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ABOUT
Come celebrate the feast of Saint-James at Aix-en-foret with good food and good company. This immersive late 14th century event is on the theme of “La Fête”, with a wedding, a village festival, and the sung offices for the feast of Saint-James.
For reenactment purposes, the year is 1389 and we are in Normandy about halfway between Paris and Mont-Saint-Michel. We will permit material culture between 1375 to 1420. This event is meant as an immersive experience and thus will be period the whole time.
This is the time to out-bling each other. Bring your best clothes, jewelry, banners, decorations.
This is a civilian event (as in non-military), so don’t bother bringing your armor… unless you like dressing yourself in it and wearing it for hours in July, then who are we to judge.
The event is capped at 45 people due to the size of the site.
ACTIVITIES
Activities will revolve around the theme of the event.
Arts and crafts classes
Tuesday to Thursday. Classes may overlap, schedule and full list to be published near the event date. See below for a few examples
-Embroidery: decorate an item of the bride’s clothing. If you have it, bring materials including thread, needle and light linen fabric (embroideries will be appliquéd). You may also prepare or start your embroidery in advance. Instructions and materials will be provided for those who desire.
-Fabric printing (Dominique): Make a stamp, decorate fabric imitating silk damask as Cennino d'Andrea Cennini would have done… well not quite, we will be using modern paints, since lead poisoning is not super awesome. These will be used for the wedding celebration and you can take them home after.
Crafting: ask an "expert" if you want to learn to do something, teach other people to do something, or work on your own projects.
-Spindle spinning (Dominique): Any time on request. Some spindles available to borrow or buy, wool provided.
-Linen processing (Julie): home grown flax processed into linen thread
Medieval laundry and bath
Thursday, to avoid running out of underwear before the end of the week, and for those who like to stay fresher smelling. Tubs, soap, beaters, drying lines and hot water organized, but you will be doing your own laundry and washing your own back, bohemian bath house babes are not included
Officia sancti iacobi ad primas vesperas
Singing the offices of St-James at Vespers (Bernard): On Thursday before dusk, we will attempt to sing the most important office of the feast of St-James from a 12th century manuscript. If you’d rather participate, than be a bystander, don’t worry, there will be classes to learn some of the songs for the office.
Village festivities
All day Friday, there will be contests of agility with archery and running the quintain. Peasant dances. Game of soule (involves a ball, 2 teams and 2 goals… that’s pretty much all of the rules. Generally involved injuries and destruction of property but we don’t have to be that realistic). A Medieval cook-off (optional), where you make your best 14th century dish and we eat it all together for dinner.
Wedding celebrations
Saturday. The couple is wed in a medieval ceremony. Entertain the newlyweds with theater, music and song (those who are interested, prepare a number). Courtly dances will be led to live music.
Feast
Le Pas d’Aix-en-forêt -July 2015
Saturday night in the cabin. Show up in your best finery and your guests will wine and dine you. Bring your dishes and cutlery. BYOB.
Other random activities
Wood chopping, cooking, doing the dishes, sewing, visiting the fairy tree, lounging around, fencing practice, etc. We will congregate every night at dusk after dinner around the big table to share drink and song, and partake in games of chance, and generally having a good time.
Departure: Sunday before 2pm
SITE AND ACCOMMODATIONS
The Feast of Saint-James at Aix-en-Forêt is held on a private property in Lotbinière, Québec. It is a wooded lot that can accommodate a small period camp of authentic pavilions and military tents. There is a cabin with a dormitory that can hold 14 people. People sleeping in the dormitory will only need to bring sheets, blankets and pillows (beds and mattresses provided). If you are interested, request a spot when registering, they will be reserved on a first paid first served basis. There will be NO modern camping.
Fresh drinking water available on site.
Firewood for cooking will be provided. Do not bring your own, you may bring insects with it.
This event is period all the time except for Monday morning for setup and Sunday afternoon for teardown. If you are arriving at any other time, you are asked to change before walking up the path to the site, and carrying your equipment in period containers. The inside of your tent (if it remains closed) as well as the dormitory does not have to be period, although that is something you can strive for. Keep all plastic bags and bins out of sight; nothing ruins a picture like a grocery bag. All illumination is period, exceptions for safety and emergencies.
Note that there is no food permitted in the dormitory to keep the mice slightly at bay.
FEES
ADULTS
For the whole week camping, including feast: 100$
For the whole week dormitories, including feast: 125$
Weekend only (Friday to Sunday) camping, including feast: 50$
Weekend only (Friday to Sunday) dormitory, including feast: 60$
Additional 25$ for insurance if this is your first event of the year
CHILDREN BETWEEN 7 AND 17
Camping, including feast: 30$
Dormitories, including feast: 50$
CHILDREN 6 AND UNDER: FREE
Non-Members of Hoplologia will be asked to sign a waiver upon arrival.
All fees are payable in Canadian dollars.
Payment in advance via PayPal, bank transfer, or personal cheque.
MEALS
The event will feature a Saturday evening feast. Participants will need to plan for all other meals from their own mess group
If you do not have a mess group already organized, request to be placed in one during registration. You will be required to participate in meal planning, preparation and cleanup, as instructed in advance by your mess group leader.
There are a few grocery and liquor stores nearby, please refer to list below. Wine and beer also sold at the grocery store and corner stores... welcome to Quebec.
GROCERY STORES, 15 MINUTE DRIVE:
Metro, 300 12e Ave, Deschaillons-sur-Saint-Laurent, QC G0S 1G0
Marché AMI, Marché St-Édouard, 2515 Route Principale, Saint-Édouard-de-Lotbinière, QC G0S 1Y0
Beaudet Yvon Marché, 7542 Route Marie-Victorin, Lotbinière, QC G0S 1S0
GROCERY STORE, 25 MINUTE DRIVE:
Metro, 6452 Rue Principale, Sainte-Croix, QC G0S 2H0
Liquor store, 25 minute drive:
SAQ, 6375 Rue Principale, Sainte-Croix, QC G0S 2H0