Estrella War
| Formation | 1984 |
|---|---|
| Type | Historical reenactment society |
| Location |
|
Membership | about 4,500 |
| Website | Estrella War |
Estrella War is a week-long, annual event hosted by the Kingdom of Atenveldt, one of 20 Kingdoms (regional chapters) of the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA), a not-for-profit educational organization that studies western European history by recreating the "best" pastimes and crafts of the Middle Ages. SCA participants devote their free time to tournaments, educational collegiums (classes), feasts, revels, the many forms of medieval warfare, and all sorts of arts and sciences dating from pre-17th century western Europe. The Estrella War brings together participants from SCA chapters around the world to conduct a medieval style two-sided war between SCA Kingdoms. The "Estrella War" takes its name from the Estrella Mountain Regional Park, southwest of Phoenix, where the event was originally held.
Each year, the Kingdom of Atenveldt asks one or more other SCA Kingdoms to participate as Principal Kingdoms at Estrella War. Some of those Kingdoms may ally with Atenveldt, and some may join together to oppose the Atenveldt forces. At the end of the week, the right for residents of a victorious Principal Kingdom to display victory pennants is awarded to the side that wins campaigns waged by heavy combat and rapier armies on the battlefield, to the side that wins scenarios in a target archery competition, and to the side with the most points in a competition of those skilled in Arts & Sciences of the Middle Ages. For Estrella War XXVI (February 2010), the Kingdom of Atenveldt and its allies will form one Allied Realm in the conflict, and the Kingdom of the Outlands and its allies will form the opposing Realm.
History
Estrella War began in 1983 as a weekend event to bring together SCA members in the kingdoms of Atenveldt (Arizona) and Caid (Southern California).[1] Estrella War takes its name from Estrella Mountain Park in Goodyear, Arizona,[2] where the event was held from 1985 through 1998. Estrella War has grown in size and reach over the past two decades, and today includes the kingdoms of Artemisia (Utah) and the Outlands (New Mexico and Colorado). Since 1995 Estrella War has been a five-to-seven day event instead of a single weekend, growing into the second largest SCA event in the world, smaller only than Pennsic War. The event drew more than 7,000 attendees in 1999.[3] In response to concerns over the size of the venue and scheduling issues, the event was moved to Schnepf Farms in Queen Creek, Arizona in 1999, and since that time it has rotated between Goodyear, Queen Creek, and Florence, Arizona.
Activities
- Classes where attendees learn period skills, trades, and performing arts.
- Arts and Sciences Exhibition.
- Youth Arts and Sciences Exhibition.
- Performing Arts: which include acrobatics, busking, comedy, dance, magic, music, juggling, and theatre.
- Period Gaming: where one can play games such as Go and Chess.
- Dancing: including Renaissance dances, Middle Eastern Dance, South Asian Dance, and East Asian Dance.
- Merchant's Row: More than 100 vendors selling Medieval/Renaissance clothing, jewelry, armor and weapons etc.
Kingdoms
While Atenveldt is the primary host kingdom, the war is fought with the participation of one or more of the kingdoms of Caid, the Outlands, and/or Artemisia. There are also participants and fighting units in the war from other SCA kingdoms, who ally themselves to one or the other of the principal kingdoms.[4]
See also
Notes
- ↑ http://www.estrellawar.org/HistoryArticles/EstrellaWarChronology
- ↑ http://www.goodyearaz.gov/index.aspx?NID=285
- ↑ http://www.estrellawar.org/HistoryArticles/EstrellaWarChronology
- ↑ http://www.estrellawar.org/HistoryArticles/EstrellaWarChronology