From noon on Monday, May 18 through Friday, May 22, 2026, the Egil Skallagrimsson Memorial Tournament is hosting an immersive medieval experience – five days of relaxed medieval camping that will make time for camaraderie and extended SCA and medieval projects that can’t normally be undertaken in a single weekend event.
We are hoping that people will bring projects for personal pleasure and activities that others could join in on.
Look what’s happening at Pregils!
Erin O’Byrne, together with Mysh Finnson, Baroness Isis, and Baroness Millisandia are sponsoring a shield painting event on Tuesday and Wednesday (May 19-20). The shield will be auctioned off at Baronial Prize Court on Sunday to support the official needs of the incoming Baron and Baroness of Adiantum during their tenure. Estimated minimum bid (to cover costs) is $350.
The shield was designed and constructed by Mysh Finnson (commonly known as Mouse). Erin is handling project management and painting. Baroness Isis has made the shield boss. Isis and Baroness Milisandia are also financial sponsors for some of the supplies needed in the construction. The shield is a standard center-round, approximately 30” in width, with a steel and brass shield boss, and rawhide bound edge.
The shield will be painted onsite at Pregils on Tuesday and Wednesday; the community is invited to participate. Painting stops at 5PM Wednesday to ensure drying time for the paint (24 hours), sealant coat (24 hours), rawhide application and dry time (min 24 hours) before Sunday court.
The design is a black background with two rows of 5-pointed gold stars, 50 in total, representative of the Barony’s and Egil’s 50 years. The back of the shield will have as many signatures of baronial coronets (current, incoming, and previous) as we can feasibly collect during the event. The plan is to leave some space on the back unsealed, so that we can collect signatures for as long as possible through the weekend. The design was guided by the requests of the current and incoming Baronial Coronets, and all four have approved the current design.
The shield design and the boss . . .
We will publicize activities as we find out about them. Confirmed activities so far include . . .
Daily (Tues – Friday)
- Falconry demos. Late afternoon when it’s cooler, probably on the stick ball field where there is space and won’t interfere with other activities. Hon. Murchadh Monaidh Chraoibhe
- Informal woodworking classes as people stop by the booth Sable Hare merchant booth, Ulf the Wanderer
- Period Games: we will also have games out for people to learn new games or practice old favorites. Sable Hare merchant booth, Ulf the Wanderer
- Large canvas for community painting
- From Wood to Worn: The Art of Hand Block Printing, Baroness Morrghan O’Siodhachain OL
- See a garment come to life through the complete process of hand block printing. Beginning with carving wooden blocks, this week-long demonstration follows every step — mixing inks, aligning repeat patterns, printing continuous yardage, and finally cutting and sewing the finished cloth into a wearable piece. Drop in at any stage to discover how simple materials and traditional techniques transform wood and fabric into something beautiful, functional, and worn.
- Making a Leather Bottle, HL Julia Frischelin – This extended class will take place over 6 days at Pregils and Egils, in order for students to complete the steps with times for material drying, etc. Day by day how to and help making a Leather Bottle from scratch through a finished object. I will have kits to purchase at $50 a piece. Otherwise bring your own vegtan leather in an 8-10oz weight. There are several historical styles of pre-made and vetted designs to pick from. Class officially will start at 11-noon but questions outside of class are welcome. Class topics: day1: Cutout and Tooling. Day2: Sewing and Soaking. Day3: Casing and Stuffing. Day4: Dye, paints, and colors. Day5: Lining. It is expected that students will have each task/section finished by the next day for hands-on learning. However notes and questions will be open to all. Limited work space and needed tools are available in my booth backyard. Class will be held in the Medieval Masterworks booth. Hands-on limit 10 students.
- Making Simple Custom Knife Sheaths, HL Julia Frischelin – How to measure and make a sturdy medieval period style leather knife sheath for your knife. “”Kits”” are sold based on the length of blade. I sell cut leather at $30 per square foot + cut time. Assume a 6in knife will be $30, with a 3in knife being $20. Longer is obviously going to be more. Axes are typically $25. If you want to not buy leather from me, bring 6oz+ weight vegtan, with enough to wrap your knife completely 2x over as well as a strip that is at minimum 8in long and 1/2in wide to make a belt loop with. This is a 3 day long class at 1 hour each day. I plan on hosting this class out of my booth, Medieval Masterworks, staring at roughly 1pm. It is expected that full students will finish each step of their project by the next day to keep up with the hands-on class. I have limited work area in my booth backyard with some tools and my availability offered. Please note that professional dyes/paints are only available for the full kit priced students. Otherwise, Crayola markers will be available (yes these actually work quite well long term) for Decorative coloring. Hands-on limit 10 students.
- A gathering of smiths to pound metal. A variety of smiths will bring iron age style forges and do forge welding and use other historic metalworking techniques to make things like fibulas, sewing awls, pinking chisels, etc. Baron Brynjarr Olfuss, Rowland of Jerago con Orago
- I will be forging and smelting using a more modern “rivet forge,” (and propane tools when needed) teaching the skills that our ancestors used to pull us out from the mud, thus creating out modern world.
- I will be showcasing metal movement, drifting holes, twisting metal for ornamentation, cutting plate-steel and dishing out shield bosses/bowl/spoons, and casting with several metals. Forge welding will be attempted, and I will have examples of the iron used to create steel–black sand, iron ore, and bog-iron.
- I will make as many bodkin arrowheads as I can in an hour (at least once, if not twice or thrice!), and SO MUCH MORE!
- Classes/events will be posted on-site at my shop, and the booth will be open at all times that I am there (aside from smelting/casting) to come in and hammer on steel.
- I will be absent during rapier and some archery tournaments, so visit me before Friday!!!
- Step inside VALKYRIE HOTWORKS, and FUEL YOUR FIRE TO LEARN!
- For those with children, I will have duplex nails to hammer flat into “mini-swords,” that can be taken home as a keep-sake, and a spark to bring the next generation back in time. The point will be dulled, and there will be no sharp edges, but a hole can be punched to make a talisman/pendant.
- Playing with siege engines and training to be a marshal (specifics TBD)
On specific days:
- Shield painting (of the shield to be auctioned): The shield will be painted onsite at Pregils on Tuesday and Wednesday; the community is invited to participate. Painting stops at 5PM Wednesday to ensure drying time for the paint (24 hours), sealant coat (24 hours), rawhide application and dry time (min 24 hours) before Sunday court.
- Make a Rush Hat, HL Muirenn inghean Uí Cléirigh, Thursday morning
- Learn to make your summer event hat before the sun gets stronger! May include a foraging walk to identify rushes. Materials will be provided to begin braiding your hat and methods for assembly taught.
- Lapis Lazuli to Lazurite Pigment, Baroness Isis Sat Ne Nes Bastet, HL Muirenn inghean Uí Cléirigh, Wednesday & Thursday afternoons
- From stone to paint pigment! Come discuss the history and value of lapis lazuli in the Middle Ages! Walk with us through one of the most difficult scribal processes that made this rare pigment worth more than its weight in gold! Baroness Isis will focus on the processes that were practiced in China, and Muirenn will look at those done in Europe. Steps include crushing the rock (bring mask and safety glasses if you have them, a few will be available), grinding in a metal mortar and pestle, mulling on glass, mixing up a “plastic” of resins and wax, boiling or mixing with lye (which we will make on site. Gloves will be available), levigating and dehydrating.
- Dipping beeswax candles, HL Elizabeth Chandler, Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday
- Spinning on a Drop Spindle, Kathy Kemp (Horse ‘n’ Round Studio booth), Thursday mid-morning
- Begin your spinning journey on one of the most basic of tools: a drop spindle. Learn how to make yarn from wool roving. We’ll talk about some basic terminology as well. I have lots of roving and pretty spindles that can be purchased and will have some basic spindles and roving that can be used during the class for free as well.
- Fiber arts circle, practice your art in community! Big Green shade, Thursday afternoon, Adhela of Ottersdam
- Making arrows, HL Alan Bowyer, Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday
- Making of a bread oven for communal bread baking, Tuesday & Wednesday
- From Nälbinding to hairstyling: the art of wooden pin making, HL Bohemond Reynard de Gervais
- (day TBD) This class will focus on how to identify wood species and pieces for your task of choice. From there, we’ll look at different techniques for how to cut and shape the material. A variety of unfinished pieces will be available for attendees to try their hand at the process. No experience needed
- Putting the A in SCA rapier combat: Anachronistic weapon pairings and how to do it, HL Bohemond Reynard de Gervais
- (Friday, list field) This class builds on the core trio of combat factors (measure, tempo, and line) to discuss how early period and simpler hilted swords can be used in rapier combat. No experience or equipment needed, but bring it if you have it
- Pit-Fired Ceramics, Baron Earc Mac Fithil (demo) Friday 2pm
- Come watch as Baron Earc MacFithil demonstrates one of the earliest types of ceramic firing. If you have pieces you wish to have included the pieces must be at least BONE DRY with being BISQUED preferred. (“Pit fired” in this context means above ground due to park regulations.)
- Handbuilding with Clay, Baron Earc MacFithil and Barwnes Myvanwy verch Robert, Tuesday
- Come explore ways to make clay objects without a wheel.
Mark your calendars, plan your vacation days. And yes, we know that your kids are in school. We can work with you on educational activities tied to our A&S activities that could give your children school credit.
CONTACT US at [email protected] about activity proposals or inquiries about help getting school credit for your children. Put Pregils in the subject line.
Parking during Pregils will be in the actual event area – on the grassy area behind gate and along the roads. We don’t have access to the driveway to the parking field until Thursday, May 21. On Thursday afternoon we will ask everyone to move their cars to the parking field.
You can arrive at Pregils on any day (not just Monday). Tuesday through Friday there will be ongoing activities on the meadow, but we will work with you to minimize vehicle intrusions so that you can unload your camp gear but not get in the way of the event. Someone at Gate will assist you with this.