Outlands 40th Year Celebration

Overview

The Outlands 40th Year Celebration was held October 1–5, 2026, at the El Paso County Fairgrounds in Calhan, Colorado in the Barony of Dragonsspine commemorating the fortieth anniversary of the creation of the Kingdom of the Outlands. The event celebrated the kingdom's history and traditions under the theme of Green and Gold.

The five-day event featured armored combat, rapier, archery, thrown weapons, equestrian activities, and youth combat, alongside arts and sciences classes, historical presentations, and opportunities for artisans to share their work. Scheduled activities included royal courts, Order circles for Chivalry, Defense, and the Mark, equestrian and martial tournaments, and a Viking feast.

The celebration also included the Delightful Duo Largess Derby, a contest in which participants contributed pairs of nearly identical handmade items. One item from each pair was retained by the Crown for future gifting or kingdom-level prizes, while the other was awarded to another participant. Entries were displayed for public voting, and the winner received first choice of a prize item.

The event was stewarded by Elora von Effyn, with activities and logistics coordinated by a team of kingdom volunteers. The El Paso County Fairgrounds provided camping accommodations from Thursday through Monday, allowing attendees to gather for the anniversary celebration and its associated activities.

Activities

Social Activities and Feasting

Social activities included a Friday evening hafla potluck, a Saturday Viking feast hosted by Leofric (of Dragonsspine) and Bronwen of Hindscroft, and a potluck at the equestrian camp following Grand Court on Saturday. Donation lunches were also scheduled throughout the weekend.

Entries to the Delightful Duo Largesse Derby

The winning entry to the largesse derby

Delightful Duo Largess Derby

The Delightful Duo Largess Derby, coordinated by Kharma Tinzin Khandro, invited artisans to contribute two nearly identical handmade items that would not ordinarily be donated as largess because of their cost, complexity, or the time required to produce them. One item from each pair was retained by the Crown for future gifting to royalty or use as prizes in kingdom-level contests. The other was awarded to a fellow entrant.

Entries were displayed on Saturday for the populace to view and vote on. The winning entrant received first choice of another participant's item, with the remaining selection order determined by a blind drawing of names. Ivar Thorgrimsson was voted the winner for their ceramic mugs based on York Glazed Ware from 12-13th century England. They selected their own entry as their prize and donated it back to largesse so that the mugs could remain as a matching set.

Arts and Sciences

Arts and sciences classes were offered throughout the weekend, with Their Royal Majesties specifically encouraging classes focused on the history of the Kingdom of the Outlands. Classes were open to a broad range of subjects and disciplines, providing opportunities for attendees to share their knowledge and skills. Class attendance was tracked through the Outlands University degree-tracking system.

Classes Offered at the Outlands 40th Year Celebration

Class	Instructor	Description
Basic Blacksmithing	Bruce the Blacksmith	Teaches basic blacksmithing techniques, including tapering, twisting, and bending, to produce a J-hook that the student keeps.
Outlands Jeopardy	Evpraksiia Solomoniia	Test your knowledge of Outlands history in a Jeopardy-style game covering the kingdom's history, from its days as a region and principality under Atenveldt through the formation of the kingdom. Topics include obscure facts, traditions, historical figures, and kingdom history.
Mysteries of Outlands History	Evpraksiia Solomoniia	An exploration of historical mysteries uncovered during research for Outlands Online, an unofficial wiki and archive. Topics include past Princess Protectors, a possible regalia rapier for the Shield of Chivalry, the Salad Bowl Crowns, and other forgotten pieces of Outlands history. Participants examine available evidence and consider what can be recovered about the kingdom's past.
Spinning Cotton on a Tahkli Spindle	Ormrún Hrafnsdóttir	Introduces the history of the tahkli, a small, fast spindle designed for spinning fine cotton thread, and teaches participants the techniques needed to spin their own thread.
Glass Tent Classes	Hannah de Avila	Learn lampworking, the art of making glass beads with a torch.
Branling on the Dance Floor	Guillaume de Gonzac	An introduction to popular and easy branles, pronounced "brawls," a type of 16th-century French dance.
Ancient Dances of the Outlands	Guillaume de Gonzac	Explores dances performed in Caerthe during the early days of the Principality of the Outlands.
Introducing Easy Italian Dances	Guillaume de Gonzac	An introduction to easy 15th-century Italian dances.
More Italian Dances	Guillaume de Gonzac	An introduction to fun and popular 15th-century Italian dances.
Quick and Easy Embroidery	Aronna Sevan of Talonval	An introduction to simple embroidery stitches, including the chain stitch, that participants can use to embellish their garb. No experience necessary.
Quick and Easy Scroll Making	Aronna Sevan of Talonval	An introduction to beginning scroll-making skills intended to help participants try the craft without feeling intimidated. No experience necessary.
Tavern and Gambling Games, Part 1: Card Games	Arwen Southernwood	Learn fun and easy card games, mostly dating to pre-17th-century Europe. Games include Laug and Lie Down, One and Thirty, an ancestor of modern blackjack, and Noddy, an early form of cribbage. Additional games may be taught as time allows. These are gambling games, but no real money changes hands.
Tavern and Gambling Games, Part 2: Board and Table Games	Arwen Southernwood	Learn historical board games suitable for SCA events, including Glückshaus, the Game of the Goose, and Fox and Geese. Other games may be taught as time allows.
Importance of Proper Measurements	Ealusaid aighearach inghean Mhaoil Choluim	An interactive class on taking accurate body measurements and their importance in clothing construction. Participants work in pairs to measure one another and leave with a set of measurements they can provide to a sewist or use to make their own clothing. Handouts guide participants through the process.
Freeform Woodworking	Geoffrey Bourre	An informal, freeform woodworking activity. Participants may bring their own projects or try working with materials provided.

A photo from the Helga Ball event

Heraldry Consultation Table

White Stag Principal Herald Andreas von Meißen hosted a Heraldry Consultation Table during the event, offering assistance with names, armorial devices, and badges. The table also held a Crazy Uji Sale, during which the kingdom waived the usual $5 submission fee per item. Approximately 65 heraldic consultations took place over the course of the event. Andreas von Meißen, Evpraksiia Solomoniia, and Llywus ap Alan served as the primary consulting heralds.

Staff

Outlands 40th Year Celebration Staff

Role	Staff Member
Event Steward	Elora von Effyn
Exchequer	John Roslyn the Ox
Minister of the Lists	Jeanette Delacroix
Rapier Marshal-in-Charge	Séamus MacRae
Armored Combat Marshal-in-Charge	Sofia Rares
Thrown Weapons Marshal-in-Charge	Creag mac Ruiseart
Equestrian Marshal-in-Charge	Solstice Strigi
Youth Combat	Bláán Ó hEochadha
Royal Liaison	Angel d’Auvergne
Archery	Kristofer hárfagri
Arts and Sciences	Aria de Chatillon
Largess Derby	Karma Tinzin Khandro
Hall Mistress	Brigid ingean ui Eóghain na h-Oitrich
Vendors	Eanred of Tamworthie
Children's Activities	Feylan Ulfsdottir
Land Coordinator	Soren Thorvaldsson