Humboldt’s 1st Westminister Scout group is getting ready to go to Nova Scotia for the 2017 Canadian Scout Jamboree.
March 11 saw them get a couple of steps closer with their Medieval Feast night at St. Augustine Hall.
Guests were dressed up in costume and treated to live performances by the Saskatoon branch of the Society for Creative Anachronism.
Aaron Behiel with the Scouts says this was something different to bring to Humboldt as a fun fundraiser.
“When we mentioned it to the kids they got quite excited so we thought let’s go with it and see where it goes.”
Around 170 people showed for the event. Part of a medieval feast is eating without cutlery, just like medieval folks. The Scouts used this as a fundraiser selling cutlery for $5 a set.
The Scouts received lots of support from local businesses who donated prizes for the silent auction and raffle and support from parents who stepped up to help with the event.
“Without the sponsors we wouldn’t have been able to do it at all.”
Creative Anachronists, Amya Lyghtfot and Faust Reinhart from the Barony of Myrgan Wood, were two of over a dozen performers who brought the middle ages to Humboldt.
Lyghtfot says they recreate the middle ages for a modern time, so they keep out the black plague and slavery but bring in the armored combat; like a Knights Tale, rapier combat; like in Princess Bride, youth combat, and singing and dancing.
A lot of research goes into making the costumes as historically accurate as possible. Lyghtfot says her persona is an 1190s English noblewoman costume so she researched all that her costume entailed. Some people take the research even further by making most if not all their costume.
Lyghtfot knows of a woman who made everything on her costume from raising the sheep for the wool to hand sewing her entire costume. She even won an award for her work.
If you cannot make it, in Lyghtfot’s case going to Fabricland and using her sewing machine, you buy aspects of your costume from others who can, says Lyghtfot.
Money raised from the night are going towards the thirteen kids and four leaders that are going for the week long Jamboree.
Behiel says they will have to take all their camping gear along with them, hike five miles to the camping site and cook their own meals .
Everyday will be something different for the group from adventure hikes to tours of Halifax to skill building activities.
Kent Latimer, who will be attending the Jamboree as the Chair of the Saskatchewan contingent, says around 140 Scouts and leaders from Saskatchewan will be part of the nearly 6,000 participants who will be going to the Jamboree from all over Canada and 16 different countries.
Latimer says the 1st Westminister Scouts put on a great evening and he hopes Humboldt continues to support the chapter as the Jamboree draws closer.
