Helpful etiquette for an SCA event
by Lady Adrienne MacCleod of Wulfgard

Navigating event notices-some helpful vocabulary

You may see reference to the wet or dryness of a site; this refers to alcohol restrictions on site and is usually set by the owners of the site and not the local SCA group.

Dry – Absolutely no alcohol, original containers or not.

Damp/Discretely wet – No original containers, drunken behavior not tolerated. In other words: if you want to drink, no containers labeled as alcohol, and don’t get drunk; especially if you get rowdy. All containers must be properly disposed of, it’s polite and helps us keep the site owners happy.

Wet – Original containers ok. Please police your behavior and properly dispose of your containers.

Quiet areas/Family areas - made for families with smalls and for people who don’t want to be woken up. Please tone it down after “quiet hour” when passing these areas. Some sites are designated as quiet sites due to the proximity of residential areas, noise after the designated “quiet hour” can result in the loss of the use of the site in the future, so ask before starting that late drumming or bardic circle.

On/Off Board – This refers to the Feast provided by the hosts. If you plan to attend the feast, you would be “on board” and need to pay the fee for the feast. If you choose to bring your meal, you are considered “off board” and do not pay the feast fee. Off board attendees are welcome to eat in the feast hall with those on board, just be sure to ask the Hall master, or mistress, which tables are reserved for off board use. Most likely these tables are farther from the head table, to make serving the feast easier.

Head table – this is the table, usually more ornately decorated, in the front of the hall, where the ranking Royalty sits. The highest ranking couple will be seated in the center, the next highest will be seated to either side flanking them, and so on.

When attending camping events, keep in mind that a person’s tent is their castle or their home away from home. You can “knock” on a tent by scratching the canvas (or other tent material) next to the door for a discrete inquiry, or, for a more audible inquiry, say “Hello the tent.” This allows the occupants to prepare for a guest and come greet you at the door.

At larger events, groups of people will form camps. Common areas then become the communal “living room” or “kitchen.” It’s a good idea to announce yourself before entering, by a quick “Hello the camp” or “Hello (groupname)” if you are familiar with the campers. Pennsic is the best example of this, where groups from 2-200 people will band together to form communities of campers. Courtesy is always appreciated, and some camps have designated greeters and waiting areas for visitors.

If you are invited to join a group for an event, find out what the expectations are, as well as what will be brought for communal use. You may find that you don’t need that camp stove and can bring more stuff to enhance your experience, like that new loom or tourney chest. Some camps ask for camp fees and help with communal chores in return for the use of the camp kitchen and added security of being in a group. Keep in mind that this is a hobby for everyone, so no one person should be “stuck” with chores.

I’m going to a Feast

You’ll need to supply your own plate, flatware, napkins, glass/goblet/mug, sometimes candles and, usually, a table cloth. Finding a good basket for your “feast gear” is a huge help, allowing you to organize and carry your gear easily.
Water, sometimes tea or lemonade, are provided with the feast, but many choose to supplement with drinks of their own. The “dryness” of a site makes a big impact on your choices, so check before you pack. It is considered good manners to use period-looking drink containers, or to stow non-period containers, like soda bottles, out of sight.
If you have paid for Feast, you are “on board” and should sit in the section for on board, so that the servers can give you your meal. For most feasts, the servers will bring patters and you and your tablemates will serve yourselves from these platters. On occasion your feast will be individually served to you.

Unlike modern dining, feasts are served in “removes” or courses. These are mini-meals consisting of a main dish and two to three side dishes. Serving platters from previous removes are usually cleared before the next remove to make space, though you can request to keep a platter if you have not gotten enough of the dish.

For meat dishes with bones, it is customary to pile the bones onto an empty platter so that they can be discarded in the kitchen. Medievally, this would have been given to peasants or dogs, depending on the region. If you find that a dish is not to your tastes, this is also a good means for disposal, since you will be receiving more removes and have but one plate.

Be kind to your servers; they did not prepare the meal, they are doing you the service of bringing it to you. You may express your opinion of the meal afterwards, should you feel strongly about it.

Once the feast has ended, there will usually be a sink made available for you to use to clean your dishes. I strongly recommend that you wait until the kitchen staff has finished their cleaning first. They have probably been in the kitchen for the better part of the day and will be tired and stressed out. If you are so inclined, they will probably appreciate offers of help. Another option is to pack plastic bags to store your dishes until you get home. Paper plates, while easy to clean up, do not add to the feel of the feast as much as wooden, ceramic or metal feast gear.

After-feast revels, bardic or drumming circles, will usually abound. It’s a good idea to ask if they are open to anyone before joining; you wouldn’t want to interrupt a private celebration or have yours interrupted.