm Mere covers the local area from south of Joint Base Lewis-McChord to Chehalis and areas in between — Yelm, McKenna, Olympia, Lacey, and Aberdeen. Mayfaire used to be held in a different location every year, but chose to return to Tenino.
“We moved around for a while,” Thomas said. “Last year they did Tenino City Park. We went back this year. The city likes having us there, I think. It’s a good location. It’s very visible and accessible, which is important. And it’s good both for public and for us cause we’ll be there camping and doing our thing as well.”
Many SCA members will be on site for the entire weekend, eating, sharing good cheer and sleeping over.
In addition to fighters, Glymm Mere has scribes, bards, dancers, artists, cooks, sewers, spinners, weavers, those interested in science, armorers, leather workers and even brewers, again all using techniques from the 600s to the 1650s.
“There are so many different things,” Thomas said. “If it existed, somebody does it. And if not here, we’ll find one.”
For anyone interested in getting more involved with the Barony and SCA, it has an office called Gold Key that does nothing but loan period clothing. There is the potential it will be on site this weekend, offering garb to those who are interested in giving it a try.
“The SCA is nice in that what we ask of people is that you try, that you make an attempt, and there’s more than enough people willing to help,” she said. “It’s all a trial. We’re all getting there. It’s not perfect.”
Mayfaire will be held rain or shine, and Thomas recommends bringing portable chairs to those who have them. Merchants will be selling water, but not food, and both toilets and porta-potties will be available. Overall, the weekend is a chance for the members of the Barony to celebrate the Medieval and Renaissance world and give the public the opportunity to learn about their roles in preserving this part of history.
“We’re gonna be out there having a great time,” Thomas said. “It would be magnificent for people to come and join us.”
