Get ready, Burnaby, for a wild day of pre-Renaissance fun this weekend – with an intergalactic twist.
Celebrating all things before the 17th century, whether it be arts, sciences or sports, the Lions Gate Championship is coming to Warner Loat Park Saturday, May 4.
Hosted by the Barony of Lions Gate, the Lower Mainland branch of the Society for Creative Anachronism, a non-profit educational organization focused on pre-Renaissance arts skills, this event will be a mash-up of different worlds, according to Kevin Garvey (known in the SCA as Cáemgen mac Garbith, his early 900s name).
It’s because of the date: May the Fourth is Star Wars Day.
Garvey, master host (or briugu in Irish) and one of the event’s organizers, told the Burnaby NOW when he found out one of the 13 events the Lower Mainland branch would hold this year fell on May the Fourth, he made it a “deep personal mission to make it a silly, shenanigans-filled, Star Wars-themed day – on top of what we would normally do.”
“People are really loving the theme and the chance to be playful,” Garvey said. “So I’m really glad that they’re getting on board with something that we’ve never really done like this.”
The tournament normally features four championships for trained members: rapier, thrown weapons, archery and heavy combat.
New activities in honour of the Star Wars theme will include a local lightsaber guild holding a combat demonstration and basic training for kids and youth.
You’ll also get the chance to participate in the Tauntaun boffer (padded sword) challenge, with Tauntaun hobby horses for full Star Wars immersion.
There’s also the General Organa Memorial Tournament, a special Steel Rose Rapier tournament, beginning at 10 a.m. for gender-diverse rapier fighters.
“We’re calling it a General Organa Memorial Tournament (after Princess and General Leia Organa), because anyone can be a princess and anyone can be a general – and sometimes they’re the same thing,” Garvey said.
There will be a small, informal “Rebel Maker’s Market” where artisans and crafters can display, sell barter and take commissions for their wares.
Never been? Never fear!
Garvey said the SCA members love meeting new friends.
The branch asks people attending to make an “attempt” at pre-17th century clothing – which could be a polyester tunic over a pair of jeans, Garvey said.
He said it’s different than a Renaissance fair type of event which has staff and customers.
Once you go to an SCA event, even as a guest, “you’re one of us,” said Garvey.
There will be more traditional historic clothing available to borrow for the event as well.
And for this special May the Fourth event, guests are welcome to create Star Warsian versions of medieval clothing, though it’s not at all mandatory.
Legend of the Loat
Garvey said Burnaby’s Warner Loat Park was one of the first sites used by the branch, decades ago.
An inside joke arose when the branch was able to camp in the park overnight.
Garvey said the legend goes back to the 80s, when a member misread a park sign in the dark as reading “Warning: Loat.”
The group imagined the “loat” as a fantastical creature – a six-legged horse with a beaver tail and eight eyes.
The creature is now part of the barony’s coat of arms.
Society for Creative Anachronism
Garvey said the SCA has just celebrated its 59th anniversary after starting in Berkeley, Cali., where the group started as a tournament based on what the Victorians thought of Arthurian times.
Garvey said the society has adapted over its almost 60 years of existence from focusing on Anglo-Franco, white European history, to a more expansive view of history.
“We’re really excited about how much we’re supporting and encouraging inclusivity and diversity. … Now it’s just any culture, any study with respect to appreciation and not appropriation. Before the Renaissance? You’re game. You’re one of us.”
The Lower Mainland branch has been the biggest active SCA group north of Oregon for a long time, Garvey said, though Seattle has started to pick up now.
There are SCA branches around the world, including South Africa, Japan, Australia, Europe, and New Zealand and North America.
Garvey emphasized how special the organization is and how passionate its members are.
“If you can imagine something someone did a thousand years ago, more or less, I can find you somebody who will spend all day talking to you about it, who will spend all day, all weekend trying to teach you how to do it, and who will probably give you a bunch of tools and materials for you to go out and practice on your own. That’s what the SCA is.”
He added: “Putting on armour and beating the crap out of your friend with nobody getting hurt – that’s a special feeling. And some of these things you just can’t do outside of the SCA.”
While Garvey hopes it won’t rain too much on Saturday, he said he’s excited by how many others have embraced the Star Wars theme.
“Never have I had so many people in advance come up to me and say, ‘I saw that thing, that’s so cool.’ Or, ‘I can’t wait to try that.’ … Because they’re getting legitimately, and passionately, genuinely excited about it.”
Lions Gate Champions SCA Burnaby event
When: Saturday, May 4 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. (gate closes at 2 p.m.)
Where: Warner Loat Park (4252 Piper Ave.)
Cost: $10 for SCA members; $20 for non-members and youth and children aged zero to 18 inclusive are free
