The Barony of Stonemarche invites you to the Market Day at Birka.  It will be held on January 31, 2004 at the Center of New Hampshire in Manchester, NH. 

As a general note, we have rented out more space then last year at the site.  The new space includes the other half of the ballroom in which the heavy list activities took place last year and a set of four breakout rooms on the Mezzanine level of the hotel.  Much more room has been set aside for seating. 

Merchants are an important part of our event and we welcome you.  You must pre-reserve to merchant.  All information will be published on our website:  http://www.birka.org and via e-mail.  If you have no internet access special arrangements can be made with the merchant autocrat by contacting her:  Mistress A'isha bint Jamil (Kathryn Smith), 456 Reservoir Ave., Manchester, NH 03104 or you may email her at aishabintjamil@yahoo.com, 603-626-7544.  If your e-mail address and/or postal address has changed since last year, please let Mistress A'isha know.

Curia Notice
Their Majesties King Balfar and Queen Luna will be holding Curia on Sun.  Feb.  1st at 9am at the Holiday Inn Center of NH.  (Please ask at Troll for room location.)

The Agenda is as follows:

I.Officer Reports
II.Old Business
III.Law Revision Committee
IV.New Business

Birka is hosting the Northern/Central Region Fencing championship this year in addition to other fencing.  Please contact Pelgrin at jsopper@hotmail.com or Christian Woolfe at macewan@eudoramail.com for more details on fencing activities.

The heavy list will be in the usual ox-hide style with prizes awarded to the top scoring gentles in both belted and unbelted categories.  Thaddeus von Orlmunde is Marshal in Charge and he may be reached at tvor@rcn.com.  Tessa of Stonemarche is MOL and may be reached at tessa_mol@yahoo.com. 

Youth fighting will be held in an area adjacent to the fencing list and near the heavy list area, bring your own equipment.  As of this writing we don't know who will be organizing/marshalling it but we expect it to happen.

New this year is the Nordic Crafts Room, a gathering of artisans who will demonstrate the techniques of various Viking-Age crafts.  The room will be open to the public from 11 a.m.  to 4 p.m.  If you would like to participate as an artisan, please contact Duchess Marieke, ckrupp@uvm.edu, before Jan.  1.

A medieval fashion show will again take place.  Lady Jocelyn de Vazelay will be coordinating the fashion show and you may contact her with questions at rich.hicks@verizon.net.  This year, the fashion show will be divided into two divisions - 1500-1600 and pre1500 costuming.  Entrants will be judged from a distance of 10 feet.  If it looks period from 10 feet, then it is period!

Children's activates have been set up in a separate room near the market area.  Pyra and Cadmar de Belasco are coordinating the room and if you are interested in providing an activity for the children you may contact them at 978-372-0951.  Please note that this is not a baby sitting service.  Parents should stay with their children or make private arrangements for babysitting.  Note that we require that minors attend the event with a parent or guardian.  Please visit our web site for our full minor policy.

We will be setting aside several spaces in and around the market area for live performances.  We will not be scheduling the performances.  Any performers who wish to use these areas may.  We ask that the performers make reasonable accommodations for each other.

In addition to performance space in the market area a room on the mezzanine is available.  This is a quieter area good for set pieces.  If you wish to schedule the room for a specific time contact the autocrat.  Unscheduled time will be available in this room for spontaneous activity.

Room is available for guilds, orders or any other groups who wish to hold a meeting or other similar activity.  Contact the autocrat to make arrangements.

In the Evening a ball will be held.  Music will be provided by Sir Robin's Minstrals.  The dance master will be Ruadh Cruidh McFrode.  Sir Robin's minstrels welcomes musicians to join them for the ball.  Contact Jocelyn de Vezeley at rich.hicks@verizon.net for more info.

The site is offering a reduced room rate for event attendees.  Reduced rates start at $92 and reservations must be made with the hotel prior to 1/9/04.  Contact the Holiday Inn Directly at 603-625-1000 and mention the Society for Creative Anachronism to receive the reduced rate.  Their reservation system has our group name as "Creative Anachronism", use that name when they ask you if you are with a group to get the discounted room rate.

An event of this size requires a great deal of work, so any gentles interested in helping are encouraged to contact the autocrat in advance or refer to the event web site for additional information.  We're in special need of volunteers to work gate and security.  Thanks in advance for any offers for help.  If you can?t make the commitment in advance there will be a volunteer point at the event.  If you are willing to volunteer an hour or two of your time please stop by on the day of the event and we will be glad for your help.  Volunteer point will be clearly marked on the event map.

Directions:

Those interested in using public transportation will be pleased to learn that the site is less than one block North of the Manchester Transportation Center, 119 Canal Street, Manchester, NH, (800) 343-9999.

For those driving:  Find your way to Route 293 in Manchester NH.  Heading North take Exit 5 and turn right onto Granite Street.  Go through two lights and the hotel garage will be on the left.  Heading South, take exit 6.  The exit will circle around and over the Amoskeag Bridge.  Stay right, take first exit (Canal Street).  Follow Canal Street for about 1 mile (8 lights) to Granite Street (Bus Terminal is on your left).  Turn left onto Granite Street, Hotel Garage is on the left.

Event Website: www.birka.org

At-a-Glance Event Information

Site:
Holiday Inn, Center of NH
700 Elm Street
Manchester, NH  03101
Show me a map!

Site Opens: 10:00 AM
Site Closes: 11:00 PM

Event Fees:

Site : Site fees are as follows:  Adults:  pre-registered (received by January 24, 2004):  $8, at the door $10.  Non-member adults will be assessed a $3 Non member surcharge fee in accordance with society rules.  It is a large event and as much as we'd like to we do not know everyone.  Please remember to bring proof of membership with you to the gate when you register.

Children 13-17:  $4 pre-registered and $5 at the door.  Children under 13 are free.  Note:  minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.  Please visit our web site to read our full minor policy.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR PRE-REGISTERING:  Please pre-register.  We need to move a large number of people through the gate and it goes much faster if you are pre-registered.  Sending us a check for the correct amount is sufficient to pre-register but the following additional information will improve (quicken) your check in at Gate:  Your modern name, your SCA name, your address, an e-mail address, A copy of your membership card if you are a member, a signed waiver (or a color copy of your blue membership card if you'd prefer) and completed minor waiver for those under 18.  Please provide this information for each member of the party you are pre-registering for.  Waivers can be obtained at:  http://www.sca.org/docs/welcome.html .  If all of this information is provided then at the gate you will not need to fill out any paperwork.  Your contact information will only be used for communication about the event, primarily in case there is any problem with your registration.

The gate will be set up for some amount of time Friday evening, during merchant set up.  Anyone staying locally may check in Friday night. 

The site does provide garage parking for a $1 fee, payable to the site.  You will need your parking stub validated to get the $1 rate.  Validation will be available at the event gate.  Overflow parking offsite is being planned and will include shuttle bus service.  If there is no mid day event at the arena across the street we will not need and will not provide overflow parking or shuttle.

Send Reservations to:
The Autocrat
Ian Gunn (MKA Thomas V.  Gunn)
174 South Rd
Candia, NH 03034

Merchants contact: 
Mistress A'isha bint Jamil, MKA Kathryn Smith
456 Reservoir Ave.
Manchester, NH 03104
603-626-7544 7PM-10PM weekdays, Noon-10PM weekends
aishabintjamil@yahoo.com

Autocrat:
Lord Ian Gunn, MKA Thomas V.  Gunn
174 South Rd
Candia, NH 03034
603-483-9806 Before 9 PM
iangunn@comcast.net

Other Contact Information:
Fashion Show:
Lady Jocelyn de Vazelay
rich.hicks@verizion.net

Make Checks Payable to: SCA Inc., Barony of Stonemarche

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