Clash of the iron-clad as SA’s medieval factions battle over dates
The state’s medieval festival factions are fighting it out over clashing dates for their major festivals with both sides digging their heels in.
Two major medieval events hosting thousands of fans dressed in armour, cloaks and tunics were held on the exact same weekend in May, with both event’s organisers refusing to back down on their chosen dates.
And it’s not the first time the two events have gone head-to-head as they compete to host some of the state’s leading re-enactors, armoured combatants, stallholders and entertainers.
The clash has been going on for the past four years while another festival clash in the medieval reenactment world is looming in June.
This year, the SA Medieval Fair was held in Paracombe in the Adelaide Hills on the May 2 and May 3 weekend – an event held annually with its history dating back to 1992.
But a relative newcomer called the Medieval and Rare Trades Festival began four years ago as a splinter group with its organisers ensuring they held their event in Gumeracha in the Adelaide Hills on the same weekend.
SA Medieval Fair’s Event Management Lead Officer Brigitte Winton said there was no need for the clash as Adelaide is “a really small place”.
“People shouldn’t cash in on each other. There are 12 months, there’s plenty of time to have events. Everybody should structure it so there’s something each quarter,” she said.
“You don’t want to clash with somebody else. If we planned another one, we would make sure it was totally away from everybody else, because then you hold your own event in good stead.
Winton said the other event organisers slotted their festival in after knowing their dates and “we have no intention of changing the dates”.
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Over the May weekend, the Paracombe event showcased the prestigious Ironclad Academy of the Sword, as well as the local branch of the global Society for Creative Anachronism showcasing fighting and demonstrating living history through traditional crafts and clothing.
Its opposition event in Gumeracha hosted competitive armoured combat team Warhounds, which fights in the worldwide Buhurt style featuring five-on five skirmishes with swords and axes, as well as traditional Scottish sporting group Tartan Muscle wearing kilts and competing in the famed caber toss using logs.
Winton claimed the SA Medieval Fair was the best of all festivals, saying the event competition did not bother her because of the strong community built around her fair.
“The fair isn’t the group of volunteers that run it, the fair is the participants. The fair is the groups that people come to see and the merchants and the food vendors and entertainers,” Winton said.
“We’ve still got the major number of groups. All our groups and all our living history groups are dedicated to the fair. As I said, we’ve formed a community.”
And Winton says SA’s medieval community was in a good place and her event is not going anywhere.
Tartan Muscle member Brooke Prichard said medieval fairs were important to her group but date clashes caused difficulties.
“The medieval fairs and festivals are really important to Tartan Muscle. They give us an opportunity to showcase Highland Games and traditional strength events to people who otherwise may never come across them,” she said.
“The split between the SA Medieval Fair and the Medieval and Rare Trades Festival has definitely changed the landscape a little for groups within the community.
“Having multiple major events on similar weekends can naturally divide competitors, performers, vendors and attendees, and it can make things more challenging logistically when there are only so many volunteers, athletes and resources available.”
Organisers of the Medieval and Rare Trades Festival did not respond to InDaily‘s questions.
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Tartan Muscle has attended both fairs in the past, but this year chose the Medieval and Rare Trades Festival. Prichard says the group tries to “focus on maintaining positive relationships” when making these decisions.
The clash between SAMF and MRTF is not the only disagreement in SA’s medieval community.
The upcoming Armour and Alchemy Winter Medieval Fair finds itself sharing a June date with the new Victor Harbor Valhalla Festival, with the decision likely to cause another split between groups and audiences.
Ironclad Academy of the Sword President Nic Bevan said there was rising interest in medieval events in SA but it was difficult when events clashed.
“We enjoy good relationships with a lot of the organisers of these events, so it’s always hard when something you’ve planned clashes with something else you’d also love to do,” he said.
“Often, for us, when it comes to events we’ve had an invitation to join, it boils down to logistics: How far do our members have to travel? Does it clash with any of the events we have agreed to attend regularly?
“Can we set up our camp and engage all our membership, or will it be a small group of knights attending for a single day?”
Ironclad regularly attends the SA Medieval Fair and will be attending the Armour and Alchemy Winter Medieval Fair over the June long weekend.
This event is described as having a “medieval village fair” feeling and is set to take place at Wirrina Cove.
Ali Pilborough, AAWMF’s primary event organiser, said the clash with the Victor Harbor Valhalla Festival was unfortunate but SA’s medieval scene was still in a healthy position.
“I think medieval and historical events are gaining traction everywhere because they combine an escape from the everyday world with something interesting and real,” Pilborough said.
“The sharing of dates is just an unfortunate situation this year that we all wish was different. However, we are working to ensure the events are different enough to get interest from more demographics, and that should smooth out the whole process. Hopefully the public comes along to both.”
Though interest in South Australia’s medieval community is growing, Nic Bevan says there’s plenty that can be done to support the medieval scene.
“We’d love to see the Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing take an interest in the sporting side of the medieval scene, like HEMA, Armoured Duels and Buhurt,” he said.
“The more eyes on HEMA and Buhurt, the more interest and entertainment the state can offer, the more smiling faces and tourists we see, the happier we all are.”
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