As a former Irish/Scots Highlander re-enactor I found that clothing maintenance was a fun but occasionally comically "harmful" camp-craft...I owned two shirts so I could change clothes from one day to the next and not smell like ass, also giving me the ability to wear one look one day and the other the next, but also had the benefit of wearing one set while being able to fix up or improve the other (or make a new shirt if I needed one). There I'd be, loafing around while repairing a seam or adding some embroidery, and a couple in garb would approach. Sure enough, the woman would slug the man in the arm and exclaim "SEE? He's doing HIS own sewing!"
As an introvert who has been involved off and on in reenactment since 79, one of the best ways to survive an event is the volunteer to help. There is nothing better for a shy person then to have a "script" and a reason to talk to people. I was usually helping in the kitchens, that way I wasn't holding up the tent pretending I wasn't there. And HYDRATE. Drink lots of water. Did you drink water? That is another way to meet everyone, help out as a water carrier. Don't touch people's armour or weapons without asking first.
My biggest problem is that they don't let me cook. Simply because the ladies in the group take over it because men are not supposed to do it . Now after wards or before we start play.They are very happy to let me cook the dinners and breakfasts and lunch and do the washing up. But when with the public they don't let me cook.
@@thebelfastvikingmartinbrow3603 insist. Plenty of people in the past cooked, especially lower classes like serfs and slaves. Hunt up some documentation if you can, but remember "absence of evidence does not mean evidence of absence ".
@@thebelfastvikingmartinbrow3603 If you can find historical documentation of someone like YOUR specific character cooking, that might win you the right. I remember when a friend wanted to wear something that is period appropriate, but until she produced evidence that a character of her social status would indeed wear such a thing, they wouldn't allow her to do so. But when you can provide proof, it's not only a way to increase the general knowledge, but you can even use it as a teaching tool for the public -- "why is that man cooking?" now has an authentic historical answer behind it.
Good point. Also remind each other every morning. One of my friends has red-gold hair and that moonlight-white skin that literally can't tan, so I've made myself her "sunscreen reminder". . . and she reminds me to stay hydrated, because that's one thing I can forget. It's funny how we can each have different blind spots.
And apply sunscreen after changing into kit . . . Or you will have a very sore crescent shaped 'Viking smile' on your shoulder blades which is the difference between the t-shirt neckline and a Scoop neck sark . . .
God, I feel that. As a tour guide, I often see people filming my ramblings. I have no idea how many of my unfunny jokes just linger on someone's computer...
@@ReasonAboveEverything Digital Pictures dont tend to survive very long if special steps arent taken to preserve them. Usually like 10 or 20 years at most.
Omg they're the bane of everything! 😫🤦🏾♀️ My favorite events are where we're all PART of the event, out in the middle of nowhere, where tourists wouldn't be bothered to try to get to. Whole days with zero technology. . . Like a vacation for my soul. Honestly. . . How do some people even enjoy being somewhere, when they're only ever "seeing" it through their camera lens, or on their phone? It seems like they're missing the whole point of experiencing their life. . . And yes I know this is an ironic complaint to be whining about on TH-cam, lol. But I'm not living as a medieval person at the moment. When I am, I don't want to be dragged back into the 21st century, and nothing does that faster than a camera jammed in my face.
On a personal note, to the reenactor that tell me my glasses are not historicaly correct, expect me to ignore you unless you say it in historical correct danish/similar ;)
Well said! I really don't like the selective mentality of those kinds of people. Yes! We are indeed attempting to recreate a period in history as accurately as possible! BUT, not at the expense of people's health, well-being, or just basic safety precautions. Oh, did you cut yourself chopping wood? Well let's drain that excess blood and bring out my trusty bag of runes, see if that fixes things Ragnar! No? You're gonna go to the hospital? Yeah, thought so...
@@bugsymcgee3310 For early modern era, just get out the scarifactor and deploy the row of spring loaded blades in front of them a few times and see how long it takes them to have second thoughts
@@neoaliphant I can see your point, I on the other hand am of the belief that we are not able to get it truly right anyway. So making compromised for safety is accepteble. I know my original statement is abit tongue in cheek but it is pretty close to what I believe. You will have a hard time finding reenactors that speak the language correct, the gear is rarely perfect and the collection of people present is 100% incorrect. Not to mention all the things where we just dont know how close we get. All that said, I personally think that as long as we make it clear what is "correct" and what is "modern" then that is the main point.
@@neoaliphant I guess it is simply a difference in opinion. Personally I find leather coverings for glowes to be worse. Since some people might actually think thats how they looked and that it is authentic. In that case I prefer clearly modern protection glover that leave no doubt. Removing earings/noserings/covering tattoos, sure. Glasses on the other hand. well I guess its simply a difference in opinion.
I joined my local longsword club because I wanted to learn to hit people with a big metal stick. I am now seriously contemplating weaving my own wool fabric to make kit with. The crafting, it gets you.
It really does. I've fallen in love with drop-spindle spinning, and one year, when a friend's Great Pyrenees "blew" her fur (which they do every spring -- they shed huge swaths and bundles of fur) I carded it and started using it to spin with, and now I've been incorporating dog fur into all different kinds of yarn, like with Icelandic goat fur and of course sheep's wool. That's something I never thought about doing before, but crafting just inspires creativity. . .
True, got dragged into a early-medieval group mainly to teach them a bit of archery for fun. Now i am creating my second hauberk, this time out of authentic riveted steel rings. Things just happen at these camps
And Yes: In any situation, don't push someone to drink! Don't do it. Always feel that you can say no to drink. I wish everyone always felt comfortable and safe to say no, but the world can make it hard, so reach out to someone, just tap a metophorical shoulder, and say "can you please help me ask this person to stop pushing this on me" Like, don't let your friends be pushy with drink! (or other activities)
That's just something that would definitively happen to me. Everytime I go somewhere two things always happen: 1. some guy just senses my gay aura and wants to buy me a drink and I say no and try to be nice. Because I know the moment I say yes the guy will think I owe him something. And 2. I will have at least one sad moment and some person with good intentions tries to cheer me up in a really bad way like "C'mon just have a drink or are you a coward. And try to smile" and because I'm not that cheerful in that moment and nobody knows me I will just appear like a general killjoy to everybody around me, so nobody wants to help and I will regret for half an hour that I left my home, but after that it will be fine again.
I always try to have non-alcoholic options for those who don't imbibe, and offer them all so people can pick what they're comfortable with: "Would you like something to drink? I have water, Sprite, beer, and rum." I've also been a "designated drinker", whose job it was to relieve non-drinkers of the alcohol that overly-enthusiastic eventgoers have given them, or to take shots on their behalf when people pour too many. It's not a role for the faint of liver.
@@bridgetthewench Exactly! If you want everyone around you holding a glass that’s fine, but non-alcoholic, un-caffeinated, non-carbonated, non-allergenic water will need to be on offer.
@@lynn858 And I've seen enough people drop from not getting enough water, I'm going to be pushing that over anything else at an event, especially to new people I haven't seen before. I've stopped performers who were walking by my shop, visibly wilting, and made them drink some water and splash a bit on their face and neck to cool down.
For my neurodivergent friends out there: Don't feel pressured to eat foods that you aren't comfortable with, even if the event organisers cooked period food for everyone. The most important thing is that you eat something. Sneak off to the nearest store and get yourself something you actually like.
I'm thinking about joining a group but I'm a little scared I'd be overwhelmed with the people and not able to go to all of the events. :( But it seems like so much fun!
@@snazzypazzy I feel you! I'm going to be part of a performing crew at an event this summer, and I'm really nervous about it 😳 But I think it's important to remember that there are ways to work around things. (My current plan is to sew a lot between performances and rest in my tent with noise cancelling headphones to calm myself down and save energy.) Maybe you could go to an event and only stay for an hour/whatever you can handle? Or find some "quiet" space wher there's not a lot of people and make it yours. Start small and se if you enjoy it and how much of it you can handle 😊
Absolutely. My group are great but I have so many dietary limits I just bow out of most shared dinners, as id rather not inconvenience them! Lunches are fine as you can just pick and choose from all the authentic foods laid out. Just do you, it's all good!
I was part of a pretty major national society and we'd have a pitch-in group food situation at most shows. People would put money forward and the group leader would bulk-buy stuff for making stews/chili/etc for dinner as well as more historic kinds of meals for lunch during show hours. Was a nice situation but you always had the option of either bringing your own food, and nobody would question it if you did leave the show to go to a local shop... hell sometimes you'd have groups of people all going together. Some shows I recall also had food vendors who'd happily sell to reenactors.
I used to know a guy who was in a WW2 German Mountain Division enactment group; which was Nazi-adjacent enough for us to look askance. He said he was thinking of joining a group "re-enacting" the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (about as Nazi as you can get); however, he lost his enthusiasm when we told him "Adolf Hitler Love Banner" sounded like a really hot and raunchy sausage party. Apparently homophobia and racism are natural bedfellows... no... not bedfellows... no no no 😋😂
@@euansmith3699 Reenactors usually throw sexual innuendo around like custard pies at the clown house. I'm unsurprised why he acted that way though, most SS groups act there the Dog's Knackers hence why most re-enactors (including other WW2 German reenactors such as myself) tend to approach them with equal parts caution and content.
@@euansmith3699 if he was an actual national socialist he wouldn't have just lost his enthusiasm because he invented a gay sounding society name. Dude had propably read something about world bankers being evil and understood partly why Hitler went berserker on jews and he wanted to larp something edgy.
True, although I've found much less-malignant racists among reenactors than I've had to deal with in the regular world. I'm racially ambiguous but clearly not Anglo-Saxon or Scandinavian; so I've heard some weird comments from racist reenactors; but at least they've never called the cops to falsely arrest me in handcuffs just because I was the only non-white person in a particular area -- which is what happened at the Hyatt. (I later filed an official complaint, and on-site security cameras could PROVE I wasn't the thief who'd stolen something; but it's both infuriating and frightening to be suddenly arrested when you have no clue why.)
Encourage all of the enthusiasts to enthuse! Enthusiasm is beautiful, Everyone should find something they can be enthusiastic about, everyone should take a moment to enjoy seeing someone shine as they talk and the enthusiam just radiates from their face and hands and words.
"Stay Hydrated" YES! I have been the hydration person at a battle event. After every engagement, I was up and out among the fighters, making them drink water. Because they're high on the battles, and need the reminder. Also, my favorite part of eventing is just sitting around talking, and having a hand craft is awesome for that. I also always have a little area behind my tent that is where I can go to be left alone if I need to decompress. Even if I don't use it, it's good to have.
I love tablet weaving and learned how to so I could weave belts and trimmings for my tunic. I also learned blacksmithing with the hope of making my own Long Axe.
@@kitdubhran2968 Tablet weaving itself isn't too hard to learn or get started in. You just need to learn how the thread the cards and even some more complex patterns are just memorizing a few movements and repeating them. The real challenge is how tedious and time consuming it is threading the cards.
@@CollinMcLean I get that. It’s just complicated enough that it couldn’t become a mindless adhd task. I don’t mind endless tasks. I’m currently stitching together, and then felling down the seams of 40 42 inch strips of cotton to make a skirt. Repetitive things aren’t so bad. I like them a lot.
I'm just getting started on historical reenactment (having previously done fantasy type reenactment) and as I watched your video it occurred to me why it all appeals so much - the sincerity. It feels like half the world is embarrassed to genuinely like something - everything has to be Ironic Liking in case it's cringy and all that stuff. It's so nice to find people who are genuinely enthusiastic about something and and environment that thrives on the expression of that enthusiasm.
This video is oddly applicable to multiple hobbies. Antique cars. Small scale steam trains (particularly the children attempting to launch themselves under the rope towards something very hot). I was a child though, so I tended to work as a ticket taker, with an adult bouncer who was staff from the property we were on. Kids would ask questions, in that general way they do, to anyone who’s listening. And I’d start explaining, only to be talked over by their parent who’d start BSing about stuff they know nothing about. It’s really a pity, because having been doing this with my family for YEARS I was a human encyclopedia on the subject, and unlike some of the adults I could explain things at a few different levels of complexity. I was only playing ticket taker because I couldn’t drive a train on the track on public days. Same as I bet there are renenactor families with kids who are quite adept at combat, or blacksmithing but can’t participate at events when there’s private property and insurance involved. Yeah, it’s dangerous. But if kids are taught carefully, they’re often more aware and reliable than some of the adults. And historically, children were shovelling coal into steam engines, and blacksmith forges, operating the bellows, and dying in combat as water carriers and drummers.
All excellent advice. I'm pretty introverted myself, but meeting other re-enactors, especially at an event is much less stressful than meeting random strangers. Just two things I wanted to add; Please make sure your tetanus jabs are up to date, the woman who taught me to spin was very insistent on this, a tiny scratch from a little bit of vegetable matter might be all it takes. Sure, very unlikely to matter, but a bloody horrible way to die. And, although Jimmy strongly implied it, to be explicit, do what you reasonably can to keep blatantly modern stuff out of sight. Nobody sensible will bat an eye if you're wearing glasses or have to use an inhaler, but put your watch in your belt pouch, don't drink Coke out of a can, and keep your Morrison's bags hidden under a cloak :-). I don't know why, but it's the modern stuff that draws the eye. Help maintain the fantasy.
Excellent point about tetanus shots. Mine are always up to date for work, but I've seen people get a small cut whose shots AREN'T up to date, and tetanus is one shot which can give you a sore arm for about two days, which definitely isn't what you want during a reenactment.
Honestly when I first started the hobby I was extremely introverted, the group helped me come out of my shell a lot. When I went to my first show, I hadn't really met anyone from the *other* groups in my society, but first meeting them I felt right at home and could banter with them without anyone from my own group being there. Reenactors are often very friendly. I even got to to the point where I could go to multi-group shows and just start chatting with other reenactors I'd never met before and had no connection to. As for hiding modern stuff, absolutely. A lot of my group have some kind of medical requirement or other, its why we often wear pouches, to keep our modern requirements out of the way. Its also good at big shows with lots of vendors to keep your wallet in them so you can buy stuff if you want but not have to openly carry it.
I can confirm that just walking up to people and telling them their craft looks cool is a great way to learn crafts, I was taught wool dyeing and nalbinding just from hanging around people who do it and looking curious about it and on the last outing I taught basic embroidery to four people because they said it looked neat and I happened to have spare hoops. One of them is already better than me at it now, it's awesome! Go and be curious about people's crafts, we will love you for it.
I was a Renaissance actor for 13 years and you can remember everything if you write down! Make a list and check things off as they go in your bag or whatever you use, Tape or affix the list on your bag or container and keep another copy on your person.
(Sitting around “in my linens” did make me giggle). I’ve done some mail making and engraving as a demonstrator, and was terrified when I was first asked what I was doing, but seeing the curious public getting involved was so much fun in the end!
I had to show kids how to cook rabbits and skinning them last Sunday. And am a trained chef of over 35 years. And I took a lump out of my finger to busy talking not enough looking at a very sharp knife.
My first event I came very close to taking a Dane axe to the face because one of the veterans let a child hold it by himself, and turn shoes plus wooden crutches (I’m disabled) mean I move a little slower than normal 😂😂
I wear glasses and am a bit blind without them. So giving me a big pointy thing and telling me to try to hit someone without killing him can be a bit dangerous. But it doesn't stop me having lots of fun sharp and blunt long and short play things. Just to stand for the I have a big toy photo 🤣
@@thebelfastvikingmartinbrow3603 oh I’m right there with you brother, though I’m beyond taking part in any battles, I just hobble around playing the old wounded fighter haha
Too chaotic? That's part of the reason we watch you! You do weave in and out of the script as you recall something that didn't make it into the original outline, but is still worth mentioning. It shows you're adaptable and on the ball. If people don't want chaotic, they ought to steer clear of a lot of archaeologists and history enthusiasts 😆
This was great fun to watch despite not being a re-enactor. In non-covid times I go to SF&F conventions (mainly Discworld, because selfies with the famous are not my thing, but laughing and having fun with like-minded friends is). Much of the advice in this video works for conventions too :-)
Discworld conventions??? Oh, my dream. I imagine you're not located in the U.S. Alas, there are too few of us here. (But if I'm wrong, someone please correct me and tell me where to find the events!)
Here in Central Florida they hold Highland Games every February, and they have a lot of people doing things like weaving or mail making, and everyone is extremely happy to let anyone who's interested have a go. My firstborn got into making mail one year, and kept it up for over a decade.
My son in law is active with the Highland Games here in the Orlando area! I tell people he gets to play games like throwing telephone poles while wearing a kilt! (He’s a big, brawny guy!) His wife, my daughter, gets into the spirit by dressing in costume, too. One time another of our daughters ordered a period costume just to fit in while she walked around the games! Small world! Two Central FloridIans watching a Welsh Viking in Scotland! 😊
I've done SCA on and off for a couple of decades. I mostly avoid doing public events, unless I was being part of a dance group, and I can hide once my bit is done. I don't like the pressure of the public asking me questions, which is why I always appreciate that most SCA events in my kingdom, An Tir, are private.
Greetings! I've recently started looking into SCA and found that I live in An Tir. Someday I hope life opens enough and my family can dive in, in person.
With people crossing safety ropes, i've been doing midieval fairs for 6 years now, and we have a shooting range with sharp arrows. On either side there's a rope with a beautyfull sign saying "Shooting range, do NOT cross this rope" and yet somehow, people still just hop right over the rope and right into line of fire....
My group does a mixture of medieval and more age of sail kind of stuff, so we have a lot of experience with people trying to get way too close to our cannons. At times it has gotten to the point where we've had to draw weapons on people because some jackass decided he wanted a photo next to the cannon *while smoking*.
I work in a pharmacy as a technician. People do not read. We have a system that sends a text message or phone call when there is an item to pick up, insurance info needed, price confirmation, and other things. So. Many. People. Walk up and say “I have something to pick up. I have no idea what it is. I got a text.” So I will go into their account and look all around and ask about refills. Then I ask to see the text and it says something like “It’s time for your yearly flu shot!” And I read it out and their like “oh okay” and leave. And I facepalm.
Being a member of the sk for 30+ years, this is by far the best introduction video to our hobby i have ever seen, fantastic job will share with fellow members and new members, i think its just as vital that us veterans remember what its like to be new
When I used to do Viking "Re-enactment" it was mainly about drinking, singing, hang-overs and bacon sandwiches. 17:29 That photo reminds me of the kit we used to wear back in the 1980s 😂 17:49 A talk on "Articulated Knees" sounds great You are a great advert for the hobby.
Love this vid! Hubby and I are SCA (USA) for 20+years, and you gave the best advice. I loved the "expect it to be wet/dry, freezing/boiling, noisy/quiet, organized/chaotic" (every SCA event I have ever been to). You hit every point, exactly right. Thank you!
I wonder if Jimmy knows the Finnish for Viking is viikinki. My subconscious keeps trying to imagine it in his voice 😅 I'd love to do a reenactment, but I'm poor and don't have a car 😆
@@nitrokameli Maybe they thought everyone who wasn't Finnish were Rusi, or allied to the Rus. I don't know enough history lol (And I've only been learning Finnish since early this year 😉)
I'm a larper rather than a reenacter but most of what you said still applies: someone will take of you if you are new, people love to see your new kit and to know how you made it and we will feed and give you drinks at every chance e have.
I did however have an absolutely retched time at a larp and never went back. That was mostly my “friends” too interested in their own fun to show me how to have my own.
@@angelcollina If you are ever looking for a larp, there is one called Hynafol the grand gathering. It's in Texas and there are plenty of people to help you have fun and would love to show you around 😊
😂 I am responsible for two people who would forget their heads if they weren't attached, which makes me then overlook something that I need to take! I've made a packing list for day trips and weekend events now so that we can just work from the list. And now I am the chatelaine for our group so I get to pack gear for newcomers to borrow as well!
Lovely video on events. The food comments cracked me up. For us at SCA events, the general comment is "if you go hungry, it's your own fault!" when there is a kitchen running. :)
@@Rozewolf I spend so much time in the kitchens and over a fire pit, that most people aren’t aware that I own Merchants class court gowns or proper silks. I’m usually in either my Norse linens or wearing male sailor slops. Much easier to cook in.
I am an historical enthusiast with a deep love of archeology, I am also a Norse pagan in the great plains of Kansas...rural U.S.A. I frankly find your videos to be quite informative and I love your direct honest explanations. You have been an invaluable source of clarity in a small and insular community that, all too often, emulates what they see on television or pick up from poorly researched pop culture. As a man who has studied the cultures of my Germanic and Scandinavian ancestors for 30 years, I am sorry to say the history is poorly represented in America. I am a huge fan. Keep up the good work. And good on you.
Most of this video I was sitting firmly in nostalgia, thinking of all the fun I'm going to have once my local SCA group can have events again (beyond the practices on weekends at the local park where I usually sit in my civilian clothes stitching something), and then the existential crisis of "oh god, my ren faire plans just moved up a month from September to August and I haven't even started oh no oh no oh no" set in so, thanks for that! XD
Managed to get to the Largs viking festival before the great beer virus asked a ton of questions it was great because nobody made me feel stupid for asking and had a good balance between sharing their enthusiasm (had a great chat about Orcadian Bere flour) and understanding that I stepped into a hut where I could do the exercises to calm my anxiety when I got overloaded with people.
Omg! I have been sitting and binge watching your videos all day long once again, while doing embroderie! Im so hyped for this video! Btw your thumbnail work is getting real good!
Thank You Jimmy. I am fascinated by history, but due to medical I probably won't go. Thank you for letting me live vicariously through your adventures.
At one of the first medieval events I went to a pair of saddlers held workshops for learning to work with leather, I still love the belt bag I made back then and try to use it whenever i can (it's 5 years ago now). It was super fun, and most of the participants of the workshop was teens that were just excited to get to make their own bags from scratch. Learning how to safely handle the equipment from people that it's literary the tools of their trade was great, so if the event has workshops as an option I highly suggest checking them out (they usually cost money though, because material and the time of the person holding the workshop).
Catherine, what are you doing there?... um, watching your video, Mr. Jimmy the Viking. Though earlier on I was sewing a gore to a new wool tunic (it's winter in NZ and I have an event coming up in a month, must have warm garb!!!). Two more gores to go, then facings&seams&DONE, oh my!
After 40 years on and off in re-enactment and living history this is one of the best " hints and tips " videos or articles I've seen. Thanks ... from a not at all noob.
Every single event I go to, I make sure to bring cheese, some bread, and boiled eggs. Foods that can be eaten as is, and shared easily with anybody that's hungry.
God I want to be part of a living history society so bad 😩 but trying to find any pre-20th century reenactment here in Greece is impossible, all I get is Ancient Greek events in other countries, and Viking reenactment doesn't seem to exist here 😭
It sounds both really interesting and really overwhelming. I think I will just stay with larping with my teeny tiny group where a big event is equal to more than 25 people and go to the medieval week in Visby once in a while. But I really want to get into more historical crafts and would like to go to workshops and such. But I rather keep all the reenacting-ish parts I enjoy separate, to keep me un-overwhelmed. Thank you for the video, it gave me good insight into what I personally want and don't want to do. And yes, the sunscreen is very important. I actually managed to get a sunburn on an day long event in the beginning of October up here in the north because I though I wouldn't need sunscreen in october (as I usually don't need it then). But the sun will come and burn you even if you think you can escape it.
I know you don't SCA very much, but these rules and expectations are typically what I tell my noobs! I run a hospitality household and it's true, we will feed and water you. I love love love my SCAdian family, whether we have already met or not ❤️ Thank you so much for your lovely, wholesome self!!
I was looking at digital copies of a Victorian knitting book recently, one of the first patterns was for a kid harness and leash. Can only imagine the usefulness if you have a bunch of them.
@@snazzypazzy oh there is lots of great images by Pieter Bruegel the elder. Specifically his painting Children’s Games is just a Where’s Waldo of childhood games. The children’s leads are just super practical. Yes, old fashioned but keeps your toddler out of traffic and other hazards.
@@snazzypazzy a few close friends who have little ones have a modern version of Medieval /Victorian leads. Proves toddlers are a nuisance to themselves and others for centuries, lol. It’s called Monkey On My Back. It’s a plush animal back pack with chest snaps and leads for the parents to keep ahold of. Thanks for the info about the knitted version.
Thanks for saying that you can relax as reenactor. I know a lot of people who think you HAVE to be like a teacher and have to study and work on crafts all the time. Its a hobby! Everyone should find their own path in that. Only if you get paid by a museum, then its work and you should take it seriously to show public things. Just be a nice human(if the other one is also nice to you :P )
A good piece of advice is when a person walks over and hands you either a sports drink or water, drink it. You might not realize how dehydrated you are, but they will. Also do not be scandalized if they ask you when you last peed and what it’s color is. They are trying to make sure you are not losing too many electrolytes. If anyone gives you a hard time about your kit, don’t get discouraged. Instead run away, find the person in charge of the event and tell them what happened and point out who did it. That person is a jerk and will be dealt with accordingly. We lose so many potential people because of that nonsense. If you are in the USA and are at event where there is a larger Norse/Tudor era pirate lady dressed in bright pink or purple with hair to match go straight to that person and we will deal with the person. It might not even be violently🤣. Jimmy, if you make it to the states for any of our giant wars, pm me and I will make sure you are sorted with food, sunscreen and feastgear.
A fabulous introduction to the weird and wonderful world of living history & reenactment, one which I will hartily recommend to any novice interested in getting involved! And for those said novices potentially reading this, always remember, there's a first time for everything and EVERYONE was lacking in knowledge at some point. Please don't be put off or intimidated by those who will reel off fact after fact as if it's nothing, they started in the same place you did once upon a time. Ask questions, read books, take part, or even just simply watch and observe, eventually, you too will become proficient in the relevant information and skills, it really does just take a bit of time and commitment, much like any other hobby, you WILL get there I promise. Also Jimmy quote of 2021 'When she was dying, I said, hhhmmmm that looks like fun, how does it work?'...
My 1st event a new friend basically took his trousers of and put his best on so I could wear his old pair lol.As for a long ship less then a month from joining the group. And as an ex army chef I thought it was easy to cook for an army.😇
@@euansmith3699 you would think so.? But I been trying to join the group that's only 5 minutes from me in Larne. Because my old group is 50 miles there and 50 miles home. So two hours a night or 10mins. And I still keep in touch with some of the old group.But they keep saying we will get in touch. It's not like I don't know how to cook Viking age food. Have more camp gear then a single person needs. Plus my very own blunt and Sharp toys etc
My draw to viking age reenactment was to build and use period accurate trekking kits/ survival and camping kits. My group and I often go on viking hiking day trips and overnight trips with foods the Vikings might have eaten. It's really great.
You might be surprised by how many people have their minds blown when I explain to them that vikings and Europeans as a whole wouldn't have potatoes back then. Soooo many people think they come from Ireland, not realizing that they actually originate in South America.
Those kind of collective tips videos are really helpful. I can't really attend events due to health, though. But I love "reenacting" in small ways, like crafts and cooking authenticly. Maybe you can do a video about the range of possible crafts, like a list from naalbinding to blacksmithing? That would be helpful for some to find their craft or a new craft again, or just for orientation. Also, videos about resources would be great. Something about useful books with pictures of found jewellery or textiles (since most museums are closed or too far away), online collections, whatever there may be.. I have a degree in history but I somehow seem to struggle with finding viking age resources? (Especially searching for northern german stuff. I know it's not core viking land, but heavily influenced and well.. people existed there too, at the same time, with pretty similar culture. I grew up among burial mounds.) Have a nice week!
You did a FANTASTIC job of describing what a reenactment event weekend is like. Our son in law takes part in the Highland Games here in Orlando. (He has his kit which includes a kilt. He enjoys games where the contestants throw telephone poles! Entire trees! My daughters go along in period garb, as well, which makes it truly a joyful experience!
I wish I would have known some of this at my first event. I dove in three years ago at Gulf Wars SCA, only knew like 3 people there, but I left with a whole family! SCA is a good place to start.
I've tangentially been to a few medieval reenactment events, but not to a full weekend event yet. I want to save this video and show newer newbies than me. So many great tips!
I am now pining for events again.. we're not yet opened up that much, but I have fingers crossed for this autumn! I can't wait to be amongst people to share my geek with again. Tedious textile tasks are so much less so amongst good company.
There is something that I would like to add when it comes to battles and especially the training sessions. Always wear your freaking helmet (or really stiff leather cap, but never unprotected or just with a wool hat)! ALWAYS when engaging with weapons! You don't know how skilled the people in the line opposite to you are, you don't know what could happen to you/how you would react in a "tense" situation. For your safety and others, wear helmets. I have seen it multiple times that people were like "alright, this is just training, I am not going to wear a helmet for that" and somebody ended up on the grass screaming and bleeding, because heads get damaged easily.
I've witnessed my fair share of head injuries during trainings and full battles, but never anyone screaming from them. Maybe some quiet cursing, and breathing through teeth, but that's it. Also, I fully endorse wearing helmets when doing fights against people you don't know, but there are better safety measures when training. Going slow for instance, and calibrating strikes. If it's someone that's new, they should be going slow anyway, even if they claim to have experience. If it's training with another group, make sure that rules and target zones are understood. Helmets are still recommended, of course, but they shouldn't be relied on as the primary safety measure.
@John Gand I totally agree with you, the first "line of defense", so to say is control over your own weapon. And yes, going slow and calibrating strikes is of utmost importance. However, this "rule" is not always followed, therefore I propose to wear a helmet. Not as a primary defense line but for the case that things would go wrong otherwise. And I have seen cases where the paramedics had to be called, so... that's a bit more than just a little wound and quit cursing.
Sunblock is sooooo important if you’re out in the sun all day. So senior year of high school, I was working at a local amusement park. The one day I forgot sunblock was the day of senior prom. I was lobster red on my face/arms where my work shirt didn’t cover, which was really obvious with the spaghetti straps of my dress. Did you have a negative of the war paint when you washed it off afterwards?
Da fuck was that in the end, Jimmy?! 😂😂 Two things: 1) This video is as usual excellent. Thank you. 2) To all kind of different reenactors that might see this comment, please don't shit-talk other groups for beginners. SCA not your cup of tea? Reenactment in other groups than SCA not your thing? Good that you have figured that out! Excellent. Do what you love. But let's all agree on that different groups does things different and let the beginners find what suits THEM. 😉
Before the pandemic I had been doing Wars of the Roses (as a Yorkist under Lord Howard iirc) reenactment for a couple years, never went to a battle but I did a fair few events with melees and always with an encampment, but since I'm moving to the University of York (for archaeology, which channels like yours have got me super excited about) in a few months, I'm planning on taking up Viking and/or Anglo-Saxon reenactment, and so this video is a great help!
I've only been reenacting for 2 years now, but it's the best thing I ever did in my life! The people are amazing, the places I've been are incredible. And I hope to visit many more and meet many more, great people in the future.
That is the exact correct response to seeing sheep. Also, once we were at an event expressly to do a public cooking demo and forgot the (BLEEPING) frying pan at home. Turns out a steel plate works well in a pinch.
Thanks a ton for posting this video when you did, I've got my first reenactment event in 2 weeks at Evesham and a little nervous but feeling a little more confident with this video in my head
"Oh god, I'm falling apart! I need more tea!" Is pretty much the most British thing I've ever heard😂 I've somehow missed this video but I'm glad I found it today 😊 And too much chaos? Nah, my ADD brain thrives on your chaos! Please never change❤
This is great! It's wonderful to see so many fellow SCAers/Scadians in the comments. Greetings from the Barony of Caerthe in the Kingdom of the Outlands. I just got my first drop spindle and fourteen little bundles/skeins? of wool roving about 4 days ago. Going to learn spinning and then tablet weaving to make my own trims. They just reopened fighter practices last month and everyone is very happy to get back to it. This is my passion! :D Happy time travelling to all. ;)
That's one seriously metal goat! Thanks for the great tips and tricks to get started. Your videos are not chaotic, they are wonderfully eclectic. Love them!
Many good and important tips, thank you!! I'd like to add that there are always a lot of great, nice, friendly and helpful people but also the bad ones, those that look down on a newbie, comment on your not complete kit or clothes. critique about things like: 'your glasses are not corerrct. This is not a historical necklace!' etc. Don't get bumped out by them. I never understood the gate keeping of some people or their obvious need to tear some one down that they see as weaker. Go to those events with some one you know, or look for a mentor person. Have fun and stay safe!
Pointing out a necklace as not being authentic is fine as long as it's meant to be constructive criticism instead of bullying. Helping newbies learn what should and should not be part of their kit is a good thing.
@@TocsTheWanderer true! helpful critique should always be welcome! just no condecending tone or finger pointing and anger over a newbies faulty waredrobe. thanks for adding!
I traveled by train to Turku (Finland) in garb to spin with a drop spindle a few years back. My basket bristled with dried, retted nettle to hack (and lunch, and coin of the EU realm, and my return tickets). As I walked from the train station to the medieval cathedral, a Japanese tourist took my picture while we waited for the "don't walk" light to change.
I so enjoy hearing how much you love this, both in the words you use and also the tone of voice, pure joy and excitement. You have fast become my new favorite TH-cam channel!
I was volunteered by my daughter to build 8 Miniature “Viking” Style Tents for my granddaughter’s Tenth Birthday Party. I was put in charge of creating the wooden frames and my wife was given the task of the fabric for the tents. The girls each had their own Viking Style miniature Tent which became a souvenir. It wasn’t a re-enactment but I did get to research the details of how the Norse made tents and my miniature tent frames were just scaled down versions of a design Norse people might have used long ago. Well, i won’t claim it was an 100% accurate representation of such but I must say I learned much and to me that was the most important part of all.
More of just general commentary on the channel, but thank you for all you do. We do reenactment/entertainment focused around a different time period, but all your videos are informative, entertaining, and are awesome all around. So glad I stumbled on to your channel
I'm in Tyne & Wear & to my shame I've not been to Bede's World yet. When my kids were at primary school it was one of the visits that they did. It is on my list but just haven't got around to it.
@@janetgraham-russell4476 I'll probably wait till after the holidays. I'm not good with people even pre-lockdown. Apart from anything else I need to travel when the metros are less busy.
People find your videos chaotic! I find them really informative and a lot of fun. This is so much fabulous information. I have attended the medieval festival in my area most years for a while now (last two years Covid cancelled,😞). I have done this with my autistic son who is absolutely mad about history and medieval history in particular. We are not re-enactment types but we are avid, super keen members of the public. All the things have bought up are so helpful in navigating such festivals. It is fun and attending is our hobby. So grateful to all reenactment societies for making our lives fun and educational.
I'm in the US and used to do American Civil War reenacting. Our camps were in period tents; very few "modern" campers who were off site. At 150th for Gettysburg, the CW tent cities (one union one confederate) were MASSIVE!!!!!!! over 10,000 reenactors. Rows and rows of white dog tents and A-tents lined up on company streets. It's interesting to see how large a UK "modern" camp is compared to the period camp.
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As a former Irish/Scots Highlander re-enactor I found that clothing maintenance was a fun but occasionally comically "harmful" camp-craft...I owned two shirts so I could change clothes from one day to the next and not smell like ass, also giving me the ability to wear one look one day and the other the next, but also had the benefit of wearing one set while being able to fix up or improve the other (or make a new shirt if I needed one). There I'd be, loafing around while repairing a seam or adding some embroidery, and a couple in garb would approach. Sure enough, the woman would slug the man in the arm and exclaim "SEE? He's doing HIS own sewing!"
As an introvert who has been involved off and on in reenactment since 79, one of the best ways to survive an event is the volunteer to help. There is nothing better for a shy person then to have a "script" and a reason to talk to people. I was usually helping in the kitchens, that way I wasn't holding up the tent pretending I wasn't there.
And HYDRATE. Drink lots of water. Did you drink water? That is another way to meet everyone, help out as a water carrier.
Don't touch people's armour or weapons without asking first.
This sounds like what I need to do, didn't think about it.....thanks for the tip Lena
My biggest problem is that they don't let me cook. Simply because the ladies in the group take over it because men are not supposed to do it . Now after wards or before we start play.They are very happy to let me cook the dinners and breakfasts and lunch and do the washing up. But when with the public they don't let me cook.
@@thebelfastvikingmartinbrow3603 insist. Plenty of people in the past cooked, especially lower classes like serfs and slaves. Hunt up some documentation if you can, but remember "absence of evidence does not mean evidence of absence ".
Kitchen is always a fun way to play!
@@thebelfastvikingmartinbrow3603 If you can find historical documentation of someone like YOUR specific character cooking, that might win you the right. I remember when a friend wanted to wear something that is period appropriate, but until she produced evidence that a character of her social status would indeed wear such a thing, they wouldn't allow her to do so. But when you can provide proof, it's not only a way to increase the general knowledge, but you can even use it as a teaching tool for the public -- "why is that man cooking?" now has an authentic historical answer behind it.
"sweaty people in plastic clothes" is now my favorite way to refer to non-reenactors at events like this
Bringing sunscreen and *applying* sunscreen are different activities :P
This is so very true! I'm great at bringing it, not so great at the other...
@@lornaferguson80 haha! No that’s Harry!,😜
Good point. Also remind each other every morning. One of my friends has red-gold hair and that moonlight-white skin that literally can't tan, so I've made myself her "sunscreen reminder". . . and she reminds me to stay hydrated, because that's one thing I can forget. It's funny how we can each have different blind spots.
And apply sunscreen after changing into kit . . . Or you will have a very sore crescent shaped 'Viking smile' on your shoulder blades which is the difference between the t-shirt neckline and a Scoop neck sark . . .
"Members of the public have cameras" omg yes. Working in museums I have no idea how many people have random photos of me. Just have to deal with it...
I walk around in a minotaur costume at midieval festivals....I feel you
God, I feel that. As a tour guide, I often see people filming my ramblings. I have no idea how many of my unfunny jokes just linger on someone's computer...
Imagine if in 2700 picture of you will be used as historical document to demonstrate how humans fancied reenactment in the early 2000s.
@@ReasonAboveEverything
Digital Pictures dont tend to survive very long if special steps arent taken to preserve them.
Usually like 10 or 20 years at most.
Omg they're the bane of everything! 😫🤦🏾♀️
My favorite events are where we're all PART of the event, out in the middle of nowhere, where tourists wouldn't be bothered to try to get to. Whole days with zero technology. . . Like a vacation for my soul.
Honestly. . . How do some people even enjoy being somewhere, when they're only ever "seeing" it through their camera lens, or on their phone? It seems like they're missing the whole point of experiencing their life. . .
And yes I know this is an ironic complaint to be whining about on TH-cam, lol. But I'm not living as a medieval person at the moment. When I am, I don't want to be dragged back into the 21st century, and nothing does that faster than a camera jammed in my face.
On a personal note, to the reenactor that tell me my glasses are not historicaly correct, expect me to ignore you unless you say it in historical correct danish/similar ;)
Use it as an excuse to Trip over them occasionally. You were historically correctly confusing them with a tree stump x
Well said! I really don't like the selective mentality of those kinds of people.
Yes! We are indeed attempting to recreate a period in history as accurately as possible! BUT, not at the expense of people's health, well-being, or just basic safety precautions.
Oh, did you cut yourself chopping wood? Well let's drain that excess blood and bring out my trusty bag of runes, see if that fixes things Ragnar! No? You're gonna go to the hospital? Yeah, thought so...
@@bugsymcgee3310 For early modern era, just get out the scarifactor and deploy the row of spring loaded blades in front of them a few times and see how long it takes them to have second thoughts
@@neoaliphant I can see your point, I on the other hand am of the belief that we are not able to get it truly right anyway. So making compromised for safety is accepteble.
I know my original statement is abit tongue in cheek but it is pretty close to what I believe. You will have a hard time finding reenactors that speak the language correct, the gear is rarely perfect and the collection of people present is 100% incorrect. Not to mention all the things where we just dont know how close we get.
All that said, I personally think that as long as we make it clear what is "correct" and what is "modern" then that is the main point.
@@neoaliphant I guess it is simply a difference in opinion. Personally I find leather coverings for glowes to be worse. Since some people might actually think thats how they looked and that it is authentic. In that case I prefer clearly modern protection glover that leave no doubt.
Removing earings/noserings/covering tattoos, sure. Glasses on the other hand. well I guess its simply a difference in opinion.
Q: How many camping re-enactors does it take to change a lampwick?
A: LAMPWICKS! I forgot the lampwicks!
Yes but if you use a wee clay lamp with fish oil. You get away with using string and bees wax. And you make your own wick's.
PLEASE don’t stop being a little chaotic that’s one of my favorite things about your videos!
seconded
Seventy-fifthed.
I joined my local longsword club because I wanted to learn to hit people with a big metal stick. I am now seriously contemplating weaving my own wool fabric to make kit with.
The crafting, it gets you.
Started as a landsknecht, now im a blacksmith
It really does. I've fallen in love with drop-spindle spinning, and one year, when a friend's Great Pyrenees "blew" her fur (which they do every spring -- they shed huge swaths and bundles of fur) I carded it and started using it to spin with, and now I've been incorporating dog fur into all different kinds of yarn, like with Icelandic goat fur and of course sheep's wool. That's something I never thought about doing before, but crafting just inspires creativity. . .
True, got dragged into a early-medieval group mainly to teach them a bit of archery for fun.
Now i am creating my second hauberk, this time out of authentic riveted steel rings. Things just happen at these camps
And Yes: In any situation, don't push someone to drink! Don't do it.
Always feel that you can say no to drink. I wish everyone always felt comfortable and safe to say no, but the world can make it hard, so reach out to someone, just tap a metophorical shoulder, and say "can you please help me ask this person to stop pushing this on me"
Like, don't let your friends be pushy with drink! (or other activities)
That's just something that would definitively happen to me. Everytime I go somewhere two things always happen: 1. some guy just senses my gay aura and wants to buy me a drink and I say no and try to be nice. Because I know the moment I say yes the guy will think I owe him something. And 2. I will have at least one sad moment and some person with good intentions tries to cheer me up in a really bad way like "C'mon just have a drink or are you a coward. And try to smile" and because I'm not that cheerful in that moment and nobody knows me I will just appear like a general killjoy to everybody around me, so nobody wants to help and I will regret for half an hour that I left my home, but after that it will be fine again.
Anyone tries when we're at an event let me know and we'll escape and tell them off
I always try to have non-alcoholic options for those who don't imbibe, and offer them all so people can pick what they're comfortable with: "Would you like something to drink? I have water, Sprite, beer, and rum." I've also been a "designated drinker", whose job it was to relieve non-drinkers of the alcohol that overly-enthusiastic eventgoers have given them, or to take shots on their behalf when people pour too many. It's not a role for the faint of liver.
@@bridgetthewench Exactly! If you want everyone around you holding a glass that’s fine, but non-alcoholic, un-caffeinated, non-carbonated, non-allergenic water will need to be on offer.
@@lynn858 And I've seen enough people drop from not getting enough water, I'm going to be pushing that over anything else at an event, especially to new people I haven't seen before. I've stopped performers who were walking by my shop, visibly wilting, and made them drink some water and splash a bit on their face and neck to cool down.
Too much control can be dangerous, so EMBRACE CHAOS!
For my neurodivergent friends out there: Don't feel pressured to eat foods that you aren't comfortable with, even if the event organisers cooked period food for everyone. The most important thing is that you eat something. Sneak off to the nearest store and get yourself something you actually like.
I'm thinking about joining a group but I'm a little scared I'd be overwhelmed with the people and not able to go to all of the events. :( But it seems like so much fun!
@@snazzypazzy I feel you! I'm going to be part of a performing crew at an event this summer, and I'm really nervous about it 😳 But I think it's important to remember that there are ways to work around things. (My current plan is to sew a lot between performances and rest in my tent with noise cancelling headphones to calm myself down and save energy.) Maybe you could go to an event and only stay for an hour/whatever you can handle? Or find some "quiet" space wher there's not a lot of people and make it yours. Start small and se if you enjoy it and how much of it you can handle 😊
I'm neurodivergent too and this thread is good advice.
Absolutely. My group are great but I have so many dietary limits I just bow out of most shared dinners, as id rather not inconvenience them! Lunches are fine as you can just pick and choose from all the authentic foods laid out. Just do you, it's all good!
I was part of a pretty major national society and we'd have a pitch-in group food situation at most shows. People would put money forward and the group leader would bulk-buy stuff for making stews/chili/etc for dinner as well as more historic kinds of meals for lunch during show hours. Was a nice situation but you always had the option of either bringing your own food, and nobody would question it if you did leave the show to go to a local shop... hell sometimes you'd have groups of people all going together. Some shows I recall also had food vendors who'd happily sell to reenactors.
Importance of the letter 'e' vs 'When she was dying I said "Hmm, that looks like fun'".
Come for the garb, stay for the spicy tips on avoiding racists.
I used to know a guy who was in a WW2 German Mountain Division enactment group; which was Nazi-adjacent enough for us to look askance. He said he was thinking of joining a group "re-enacting" the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler (about as Nazi as you can get); however, he lost his enthusiasm when we told him "Adolf Hitler Love Banner" sounded like a really hot and raunchy sausage party. Apparently homophobia and racism are natural bedfellows... no... not bedfellows... no no no 😋😂
@@euansmith3699 Reenactors usually throw sexual innuendo around like custard pies at the clown house. I'm unsurprised why he acted that way though, most SS groups act there the Dog's Knackers hence why most re-enactors (including other WW2 German reenactors such as myself) tend to approach them with equal parts caution and content.
@@euansmith3699 if he was an actual national socialist he wouldn't have just lost his enthusiasm because he invented a gay sounding society name. Dude had propably read something about world bankers being evil and understood partly why Hitler went berserker on jews and he wanted to larp something edgy.
True, although I've found much less-malignant racists among reenactors than I've had to deal with in the regular world.
I'm racially ambiguous but clearly not Anglo-Saxon or Scandinavian; so I've heard some weird comments from racist reenactors; but at least they've never called the cops to falsely arrest me in handcuffs just because I was the only non-white person in a particular area -- which is what happened at the Hyatt.
(I later filed an official complaint, and on-site security cameras could PROVE I wasn't the thief who'd stolen something; but it's both infuriating and frightening to be suddenly arrested when you have no clue why.)
Encourage all of the enthusiasts to enthuse!
Enthusiasm is beautiful, Everyone should find something they can be enthusiastic about, everyone should take a moment to enjoy seeing someone shine as they talk and the enthusiam just radiates from their face and hands and words.
This is an excellent comment!
"Stay Hydrated" YES! I have been the hydration person at a battle event. After every engagement, I was up and out among the fighters, making them drink water. Because they're high on the battles, and need the reminder.
Also, my favorite part of eventing is just sitting around talking, and having a hand craft is awesome for that. I also always have a little area behind my tent that is where I can go to be left alone if I need to decompress. Even if I don't use it, it's good to have.
I love tablet weaving and learned how to so I could weave belts and trimmings for my tunic. I also learned blacksmithing with the hope of making my own Long Axe.
I love smithing and can’t wait until I can put more time into really learning tablet weaving.
@@kitdubhran2968 Tablet weaving itself isn't too hard to learn or get started in. You just need to learn how the thread the cards and even some more complex patterns are just memorizing a few movements and repeating them. The real challenge is how tedious and time consuming it is threading the cards.
@@CollinMcLean I get that. It’s just complicated enough that it couldn’t become a mindless adhd task.
I don’t mind endless tasks. I’m currently stitching together, and then felling down the seams of 40 42 inch strips of cotton to make a skirt. Repetitive things aren’t so bad. I like them a lot.
I'm just getting started on historical reenactment (having previously done fantasy type reenactment) and as I watched your video it occurred to me why it all appeals so much - the sincerity. It feels like half the world is embarrassed to genuinely like something - everything has to be Ironic Liking in case it's cringy and all that stuff. It's so nice to find people who are genuinely enthusiastic about something and and environment that thrives on the expression of that enthusiasm.
This video is oddly applicable to multiple hobbies. Antique cars. Small scale steam trains (particularly the children attempting to launch themselves under the rope towards something very hot).
I was a child though, so I tended to work as a ticket taker, with an adult bouncer who was staff from the property we were on.
Kids would ask questions, in that general way they do, to anyone who’s listening. And I’d start explaining, only to be talked over by their parent who’d start BSing about stuff they know nothing about. It’s really a pity, because having been doing this with my family for YEARS I was a human encyclopedia on the subject, and unlike some of the adults I could explain things at a few different levels of complexity.
I was only playing ticket taker because I couldn’t drive a train on the track on public days. Same as I bet there are renenactor families with kids who are quite adept at combat, or blacksmithing but can’t participate at events when there’s private property and insurance involved. Yeah, it’s dangerous. But if kids are taught carefully, they’re often more aware and reliable than some of the adults. And historically, children were shovelling coal into steam engines, and blacksmith forges, operating the bellows, and dying in combat as water carriers and drummers.
All excellent advice. I'm pretty introverted myself, but meeting other re-enactors, especially at an event is much less stressful than meeting random strangers.
Just two things I wanted to add; Please make sure your tetanus jabs are up to date, the woman who taught me to spin was very insistent on this, a tiny scratch from a little bit of vegetable matter might be all it takes. Sure, very unlikely to matter, but a bloody horrible way to die.
And, although Jimmy strongly implied it, to be explicit, do what you reasonably can to keep blatantly modern stuff out of sight. Nobody sensible will bat an eye if you're wearing glasses or have to use an inhaler, but put your watch in your belt pouch, don't drink Coke out of a can, and keep your Morrison's bags hidden under a cloak :-). I don't know why, but it's the modern stuff that draws the eye. Help maintain the fantasy.
Yeah, I've worn my glasses at every event. About the only other modern thing you'd regularly see me with is my water bottle.
Excellent point about tetanus shots. Mine are always up to date for work, but I've seen people get a small cut whose shots AREN'T up to date, and tetanus is one shot which can give you a sore arm for about two days, which definitely isn't what you want during a reenactment.
Honestly when I first started the hobby I was extremely introverted, the group helped me come out of my shell a lot.
When I went to my first show, I hadn't really met anyone from the *other* groups in my society, but first meeting them I felt right at home and could banter with them without anyone from my own group being there. Reenactors are often very friendly. I even got to to the point where I could go to multi-group shows and just start chatting with other reenactors I'd never met before and had no connection to.
As for hiding modern stuff, absolutely. A lot of my group have some kind of medical requirement or other, its why we often wear pouches, to keep our modern requirements out of the way. Its also good at big shows with lots of vendors to keep your wallet in them so you can buy stuff if you want but not have to openly carry it.
I can confirm that just walking up to people and telling them their craft looks cool is a great way to learn crafts, I was taught wool dyeing and nalbinding just from hanging around people who do it and looking curious about it and on the last outing I taught basic embroidery to four people because they said it looked neat and I happened to have spare hoops. One of them is already better than me at it now, it's awesome! Go and be curious about people's crafts, we will love you for it.
I was a Renaissance actor for 13 years and you can remember everything if you write down! Make a list and check things off as they go in your bag or whatever you use, Tape or affix the list on your bag or container and keep another copy on your person.
Big big-brother/fun-uncle Jimmy energy ❤😁
^^
(Sitting around “in my linens” did make me giggle). I’ve done some mail making and engraving as a demonstrator, and was terrified when I was first asked what I was doing, but seeing the curious public getting involved was so much fun in the end!
I had to show kids how to cook rabbits and skinning them last Sunday. And am a trained chef of over 35 years. And I took a lump out of my finger to busy talking not enough looking at a very sharp knife.
that bit "oh god im falling apart" as you bump a knuckle made me laugh and walk into a table. Body parts are betrayers....loved this video
Needs more tea!
Exactly, right now my right knee has chosen violence. 😖
"A handful of soup..".this man is important!
My first event I came very close to taking a Dane axe to the face because one of the veterans let a child hold it by himself, and turn shoes plus wooden crutches (I’m disabled) mean I move a little slower than normal 😂😂
I wear glasses and am a bit blind without them. So giving me a big pointy thing and telling me to try to hit someone without killing him can be a bit dangerous. But it doesn't stop me having lots of fun sharp and blunt long and short play things. Just to stand for the I have a big toy photo 🤣
@@thebelfastvikingmartinbrow3603 oh I’m right there with you brother, though I’m beyond taking part in any battles, I just hobble around playing the old wounded fighter haha
Jesus...
Too chaotic? That's part of the reason we watch you! You do weave in and out of the script as you recall something that didn't make it into the original outline, but is still worth mentioning. It shows you're adaptable and on the ball. If people don't want chaotic, they ought to steer clear of a lot of archaeologists and history enthusiasts 😆
Well said.
And you have an awesome dog! (I can't resist, I love dogs)
@@zxyatiywariii8 She was the best girl. Half Bulldog, half Staffy, all daft.
This was great fun to watch despite not being a re-enactor. In non-covid times I go to SF&F conventions (mainly Discworld, because selfies with the famous are not my thing, but laughing and having fun with like-minded friends is). Much of the advice in this video works for conventions too :-)
Discworld conventions??? Oh, my dream. I imagine you're not located in the U.S. Alas, there are too few of us here. (But if I'm wrong, someone please correct me and tell me where to find the events!)
Here in Central Florida they hold Highland Games every February, and they have a lot of people doing things like weaving or mail making, and everyone is extremely happy to let anyone who's interested have a go. My firstborn got into making mail one year, and kept it up for over a decade.
My son in law is active with the Highland Games here in the Orlando area! I tell people he gets to play games like throwing telephone poles while wearing a kilt! (He’s a big, brawny guy!) His wife, my daughter, gets into the spirit by dressing in costume, too. One time another of our daughters ordered a period costume just to fit in while she walked around the games! Small world! Two Central FloridIans watching a Welsh Viking in Scotland! 😊
The Highland Games are one of the best, most welcoming events I've ever been to as a member of the public instead of a reenactor. Awesome people!
I've done SCA on and off for a couple of decades. I mostly avoid doing public events, unless I was being part of a dance group, and I can hide once my bit is done. I don't like the pressure of the public asking me questions, which is why I always appreciate that most SCA events in my kingdom, An Tir, are private.
Greetings! I've recently started looking into SCA and found that I live in An Tir. Someday I hope life opens enough and my family can dive in, in person.
Hello fellow An Tirians!
With people crossing safety ropes, i've been doing midieval fairs for 6 years now, and we have a shooting range with sharp arrows. On either side there's a rope with a beautyfull sign saying "Shooting range, do NOT cross this rope" and yet somehow, people still just hop right over the rope and right into line of fire....
My group does a mixture of medieval and more age of sail kind of stuff, so we have a lot of experience with people trying to get way too close to our cannons. At times it has gotten to the point where we've had to draw weapons on people because some jackass decided he wanted a photo next to the cannon *while smoking*.
I work in a pharmacy as a technician. People do not read. We have a system that sends a text message or phone call when there is an item to pick up, insurance info needed, price confirmation, and other things. So. Many. People. Walk up and say “I have something to pick up. I have no idea what it is. I got a text.” So I will go into their account and look all around and ask about refills. Then I ask to see the text and it says something like “It’s time for your yearly flu shot!” And I read it out and their like “oh okay” and leave. And I facepalm.
Being a member of the sk for 30+ years, this is by far the best introduction video to our hobby i have ever seen, fantastic job will share with fellow members and new members, i think its just as vital that us veterans remember what its like to be new
Thanks mate, I really appreciate your saying that!
Dude seriously?!?!
Those “flowy bits” are my favorite part.
I might even rediscover my historical reenactment passion if I keep watching you!!
When I used to do Viking "Re-enactment" it was mainly about drinking, singing, hang-overs and bacon sandwiches.
17:29 That photo reminds me of the kit we used to wear back in the 1980s 😂
17:49 A talk on "Articulated Knees" sounds great
You are a great advert for the hobby.
My Pirate group says we are a Drinking Club with a Pirate Problem!
Love this vid! Hubby and I are SCA (USA) for 20+years, and you gave the best advice. I loved the "expect it to be wet/dry, freezing/boiling, noisy/quiet, organized/chaotic" (every SCA event I have ever been to). You hit every point, exactly right. Thank you!
Going to Finlands only viking museum next week :O
I wonder if Jimmy knows the Finnish for Viking is viikinki. My subconscious keeps trying to imagine it in his voice 😅
I'd love to do a reenactment, but I'm poor and don't have a car 😆
@@nikkia9506 I dont get it how in the viking age finnish people called vikings "rusi"
@@nitrokameli Maybe they thought everyone who wasn't Finnish were Rusi, or allied to the Rus. I don't know enough history lol (And I've only been learning Finnish since early this year 😉)
@@nikkia9506 Thats nice
@@nikkia9506 they thought they all came from Roslagen ... or Roslagen is named after "Rus", nobody really knows.
I'm a larper rather than a reenacter but most of what you said still applies: someone will take of you if you are new, people love to see your new kit and to know how you made it and we will feed and give you drinks at every chance e have.
I did however have an absolutely retched time at a larp and never went back. That was mostly my “friends” too interested in their own fun to show me how to have my own.
@@angelcollina If you are ever looking for a larp, there is one called Hynafol the grand gathering. It's in Texas and there are plenty of people to help you have fun and would love to show you around 😊
@@freyafox5079 Oh! That's so kind, but I live in Seattle, so that might be a little far to get to.
😂 I am responsible for two people who would forget their heads if they weren't attached, which makes me then overlook something that I need to take! I've made a packing list for day trips and weekend events now so that we can just work from the list.
And now I am the chatelaine for our group so I get to pack gear for newcomers to borrow as well!
Lovely video on events. The food comments cracked me up. For us at SCA events, the general comment is "if you go hungry, it's your own fault!" when there is a kitchen running. :)
As a veteran SCAdian who has feastocrated many an event, agreed. I am known for 2 things feeding people until they explode and coming in under budget
@@herminadepagan3407 We share a talent for the bottomless cook pot. :) I too love to be the Feast-o-crat.
@@Rozewolf I spend so much time in the kitchens and over a fire pit, that most people aren’t aware that I own Merchants class court gowns or proper silks. I’m usually in either my Norse linens or wearing male sailor slops. Much easier to cook in.
@@herminadepagan3407 I totally understand. :) I'm Norse, and more people know me with my cooks apron on than without it.
@@herminadepagan3407 long time player here ( 1969) my personal motto is :
“alam tantum ut cedatis”. I will feed you into submission.
I am an historical enthusiast with a deep love of archeology, I am also a Norse pagan in the great plains of Kansas...rural U.S.A. I frankly find your videos to be quite informative and I love your direct honest explanations. You have been an invaluable source of clarity in a small and insular community that, all too often, emulates what they see on television or pick up from poorly researched pop culture. As a man who has studied the cultures of my Germanic and Scandinavian ancestors for 30 years, I am sorry to say the history is poorly represented in America. I am a huge fan. Keep up the good work. And good on you.
Most of this video I was sitting firmly in nostalgia, thinking of all the fun I'm going to have once my local SCA group can have events again (beyond the practices on weekends at the local park where I usually sit in my civilian clothes stitching something), and then the existential crisis of "oh god, my ren faire plans just moved up a month from September to August and I haven't even started oh no oh no oh no" set in so, thanks for that! XD
Managed to get to the Largs viking festival before the great beer virus asked a ton of questions it was great because nobody made me feel stupid for asking and had a good balance between sharing their enthusiasm (had a great chat about Orcadian Bere flour) and understanding that I stepped into a hut where I could do the exercises to calm my anxiety when I got overloaded with people.
That. Is. TOP! That's so lovely to hear :)
Omg! I have been sitting and binge watching your videos all day long once again, while doing embroderie! Im so hyped for this video!
Btw your thumbnail work is getting real good!
I was really panicky over today's one so thank you!
Thank You Jimmy.
I am fascinated by history, but due to medical I probably won't go. Thank you for letting me live vicariously through your adventures.
At one of the first medieval events I went to a pair of saddlers held workshops for learning to work with leather, I still love the belt bag I made back then and try to use it whenever i can (it's 5 years ago now). It was super fun, and most of the participants of the workshop was teens that were just excited to get to make their own bags from scratch.
Learning how to safely handle the equipment from people that it's literary the tools of their trade was great, so if the event has workshops as an option I highly suggest checking them out (they usually cost money though, because material and the time of the person holding the workshop).
Catherine, what are you doing there?... um, watching your video, Mr. Jimmy the Viking. Though earlier on I was sewing a gore to a new wool tunic (it's winter in NZ and I have an event coming up in a month, must have warm garb!!!). Two more gores to go, then facings&seams&DONE, oh my!
After 40 years on and off in re-enactment and living history this is one of the best " hints and tips " videos or articles I've seen. Thanks ... from a not at all noob.
I'm highly flattered! Thank you!
There are also those people interested in the mead. Tasting mead, buying mead, drinking mead...you can't spell mead without me.
me.
Or mad!
The Minnesota Renaissance Festival has a very nice Viking Encampment, complete with demonstrations and games to play, plus occasionally a Raven.
I love their demonstrations! They have great energy
I used to be a member of the SCA.. IT was Like a whole bunch of mini-vacations.. until the year we went to something 48 of 52 weekends.
Still in in 42 years in. yikes :)
@@blktauna I’m sure you have a lot of amazing memories!
@@DawnOldham I do and its been a wonderful ride 😃
I've only been in 4 years!! I feel so new
@@brookecarney-hahn9313 Welcome and I hope you have a wonderful time!
Jimmy, Abby, and Rachel, these are my chaotic good crew. Please, Jimmy - we love the chaos! ❤️
" they will feed you "
Vix + cheese soup + jimmy 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Every single event I go to, I make sure to bring cheese, some bread, and boiled eggs. Foods that can be eaten as is, and shared easily with anybody that's hungry.
So proud of her! :')
@@TheWelshViking you dying under the table i will never forget
“Holding soup in my outstretched hand” sounds exactly like something I would end up doing.
God I want to be part of a living history society so bad 😩 but trying to find any pre-20th century reenactment here in Greece is impossible, all I get is Ancient Greek events in other countries, and Viking reenactment doesn't seem to exist here 😭
It sounds both really interesting and really overwhelming. I think I will just stay with larping with my teeny tiny group where a big event is equal to more than 25 people and go to the medieval week in Visby once in a while.
But I really want to get into more historical crafts and would like to go to workshops and such. But I rather keep all the reenacting-ish parts I enjoy separate, to keep me un-overwhelmed.
Thank you for the video, it gave me good insight into what I personally want and don't want to do.
And yes, the sunscreen is very important. I actually managed to get a sunburn on an day long event in the beginning of October up here in the north because I though I wouldn't need sunscreen in october (as I usually don't need it then). But the sun will come and burn you even if you think you can escape it.
I know you don't SCA very much, but these rules and expectations are typically what I tell my noobs! I run a hospitality household and it's true, we will feed and water you.
I love love love my SCAdian family, whether we have already met or not ❤️
Thank you so much for your lovely, wholesome self!!
As a rugrat wrangler for 5 years, a shepherd crook is handy to have to herd children. It also works on adults if needed.
I was looking at digital copies of a Victorian knitting book recently, one of the first patterns was for a kid harness and leash. Can only imagine the usefulness if you have a bunch of them.
@@snazzypazzy oh there is lots of great images by Pieter Bruegel the elder. Specifically his painting Children’s Games is just a
Where’s Waldo of childhood games. The children’s leads are just super practical. Yes, old fashioned but keeps your toddler out of traffic and other hazards.
@@TudorositiesbyMaureen If I had kids I'd probably bring them back into fashion!
@@snazzypazzy a few close friends who have little ones have a modern version of Medieval /Victorian leads. Proves toddlers are a nuisance to themselves and others for centuries, lol. It’s called Monkey On My Back. It’s a plush animal back pack with chest snaps and leads for the parents to keep ahold of. Thanks for the info about the knitted version.
Thanks for saying that you can relax as reenactor. I know a lot of people who think you HAVE to be like a teacher and have to study and work on crafts all the time. Its a hobby! Everyone should find their own path in that. Only if you get paid by a museum, then its work and you should take it seriously to show public things. Just be a nice human(if the other one is also nice to you :P )
My husband often re-enacts 'sleeping old man' . . . Competing with the dog for snoring (and sometimes farting) . . . Small children love it!
@@helenlayley :D
A good piece of advice is when a person walks over and hands you either a sports drink or water, drink it. You might not realize how dehydrated you are, but they will. Also do not be scandalized if they ask you when you last peed and what it’s color is. They are trying to make sure you are not losing too many electrolytes. If anyone gives you a hard time about your kit, don’t get discouraged. Instead run away, find the person in charge of the event and tell them what happened and point out who did it. That person is a jerk and will be dealt with accordingly. We lose so many potential people because of that nonsense. If you are in the USA and are at event where there is a larger Norse/Tudor era pirate lady dressed in bright pink or purple with hair to match go straight to that person and we will deal with the person. It might not even be violently🤣.
Jimmy, if you make it to the states for any of our giant wars, pm me and I will make sure you are sorted with food, sunscreen and feastgear.
Thank you for your note on being pressured/not pressuring!
A fabulous introduction to the weird and wonderful world of living history & reenactment, one which I will hartily recommend to any novice interested in getting involved!
And for those said novices potentially reading this, always remember, there's a first time for everything and EVERYONE was lacking in knowledge at some point. Please don't be put off or intimidated by those who will reel off fact after fact as if it's nothing, they started in the same place you did once upon a time.
Ask questions, read books, take part, or even just simply watch and observe, eventually, you too will become proficient in the relevant information and skills, it really does just take a bit of time and commitment, much like any other hobby, you WILL get there I promise.
Also Jimmy quote of 2021 'When she was dying, I said, hhhmmmm that looks like fun, how does it work?'...
My 1st event a new friend basically took his trousers of and put his best on so I could wear his old pair lol.As for a long ship less then a month from joining the group. And as an ex army chef I thought it was easy to cook for an army.😇
Army Chef? You sound like the perfect member of any group.
@@euansmith3699 you would think so.? But I been trying to join the group that's only 5 minutes from me in Larne. Because my old group is 50 miles there and 50 miles home. So two hours a night or 10mins. And I still keep in touch with some of the old group.But they keep saying we will get in touch.
It's not like I don't know how to cook Viking age food. Have more camp gear then a single person needs. Plus my very own blunt and Sharp toys etc
"When she was dying I went up and said that looks cool how do you it?"
The 10 year old in me was far too amused
1:02 Ahhhh Vic, Australia represent!! 👏👏
My draw to viking age reenactment was to build and use period accurate trekking kits/ survival and camping kits. My group and I often go on viking hiking day trips and overnight trips with foods the Vikings might have eaten. It's really great.
You might be surprised by how many people have their minds blown when I explain to them that vikings and Europeans as a whole wouldn't have potatoes back then. Soooo many people think they come from Ireland, not realizing that they actually originate in South America.
Those kind of collective tips videos are really helpful. I can't really attend events due to health, though. But I love "reenacting" in small ways, like crafts and cooking authenticly.
Maybe you can do a video about the range of possible crafts, like a list from naalbinding to blacksmithing? That would be helpful for some to find their craft or a new craft again, or just for orientation. Also, videos about resources would be great. Something about useful books with pictures of found jewellery or textiles (since most museums are closed or too far away), online collections, whatever there may be.. I have a degree in history but I somehow seem to struggle with finding viking age resources? (Especially searching for northern german stuff. I know it's not core viking land, but heavily influenced and well.. people existed there too, at the same time, with pretty similar culture. I grew up among burial mounds.)
Have a nice week!
You did a FANTASTIC job of describing what a reenactment event weekend is like. Our son in law takes part in the Highland Games here in Orlando. (He has his kit which includes a kilt. He enjoys games where the contestants throw telephone poles! Entire trees! My daughters go along in period garb, as well, which makes it truly a joyful experience!
I wish I would have known some of this at my first event. I dove in three years ago at Gulf Wars SCA, only knew like 3 people there, but I left with a whole family! SCA is a good place to start.
I've tangentially been to a few medieval reenactment events, but not to a full weekend event yet. I want to save this video and show newer newbies than me. So many great tips!
I too have taken my armor for tours of the kingdom.
I am now pining for events again.. we're not yet opened up that much, but I have fingers crossed for this autumn! I can't wait to be amongst people to share my geek with again. Tedious textile tasks are so much less so amongst good company.
Oh my goodness all of that sounds amazing
Nice aerial shot of the siege of Grolle reenactment at 20 minutes in!
There is something that I would like to add when it comes to battles and especially the training sessions. Always wear your freaking helmet (or really stiff leather cap, but never unprotected or just with a wool hat)! ALWAYS when engaging with weapons! You don't know how skilled the people in the line opposite to you are, you don't know what could happen to you/how you would react in a "tense" situation. For your safety and others, wear helmets. I have seen it multiple times that people were like "alright, this is just training, I am not going to wear a helmet for that" and somebody ended up on the grass screaming and bleeding, because heads get damaged easily.
I've witnessed my fair share of head injuries during trainings and full battles, but never anyone screaming from them. Maybe some quiet cursing, and breathing through teeth, but that's it.
Also, I fully endorse wearing helmets when doing fights against people you don't know, but there are better safety measures when training. Going slow for instance, and calibrating strikes. If it's someone that's new, they should be going slow anyway, even if they claim to have experience. If it's training with another group, make sure that rules and target zones are understood.
Helmets are still recommended, of course, but they shouldn't be relied on as the primary safety measure.
@John Gand I totally agree with you, the first "line of defense", so to say is control over your own weapon. And yes, going slow and calibrating strikes is of utmost importance. However, this "rule" is not always followed, therefore I propose to wear a helmet. Not as a primary defense line but for the case that things would go wrong otherwise. And I have seen cases where the paramedics had to be called, so... that's a bit more than just a little wound and quit cursing.
Sunblock is sooooo important if you’re out in the sun all day.
So senior year of high school, I was working at a local amusement park. The one day I forgot sunblock was the day of senior prom. I was lobster red on my face/arms where my work shirt didn’t cover, which was really obvious with the spaghetti straps of my dress.
Did you have a negative of the war paint when you washed it off afterwards?
Yes. Yes I did.
@@TheWelshViking And you didn't share *that* picture with us? You know we want it! ;)
Stumbled on your videos today, really fantastic content. I'm a HEMA practitioner, and I'd love to come see one of these events!
@27:12 And why does that guy only have one shoe?
"Well, he is a Welshman you see, and they are an odd lot", is what Mike will reply with.
Da fuck was that in the end, Jimmy?! 😂😂
Two things:
1) This video is as usual excellent. Thank you.
2) To all kind of different reenactors that might see this comment, please don't shit-talk other groups for beginners. SCA not your cup of tea? Reenactment in other groups than SCA not your thing? Good that you have figured that out! Excellent. Do what you love. But let's all agree on that different groups does things different and let the beginners find what suits THEM. 😉
Before the pandemic I had been doing Wars of the Roses (as a Yorkist under Lord Howard iirc) reenactment for a couple years, never went to a battle but I did a fair few events with melees and always with an encampment, but since I'm moving to the University of York (for archaeology, which channels like yours have got me super excited about) in a few months, I'm planning on taking up Viking and/or Anglo-Saxon reenactment, and so this video is a great help!
I've only been reenacting for 2 years now, but it's the best thing I ever did in my life! The people are amazing, the places I've been are incredible. And I hope to visit many more and meet many more, great people in the future.
That is the exact correct response to seeing sheep. Also, once we were at an event expressly to do a public cooking demo and forgot the (BLEEPING) frying pan at home. Turns out a steel plate works well in a pinch.
6:45 subtitles "and when she was dying i said "hmm, that looks like fun. How does it work?""
Thanks a ton for posting this video when you did, I've got my first reenactment event in 2 weeks at Evesham and a little nervous but feeling a little more confident with this video in my head
Oh mate, enjoy! If I make it there and you spot me come and say hello!
Good luck! Evesham looks like it is going to be epic fun!
I am here for the chaos. Please never stop the chaos.
*smashes head into a cake*
"Oh god, I'm falling apart! I need more tea!" Is pretty much the most British thing I've ever heard😂
I've somehow missed this video but I'm glad I found it today 😊
And too much chaos? Nah, my ADD brain thrives on your chaos! Please never change❤
This is great! It's wonderful to see so many fellow SCAers/Scadians in the comments. Greetings from the Barony of Caerthe in the Kingdom of the Outlands. I just got my first drop spindle and fourteen little bundles/skeins? of wool roving about 4 days ago. Going to learn spinning and then tablet weaving to make my own trims. They just reopened fighter practices last month and everyone is very happy to get back to it. This is my passion! :D Happy time travelling to all. ;)
That's one seriously metal goat! Thanks for the great tips and tricks to get started. Your videos are not chaotic, they are wonderfully eclectic. Love them!
Aw, thank you Nancy! I do try to keep them on the right side of total chaos!
Many good and important tips, thank you!! I'd like to add that there are always a lot of great, nice, friendly and helpful people but also the bad ones, those that look down on a newbie, comment on your not complete kit or clothes. critique about things like: 'your glasses are not corerrct. This is not a historical necklace!' etc. Don't get bumped out by them. I never understood the gate keeping of some people or their obvious need to tear some one down that they see as weaker. Go to those events with some one you know, or look for a mentor person.
Have fun and stay safe!
Pointing out a necklace as not being authentic is fine as long as it's meant to be constructive criticism instead of bullying. Helping newbies learn what should and should not be part of their kit is a good thing.
@@TocsTheWanderer true! helpful critique should always be welcome! just no condecending tone or finger pointing and anger over a newbies faulty waredrobe. thanks for adding!
I traveled by train to Turku (Finland) in garb to spin with a drop spindle a few years back. My basket bristled with dried, retted nettle to hack (and lunch, and coin of the EU realm, and my return tickets). As I walked from the train station to the medieval cathedral, a Japanese tourist took my picture while we waited for the "don't walk" light to change.
I so enjoy hearing how much you love this, both in the words you use and also the tone of voice, pure joy and excitement. You have fast become my new favorite TH-cam channel!
I was volunteered by my daughter to build 8 Miniature “Viking” Style Tents for my granddaughter’s Tenth Birthday Party. I was put in charge of creating the wooden frames and my wife was given the task of the fabric for the tents. The girls each had their own Viking Style miniature Tent which became a souvenir. It wasn’t a re-enactment but I did get to research the details of how the Norse made tents and my miniature tent frames were just scaled down versions of a design Norse people might have used long ago. Well, i won’t claim it was an 100% accurate representation of such but I must say I learned much and to me that was the most important part of all.
Visited my first middelage festival at Tønsberg Norway this sommer. Loved it!
More of just general commentary on the channel, but thank you for all you do. We do reenactment/entertainment focused around a different time period, but all your videos are informative, entertaining, and are awesome all around. So glad I stumbled on to your channel
I'm in Tyne & Wear & to my shame I've not been to Bede's World yet. When my kids were at primary school it was one of the visits that they did. It is on my list but just haven't got around to it.
Well worth a trip. There's a reenactment day... next month? Soon. I should be attending if I can!
It's now called Jarrow Hall. The cafe is really nice too.
@@janetgraham-russell4476 I'll probably wait till after the holidays. I'm not good with people even pre-lockdown. Apart from anything else I need to travel when the metros are less busy.
People find your videos chaotic! I find them really informative and a lot of fun. This is so much fabulous information. I have attended the medieval festival in my area most years for a while now (last two years Covid cancelled,😞). I have done this with my autistic son who is absolutely mad about history and medieval history in particular. We are not re-enactment types but we are avid, super keen members of the public. All the things have bought up are so helpful in navigating such festivals. It is fun and attending is our hobby. So grateful to all reenactment societies for making our lives fun and educational.
I'm in the US and used to do American Civil War reenacting. Our camps were in period tents; very few "modern" campers who were off site. At 150th for Gettysburg, the CW tent cities (one union one confederate) were MASSIVE!!!!!!! over 10,000 reenactors. Rows and rows of white dog tents and A-tents lined up on company streets. It's interesting to see how large a UK "modern" camp is compared to the period camp.
This was excellent! Thank you so very much for posting this!
Yay Jimmy your ponytail is getting so swishy
Love your hair