Schedule, Challenges, Activities
Bardic Circle and Ceilidh
- Friday night: Ceilidh! Rather than a typical bardic circle, musicians and bards will gather to join in community song and merriment.
- Saturday night: A traditional bardic circle AND a jam session for instrumental musicians
2013 Schedule
The site opens at 5pm on Friday, June 28, and closes at 3pm Sunday, June 30.
We'll have a challenge during the ceilidh Friday night and one Sunday morning too, along with the usual classes, games, and challenges on Saturday. And of course, plenty of food throughout!
For many of these challenges, we say "tell us a tale". You can assume that means, "tell us a tale, recite us a poem, play us a tune, sing us a song, dance us a dance" (or juggle, do acrobatics, breathe fire ...).
A few of the challenges are ones you might want to prepare in advance. These are marked "Do Ahead".Friday, June 28
No food is provided Friday night
5:00pm Troll opens; you may arrive as early as noon, but you might be put to work! Dark-thirty Ceilidh
Activity: The Curse, Part One
Saturday, June 29
Breakfast, lunch, tea, and dinner provided.
Drive-by bardic activity throughout the day: Fly Fishing
8:00 Troll reopens, Breakfast 9:30-10:30 Classes 11:00-noon 12:00 Lunch Bar Opens 12:30-1:30 Classes 2:30-3:30 The Curse, Part Two
The Jaunting Cart3:30-4:30 Classes 3:30 Afternoon Tea served 5:00-6:30 Treason
Instrument Petting Zoo6:30 Dinner
The Bag for Sleeping
The Marriage ContractThen ... Ursula's Midrealm Singalong Dark-thirty Bardic Circle
Musicians' Jam Session
(yep, there will be two separate fires!)
Sunday, June 30
Breakfast and lunch provided
8:00 Breakfast, post mortem, and a surprise challenge or two 3:00 Site closes
Challenges and Activities
When we decided to hold a ceilidh Friday night, we immediately thought of the great John Ford / John Wayne / Maureen O'Hara movie about Ireland, The Quiet Man. It's absolutely non-period, but then it's about an Ireland that perhaps never existed at all. Each of our challenges and activities is based on an incident from the movie, so you might want to rent/download it (it's absolutely worth it). At least take a look at the Wikipedia synopsis.
(And by the way ... as always, there will be a few surprises during the day!)
Friday Night
The Curse, Part One
Squire Danagher's favorite form of punishment was putting someone "in my book". It's tradition: in Ireland, one way to curse someone is to put their name in your "book" and draw a line through it. We'll do this twice (see the Saturday activities), but on Friday night at the ceilidh, when the musicians pause (if the musicians pause), you'll draw a name or subject from a hat and compose a curse on the spot.
Saturday
Fly Fishing:
Father Lonergan famously pursued a legendary trout. Your task is easier. You'll pull a fish from the pond and on it you'll find the last line of the story you must spin.
"How Do I Get to Innisfree?"
Sean Thornton arrives, asks for directions, and is given them ... in spades! Giving directions is a dangerous business - you have to supply landmarks, turns, and places to rest and refresh. You'll draw two locations from a hat and be required to give directions from one to the other.
Gorsedd Bardic Challenge
Need just one more performance to get to the next level of the Gorsedd Bardic Challenge? This challenge is your opportunity to do just that. It's also an opportunity to meet and greet others who have taken on the Challenge. Conducted by Kateryn Draper.
The Curse, Part Two
Tell us a tale of a more elaborate curse. (See Friday Night for the full explanation.)
Do Ahead"I'm going down to the pub and talk a little treason."
Those lovable IRA rascals in their tweeds, jodhpurs and turtlenecks often retire to the pub to foment rebellion with fermented beverages. Tell us a tale of rebellion (with or without beverage accompaniment).
Do AheadInstrument Petting Zoo
Ever listened to the music and wondered if you too could play the recorder? The harp? The cornamuse? Musicans will be available to demonstrate and let you give their instrument a whirl. Conducted by Mathilda Harper.
The Jaunting Cart
Michaeleen took Sean and Mary Kate courting in a horse-drawn Jaunting Cart, with the courting couple back to back. A pair of you will be given two characters from history or literature and create a courting scene ... back to back.
The Marriage Contract
A variation on Bard-Scribe-Illuminator. A team consisting of a bard, a scribe and an illuminator will create a marriage/handfasting contract during the day.
The Bag for Sleeping
The residents of Innisfree are fascinated by Sean's "bag for sleeping", perhaps attributing magical properties to it. Tell us a tale of a magical properties which affects sleep, for good or ill.
Do Ahead
Sunday Morning
Surprises and Farewells.
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