Category Archives: Events

Medieval illustration of a person being rained on near a fire.

CANCELLED – Lyondemere Arts and Archery: March 11, 2023

From Event Steward: Lupus Baltis

Hello all, Unfortunately I have to inform you that tomorrow’s Art and Archery event has been cancelled. I was informed that there is some flooding at the site. Sorry to all the people that were planning to attend and those of you who were going to display their art and do demonstrations. We will keep you up to date on future dates that this event can happen again. Thank you all.

Medieval illustration of a person being rained on near a fire.
Image from abridged translation into Middle English of Giovanni Boccaccio’s The Fall of Princes, London, British Library, MS Harley 1766, f. 133r.

The original event description follows.

The Barony of Lyondemere is pleased to host our annual tournament to choose new champions in Archery, Crossbow, and Thrown Weapons. There will also be a display of Arts with demonstrations, workshops, and classes. Plus, thanks to anonymous benefactors’ the first ten people at the gate who are planning on bringing a display, doing a demo, or holding a workshop, will have their gate fee waved.
Lyondemere’s return to grand competition will be Saturday, March 11th , 2023 at Woodley Park archery range in Van Nuys. We invite you all to join us for thrilling competitions and to stand in awe at our talented artistry.

Archery

Along the theme of “Shoot ‘til You Drop,” competitions will run all day, including early-bird shoots before morning court. There will be novelty shoots, which you can do as many as you like–with only your highest score from each competition counting. Contests are currently planned for 20m, 30m, 40m, and a Clout competition at 100 yards. Top scores from each of the mini competitions will be eligible for the finals.

Crossbow and Thrown Weapons

It has been confirmed. There will be both Crossbow and Thrown Weapons competitions at this year’s tournament.

Arts

Join us to marvel at the artistry of Lyondemere. We will be celebrating the talents of artists throughout our land. Come display your art: finished or unfinished, pieces you want to show off, and projects you are proud of. Your display can be anything you wan to share, such as a bardic performance, dancing, or storytelling. There will be a People’s Choice for art, open to anyone; it’s not a competition but a fun way to celebrate your talent. Want to share your knowledge or learn to refine your growing talent? There will be classes and workshops! Show us how you mastered your art, how to dance, tell a story, or model how to perform in front of other. Please note that the site is DRY so no alcohol is permitted, alas. Teach us the tricks and short cuts you learned along the way. Classes and workshops are open to anyone (whatever skill level you are) who wants to share their experience with everyone.

Site

 Woodley Park is at 6331 Woodley Ave, Van Nuys, CA 91406 in the Sepulveda Dam Basin Recreation Area, between Burbank Blvd and Victory Blvd. This is a dry site. Extra-long stakes are needed when putting up pavilions or pop-ups.

Schedule

  • 8 AM – Site Opens
  • 10 AM – Opening Court / Announcements
  •  4 PM – Closing Court / Champions Announced
  •  5 PM – Site Closes

Site Fee

$20 Adult Event Registration, $15 Adult Member Discount Event Registration (with proof of membership). Children 16 and under are guests of the Barony. Children are welcome but must be supervised at all times by a parent or guardian. We regret to inform you that the site does not allow pets. Please bring cash or make checks payable to SCA, Inc./Barony of Lyondemere.

Event Steward: Lupus Baltis, artsnarchery@lyondemere.org  

Directions

Take your favorite route to the 405 and Burbank Blvd. From the 405 North: Exit at Burbank Blvd. and turn left toward Woodley. From the 405 South: Exit at Burbank Blvd. and turn right toward Woodley. At Woodley, turn right. Look for a sign that bears the legend “Japanese Gardens”. Turn right towards the gardens. Just before entering the gardens, turn right on the access road that traverses the park picnic grounds. Continue along this road until you reach the traffic circle. The Archery range is on the left, up the hill. Parking is limited near the range, but overflow parking is available alongside the range, behind the paved lot.

Lyondemere/Gyldenholt Yule: December 3, 2022

All good gentles of Caid, the Baronies of Lyondemere and Gyldenholt are pleased to invite you to another marvelous Yule Outdoor Holiday Picnic in the Park! We enjoyed ourselves so much last year that we’d like to return again for another fine frolic in the fresh air with food and fun!

Event Registration

There is no registration cost for this event. We will be collecting new, unwrapped toys for Toys 4 Tots from anyone who wishes to donate.

Schedule

Site opens 10 AM
11 AM Court and Day announcements
11:30 Picnic lunch starts
12 PM Games, Arts and Sciences displays and demos
2 PM Gift Exchange / White Elephant (or earlier if games finish early)
3 PM Closing and Clean up

The whole event is focused on friendship, casual fun, and enjoying the company of friends. Bring out your games, bring out your drums, bring out your musical instruments, bring out your dancing shoes!

For your picnic lunches, you may follow your own comfort level for sharing with families, households, or friends. If you are sharing more widely with others, please consider labeling items with ingredients as best as possible.

Gift Exchange

The Gift Exchange / White Elephant is opt-in and not mandatory. All are welcome to participate as follows. Bring one wrapped SCA-related gift with a minimum $10 value. All the gifts are placed in the common pool, and all gift-bringers draw a number. The first number opens a gift from the pool. The following players can either unwrap something new or steal an unwrapped gift from the previous players. Gifts can only be stolen once per turn, and only up to three swaps per round. When all gifts have been opened, the first player can swap their gift for another in play. When no further swaps occur, the game is over.

Arts and Sciences

Bring out your favorite hand-crafts and demos and show us what you’ve been working on this year! Bring tokens or baubles to show your appreciation for each other.

Site Restrictions

The site does not allow stakes, however pop-up shades are acceptable. Please feel free to bring tables for your Arts Displays and Demos. And enjoy the central picnic tables area, the many trees, and the lovely shade. The site is also strictly dry (no alcohol).

Please remember that we will be following all local Covid guidelines as well as our SCA guidelines.

Event Steward

Dame Eilidh Swann
EMAIL: yule@lyondemere.org

DISCLAIMER: Although the SCA complies with all applicable laws to ensure the health and safety of our event participants, we cannot eliminate the risk of exposure to infectious diseases during in-person events. By participating in the in-person events of the SCA, you acknowledge and accept the potential risks. You agree to take any additional steps to protect your own health and safety and those under your control as you believe to be necessary.

Lyondemere Anniversary: June 25, 2022

Since time immemorial, the wanderlust of the bold people of CAID has brought them to seek out that place where the enveloping mist, crashing sea and rugged land meet, a place where boisterous adventurers strive in the spirit of good fellowship: This is Lyondemere, and the time to visit her hath come again!

Please join us on June 25, 2022 in celebration of our proud Barony, and its beloved Baronage Guillem and Arwen. There will, of course, be fighting both heavy and rapier; archery, Arts and Sciences competition; and our traditional Fighter Bard competition. Additionally, there will be a prize activity for non-fighters (details to be disclosed at opening court). There will also be a silent auction to benefit the Barony, and the Right Noble Brewer’s guild will be selling snow cones. The celebration will be at North High in Torrance, with its broad, green fields and ample parking.

Schedule:

8am – Site opens
10am – List and Gate open
11am – Opening Court
15-30 Minutes after Opening Court – Lists close
One hour after Opening court – Snow cones will begin selling
4pm – Closing Court
5pm – Site closes

Site details

North High School, 3620 W. 182nd St, Torrance, CA 90504
This is a Dry site.

Registration

$15 Adult Event Registration. $10 Adult Member Discount Event Registration. Youths 17 and under are guests of the Barony. Checks payable to: SCA, Inc./Barony of Lyondemere.

Contact

Event Steward: Sir Halldorr Thorhalsson and Sir Mons Von Goarhausen (Deputy)
Email: sirhalldorr@icloud.com

Disclaimer: Although the SCA complies with all applicable laws to ensure the health and safety of our event participants, we cannot eliminate the risk of exposure to infectious diseases during in-person events. By participating in the in-person events of the SCA, you acknowledge and accept the potential risks. You agree to take any additional steps to protect your own health and safety and those under your control as you believe to be necessary.

Lyondemere Arts and Archery 2022

The Barony of Lyondemere is pleased to host our annual tournament to choose new champions in Arts and Sciences and in Archery. Our grand return to the fields of competition will be Saturday, April 30, 2022 at Woodley Park archery range in Van Nuys. We invite you all to join us for the fun, high skill, and the marvel of being together again outdoors!

ARCHERY

Along the theme of “Shoot ‘til You Drop,” competitions will run all day, including early-bird shoots before morning court. There will be novelty shoots, which you can do as many as you like–with only your highest score from each competition counting. Contests are currently planned for 20m, 30m, 40m, and a Clout competition at 100 yards. Top scores from each of the mini competitions will be eligible for the finals.

CROSSBOW and THROWN WEAPONS

We are actively recruiting staff and equipment to be able to host both Crossbow and Thrown Weapons. Please check the event listing on our website: lyondemere.org — for details as the event approaches.

ARTS

This is our Premier Arts Competition in Lyondemere! Entrants may enter between one to three categories. The Champion should enter all three.

  • Category 1: “Your Best” arts or sciences endeavor
  • Category 2: “Even More” arts or science, may be similar to category 1
  • Category 3: “Something Completely Different”

Please include your best effort at documentation for your competitive entries. 

All Arts entrants must send in an email by Friday, April 8, 2022 with their intent to compete. Please list what kind of entry or entries you’ll be bringing to competition so that the event staff can have appropriate judges on hand. Send your topic submissions to artsnarchery@lyondemere.org  

All ages are welcome: If there are youths who enter, they will be judged separately in their own category.

Judging is done blind. Please do NOT include your name or any identifying marks on your entries and/or documentation. Your entries will be given a Number for competition.

There will also be a People’s Choice for Arts. Anyone may bring something for the People’s Choice display, even if they do not wish to compete or provide documentation. People’s Choice entries do not need to have an email sent in advance.

SITE

Woodley Park is at 6331 Woodley Ave, Van Nuys, CA 91406 in the Sepulveda Dam Basin Recreation Area, between Burbank Blvd and Victory Blvd. This is a dry site. Extra-long stakes are needed when putting up pavilions or pop-ups.

SCHEDULE

  • 8 AM – Site Opens
  • 10 AM – Opening Court / Announcements
  • 4 PM – Closing Court / Champions Announced
  • 5 PM – Site Closes

SITE FEE

Adults $15 entrance, Adult members (discounted rate, with proof of membership) $10. Children 16 and under are guests of the Barony. Children are welcome but must be supervised at all times by a parent or guardian. We regret to inform you that the site does not allow pets. Please bring cash or make checks payable to SCA, Inc./Barony of Lyondemere.

Event Steward: Dame Eilidh Swann, artsnarchery@lyondemere.org  

DIRECTIONS

Take your favorite route to the 405 and Burbank Blvd. From the 405 North: Exit at Burbank Blvd. and turn left toward Woodley. From the 405 South: Exit at Burbank Blvd. and turn right toward Woodley. At Woodley, turn right. Look for a sign that bears the legend “Japanese Gardens.” Turn right towards the gardens. Just before entering the gardens, turn right on the access road that traverses the park picnic grounds. Continue along this road until you reach the traffic circle. The Archery range is on the left, up the hill. Parking is limited near the range, but overflow parking is available alongside the range, behind the paved lot.

Lyondemere Arts & Sciences People’s Choice – 2021

Arts & Sciences: Lyondemere is looking for Their champions! Lyondemere will be picking Their champions through all the electronic submissions. There will also be a People’s Choice to be awarded. The guidelines were to share with us any newer (within the last 2 years), completed arts or science project with documentation. Extra points will go towards the submission that follows along with the “Story time” theme.

Scroll through the photos here, or view directly in Google Photos

Entry Documentation

  • Covid Dance Calendar: Snapshots of a Modern Middle Age – documentation here (with photos in the documentation)
  • Rabbit Fur Mittens – documentation here (photos in the album above)
  • Cross Stitch Trim with Story/Filk (from a 16th century pattern) – documentation here (photos in the album above)
  • Baselard Dagger reproduction – documentation here (photos in the album above)
  • Hand-stitched 16th Century shirt – documentation here (photos in the album above)
  • Drawings of Drolleries from illuminated manuscripts – documentation here (photos in the album above)
  • Leather Sheath for a Kitchen Cleaver – documentation here (photos in the album above)

Lyondemere A&S Champion

Her Ladyship Ciorstan MacAmhlaidh – for the Hand-stitched 16th Century shirt

Youth Activities: Lyondemere and Gyldenholt Virtual Anniversary June 2021

At-Home Activities

We have a few different types of activities available for our youngest guests. All of the materials can be downloaded at the following Google Drive link. Coloring and Other activities will require a printer to print out the activities. Construction activities may require multiple materials — check out the individual activities to see what you will need.

Coloring Activities

Try coloring one of our many medieval-inspired scenes!

Download our coloring pages here.

Construction Activities

Try making a wax seal out of clay, a castle out of cardboard, or many more!

Download our construction activities here.

Other Activities

Try connecting the dots, or design your own shield!

Download our other activities here.

Lyonbard Competition 2021

The first Lyonbard competition was held in 2002 at Lyondemere’s Yule. This position was created to encourage excellence in historical performance arts, and to encourage original compositions done in an historical manner. Now 19 years later, we are looking for our new Lyonbard at Lyondemere and Gyldenholt’s Virtual Anniversary which is coming up Saturday June 26, 2021.

The theme of the day is “Story Time,” and any medium is welcome such as singing, dance, traditional storytelling, puppet performances, or whatever can be performed. We are looking for two submissions, one which can be prepared before the event, and the second, we would be asking for someone to create something that day, during the event. Extra points if they involve Lyondemere’s history and past.

Are you interested in taking on such a challenge? Please check out Lyondemere and Gyldenholt Virtual Anniversary – June 26, 2021

Lyondemere and Gyldenholt Virtual Anniversary – June 26, 2021

Saturday, June 26, 2021

Their Excellencies Lyondemere and Gyldenholt cordially invite you to join them for the Virtual Anniversary of both baronies, June 26, 2021, starting at 1 PM (Pacific). The overall theme of the event is Stories! There will be games, our Lyon Bard competition, virtual Arts & Science competition, and a festive revel!

We will be hosting our event via Zoom and have breakout rooms for the various activities. Links will be posted closer to the event itself.

Various Lists and Competitions

Armored: We will be hosting a bardic battle royal specific to our armored fighters, asking them to tell us an unbelievable story to amuse and awe the listeners! Looking for a “No s*** there I was!” sort of tale. Are you up for the challenge? This is separate from our Lyon Bard competition.

Rapier: Two words: ROBOT FIGHTS! Come to our virtual field to drive one of our rapier robots! From the comfort of your home, pilot a bloodthirsty bot and try to pop your opponent’s balloon. A second device to drive the robot while in the event Zoom meeting is recommended, but not required. Only two combatants at a time, so come early to claim your spot.

Archers: Defend our baronies via dice (d6, six-sided dice, regular dice)!

Arts & Sciences: Lyondemere is looking for Their champions! Lyondemere will be picking Their champions through all the electronic submissions. There will also be a People’s Choice to be awarded. Please share with us any newer (within the last 2 years), completed arts or science project with documentation. Extra points will go towards the submission that follows along with the “Story time” theme. All submissions can be seen here: Lyondemere Arts & Sciences People’s Choice – 2021.

Lyondemere is looking for our Lyon Bard!

  • The theme of the day is “Story Time,” and any medium is welcome such as singing, dance, traditional storytelling, puppet performances, or whatever can be performed.
  • We are looking for two submissions, one which can be prepared before the event, and the second, we would be asking for someone to create something that day, during the event.
  • Extra points if the entries involve Lyondemere’s history and past.

Stay tuned to the official virtual event posting on Facebook and this site for any updates or changes.

Youth Activities

We have curated a set of at-home activities for our youngest anniversary guests. Check them out at the Youth Activities Page.

Event Steward

Please contact the Event Steward: Lady Batu Sechen Tsagaajin at anniversary@lyondemere.org with any questions or issues.

Arts and Sciences Champion of Lyondemere

Lyondemere is looking for Their A&S champions! Lyondemere will be picking Their champions through all the electronic submissions. There will also be a People’s Choice to be awarded.

Please share with us any newer (completed within the last 2 years) finished arts or science project with documentation and clear digital photos (minimum 2 photos, up to 6 photos max). Extra points will go towards the submission that follows along with the “Story time” theme.

All submissions (all age groups encouraged to send in) will be posted on our arts and sciences webpages. You will need to share everything before June 23, 2021.

Please submit your A&S submission, with documentation here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf3mvM-Ghf10p0M_95SuAibsptBHy52NoICqzH7cvkz2lKxfQ/viewform

Virtual Baronial Council – Wed, July 29

Barony of Lyondemere Council Meeting
July 29, 2020 – 7:00 PM Pacific Time

The Barony of Lyondemere will be having a Baronial Council meeting via Zoom. Zoom details will be shared the day of the meeting. (You can request Zoom details by email – seneschal@lyondemere.org).

We will be running this like a normal Baronial Council, so we will be needing officer reports, updated on old projects (Anniversary), current projects, and 2020 events.

All are welcome to attend this business meeting. This is a non-garb event, online. If your computer can’t do Zoom, please feel free to call in on the zoom telephone numbers that will be provided with the links closer to the meeting.

If you can’t make the Zoom meeting and you are an officer, feel free to message the Seneschal with any reports (seneschal@lyondemere.org). Any questions? Let me know.