Day of Fools!

And what, you might ask, is the Day of Fools?? Well, it's SUNDAY! One of the best things about going to an event is getting to spend time doing fun stuff with your friends. Why not do silly things together? What if it rains? Ya wanna just sit around in your tent, being bored? NO! Get out there and PLAY!

All day Sunday we're going to indulge our silly sides, doing period peasant games!

First up--Croquet! Last year this was a huge hit, so we're doing it again!

Queen of Hearts Croquet
Yes, we know that Alice in Wonderland isn't period, but hey, it's the Day of Fools! This tournament will reward not just skill, but also style: you can bring any form of implement that you want to use in place of a mallet! And you can be creative, too--(Fearga's threatening to bring a flamingo as her mallet). Anything goes, as long as you can safely use it to hit your ball without damaging anything. (Yes, swords are okay, as long as you use the flat of the blade or keep it sheathed!) There will be prizes awarded for best mallet substitution and overall ranking. We'll be using period rules for Croquet (or "Ground Billiards"), which are actually very similar to modern croquet, only simpler. And yes, regular mallets will be available, too, as well as our own assortment of random objects.

Then on to Mongolian Football! The only requirement for this game is that the participants MUST be wearing a dress. Yep, if you're a guy and you want to play, you have to deck out in something swishy!

Yep, the stress has gotten to us and we're all Having Kittens. You're invited to join us and Have Kittens too! Specifically, we're having a kitten tossing competition, and all are invited! All right, put down the pitchforks and don't call the humane society - these aren't real kittens, they're KNITTENS - knitted kittens that are oh-so-cute and cuddly, but also are not damaged in the slightest by being hurled wildly through the air. Hand-knit by members of our barony, these kittens would love to go home with you - and you could win one, or a number of other fabulous (or at least unusual) prizes, if you join us near the eric. This competition will be run throughout much of the day, and the prizes will be changed and replenished periodically. You might even go home with one of the few, the proud, the coveted kittens! (They don't even need feeding!)

Feeling Arch? Well then, get out your bow! we will have an individual competition Silly Shoot, featuring some of your favorite characters of yesteryear on a variety of stationary, moving and aerial targets.  We will also have the famous Siegfried von Faust Faux Foe Follies, where you must shoot your “attackers” before they shoot you! 

And if it's hot and muggy, we'll do Rag on a Stick! A bunch of you get in a circle, with one of you blindfolded in the middle--with a stick that has a water soaked rag on it. The circle taunts the stick holder until they can't stand it anymore, then THWACK! They toss the rag at the circle. You get smacked, you go in the center!

By now you all know that the Three Pillars has a costuming contest--but what about those of us who don't feel too confident in our costuming skills? Or those who'd like to show off without the pressure
or the hassle of competing? Or how about those who have garb they really love and want to share, but didn't make it themselves? Or maybe you just like to show off and get attention, regardless of what you're wearing! Then the Fools' Fashion Show is for you! Back by popular demand, the fashion show will be held before court and will be a wonderful chance for you to strut your stuff or watch others do so. Costumes of all types will be on display, with witty commentary for each one provided by our favorite old used King, Duke Amalric. Grab a chair and come join us at Big Green prior to Sunday's court.

Come for the fashion show - stay for the Gurning! What's gurning? Well, if you don't want to show off your pretty clothes, you can show off your ugliest (or silliest) face! Gurning is a face-making competition that will be held along with the fashion show (before or after, we'll see what happens!) and is a great way to be silly and irreverent before sitting down for court to be all prim and proper - as we ALL do, of course. Court is never, ever silly! Nope, uh uh. (And there are never ever brownies with chocolate sprinkles and mint sauce and members of the chivalry dressed in drag. We all know court is never fun so - oh, who am I kidding, stay for court, it'll be a blast!)

And since the adults decided the kids were having TOO MUCH FUN, we're going to do ADULT as well as KIDS PILLOW JOUSTING!!  As most of us know, jousting was a sport in which armored knights riding valiant chargers rode at each other, attempting to knock each other out of the saddle with heavy lances. Our version of jousting is a little different but no less noble! For the last two years at Egil's, children and youth have had the opportunity to stand atop log rounds and bash each other with pillows until someone loses their balance. A fun tournament either to watch or to participate in, it's drawn many a question from parents or passersby, "Can I play?" Well, NOW YOU CAN! By popular demand, this year pillow jousting is open to all ages! We will have a children's division and an adult division, with separate prizes for each group. Bring your own pillow or use one of ours, and watch the feathers fly! Cheer on your favorite competitor, have a chance to win fabulous prizes, and get whacked in the kneecaps with fluffy downy softness. EVERYONE wins!

Have you ever wanted to be a Viking warrior, sailing the seas in your dragonship and plundering and pillaging all your neighbors? Or perhaps a member of the Spanish armada, or the English navy, or a crew of cutthroat pirates? Here's your chance to join the Viking Shipuilder's Competition, build your ship and amass a crew to see who will win the title of the most fearsome to sail the seas of Egil's! (Well, we're hoping it won't rain THAT much!) Come join us to build your own ship and decorate it, then have your crew race against the other ships to see whose is fastest (and stays together the longest). No need to bring materials, we'll have everything you need to make your fine vessel on site. Grab a crew and bring them down to the meadow near Gold Key and we'll see who's the saltiest bunch of sea dogs around!

Watch this space for updates and additions to current activities. In addition to the other things we've got planned, we will likely also be having a Gaming Pavilion fundraiser to raise money for Grimmar -
details forthcoming as soon as they are available!