The Pennsic Guides are now available on the Pennsic website home page here. Scroll down to see them. Note that the University Booklet and Event Guide will not be distributed in printed form at Pennsic this year, only the Hand Out, which has QR codes linking to the other two guides as well as additional resources.
In addition, a list of the merchants who will be at Pennsic is listed below. Note that this does not include food vendors.
Pennsic 49 Merchants List:
A Case Of Random
A Leather Crafter
A’s Round Pottery
Armlann
ArmStreet LLC
Artful Badger Designs
Ash And Griffin Pottery
Auntie Arwen’s Spices
Aurora’s Creations
BadAss Garb
Barb’s Garb
Black Mountain Clothiers
Blades By Violent Discord
Blue Unicorn
Bohemia
Boots By Bohemond
Brandr Forge
Briar Patch Garb
Brothers Cross Trading Company
Cabochons
Calontir Trim
Camelot Treasures
Caravan Crossroads
Carolina Calicoes
Cat Man Do Designs
Catskill Mountain Moccasins
Circle Works
Claybaby Pottery
Crafty Celts
Dancing Pig Pots
DeRosas Leatherworks
Designs By J
Drachenstein Treasures
Dragonscale Jewelry
Dru Shoemaker / Trouvere Music Works
Earth And Loom
Egill’s Woodstuffs
Elk Ridge Archery
Fearghal Blades
Feed The Ravens
Fiona’s Fineries
Fire Horse Pottery
Gaukler Medieval Wares
Gode Erthe Pottes
Green Mountain Leathercraft
Grey Goose Bows
Greybarr Traditional Archery, LLC
Griffins Gate Clothing
Gryphon Furniture
Guild Mirandola
Gwen Erin Natural Fibers
Hero’s Haven
Historical Glassworks
Hobbitronics
Hrymgnar’s New + Used Booty
Ian’s Grove
Icefalcon Armory
Iron Cross Tailor
Irontree Works, Inc
Just Plain Plunder
Kemmer Woodworks
Kentucky Leather And Hide
Kings Ransom
Kingskeep
Knights Of The Classroom, LLC
Knives Of The North
Kraken Apothecary LLC
Laurel Cavanaugh, Goldsmith
LeEllen Expressions
Littlehammers Forge
Livonia Smithery
Macklemore’s Thrift Store By Merchant’s Wares
Magrebi Imports
Maison Rive Historic Clothing And Supplies
Malik’s Bazaar
Mediaeval Miscellanea
Mid East Magic /Possibly Period
Minerva’s Spindle
Minnow Creek Ceramics LLC
Miriam’s Yarns And Fibers
Misc Etc
Moongate Designs
Moonstich Leather & Silver
Munitions Grade Arms
Neverland Designs
New Mythology Press (formerly Aesc & Thorn Publishing)
Join us for #15forSCA! The goal is to spend 15 minutes a day doing something Scadian to get ready for when we are able to do in-person activities again.
· Reach out to someone in your Shire, Canton, or Barony
· Cook a medieval recipe SCA Cooks on the Book of Faces
· Find your favorite SCA youtubers! Kingdom of Æthelmearc Virtual Resources, including populace YouTube channels
· Shop or leave a review for an SCA merchant that you like SCA Merchant Relief on the Book of Faces as well as the Æthelmearc Gazette archives for recently published articles on populace merchants
· Write an award recommendation for someone either in at local or Kingdom level Sylvan Kingdom of Æthelmearc Award Recommendation Form
· Reach out to that mundane friend that keeps posting “Cool!” on your SCA pictures and see if they are interested in learning more SCA Newcomer’s Portal
· Participate in one of the local, Kingdom or Society challenges (two birds with one stone on this option) Pandemic Portraits, an SCA photography challenge; also on the Book of Faces (and when you happen to come across one, please share with the Æthelmearc Arts & Sciences Book of Faces page!)
the possibilities are endless…
This 15 minutes is whatever you have the energy for – the only requirement is that you do something, anything! Complete 30 days (does not have to be consecutive) and you will earn a ‘war pay’ against the Plague.
Hashtag #15forSCA to show what you are doing today! (Set your social media settings to global so that your hashtag can be shared.)
Next in our series of interviews with SCA merchants from Æthelmearc is THL Moniczka Elzbietka Poznanska from the Barony of Delftwood.
THL Moniczka
What’s the name of your shop? Snoods by Moniczka
How long have you been in business (online or at events)? Around 30 years.
What website do you use? What do you like/dislike about selling through that venue? I have a Facebook page, but right now that’s it. Mostly I use it to advertise where I’ll be selling. I have gotten a few orders off the page.
What kinds of goods are you selling? Snoods, bun covers, pony tail covers.
What are your most popular products? Snoods.
Are you also the artisan as well as the seller? Yes.
Do any other artisans sell through your shop? I routinely carry leather barrettes that my husband, Henry Bogus, makes. He is on Facebook under that name, but the soap business is called Happy Pollack Soaps. I also sell veils made by Fenris McGill, also on Facebook, her business is Sun, Moon & Starflowers.
Do you offer any kinds of discounts or special offers? If so, what? When people buy more than one item, I tend to give them a certain amount off. I also have a discount basket with items that have been on my table too long.
How has business been since the pandemic, and has the pandemic made it harder or easier to make items to sell? Business has pretty much stopped during the pandemic. Snoods are something that need to be seen, maybe tried on.
Is there anything else you’d like prospective customers to know? I’m still here.
Are you an SCA merchant from Æthelmearc? If you would like to be featured in a future SCA Shop Talk post, please email us at aethgazette@gmail.com.
Our next merchant in our SCA Shop Talk series is THLord Justin Lymner of the Barony of Delftwood.
What’s the name of your shop? Good, clean, soaps & crafts
How long have you been in business (online or at events)? About 15 years.
What website do you use? Mostly word of mouth, interest when I post pictures on my Facebook page. I like in person sales … sigh
What kinds of goods are you selling? Soaps – glycerin, cold process and liquid, lip balms, and chain mail jewelry. I started with melt and pour glycerin soaps, very easy and already soap so no need to work with lye. Since it almost transparent you can play with light!
I have branched out to cold process as I like having total control of my ingredients and as it has more working time, than glycerin, you can do interesting swirls. Liquid soap is great as I make a large batch and scent as I go. Lip balms came about as I did not like the ones available, and had the raw materials from soap making. A friend gave me some jump rings to try chain maille; I found I was good at it and I loved it!
What are your most popular products? Lip balms, my own formula, and chain mail bracelets.
Are you also the artisan as well as the seller? I like to think my creations are art. I do a lot of different periods of garb. I have said my persona is clothes horse.
Do you offer any kinds of discounts or special offers? If so, what? Not usually… I try for affordable luxury. sometimes I have bartered on a case by case basis.
How has business been since the pandemic, and has the pandemic made it harder or easier to make items to sell? It is different as no craft shows or events income, however less overhead as no entrance fees or gas. I have more time to craft. Alas, I usually do a lot of teaching in person, which of course has not been happening except for a few virtual classes. I was the glycerin soap presenter for a virtual soap making conference which drew people from across the nation!
Is there anything else you’d like prospective customers to know? My business philosophy is that everyone deserves to be spoiled a bit. I try not to over-scent/flavor my products as this is another reason I started making my own.
Are you an SCA merchant from Æthelmearc? If you would like to be featured in a future SCA Shop Talk post, please email us at aethgazette@gmail.com.
The next Æthelmearc merchant in our ongoing series is THLady Meredyth Maskmaker from the Barony of the Rhydderich Hael.
THL Meredith Maskmaker
What’s the name of your shop? Merimask…it’s a combination of my SCA name “Meredith” and my speciality which is leather masks.
How long have you been in business (online or at events)? I’ve been selling at SCA events since 1990. I was a mainstay in the Pennsic merchant bazaars until 2009. I created my first website in 1999, and switched completely to online sales in 2009.
What website do you use, and what is the web address? What do you like/dislike about selling through that venue? My shop is at Etsy. merimask.etsy.com Etsy is a great venue for me…I’ve been there since 2007 and just recently made my 5,000th sale.
I also have a personal website at Merimask.com , which serves as a hub for all my social media accounts and my shop, and has a bio and an extensive gallery.
What kinds of goods are you selling? Leather masks are my specialty, though I do branch out into other forms of leather art. Lately I’ve begun to make biker-style leather face masks with filter inserts, which are a lot of fun.
What are your most popular products? I think my most popular designs are the Japanese kitsune masks. I’m also well known for my Egyptian pantheon. I’ve made Anubis and Bast masks for Katy Perry, the Metropolitan Opera, and TV series “The Librarians” and “Lucifer”.
Are you also the artisan as well as the seller? All items are hand made by me alone.
Do you offer any kinds of discounts or special offers? If so, what? At my Etsy shop, there is always free shipping within the United States.
How has business been since the pandemic, and has the pandemic made it harder or easier to make items to sell? Business has actually been uncommonly brisk for me during the pandemic. There was a scary time in March and April where everything ground to a halt but it’s picked up since then. I think it’s because lots of people are doing searches for the word “mask” and my site pops onto their radar…even if the masks I specialize in are costume masks (although I am branching into decorative filtered masks which have been well received and sell out immediately).
Is there anything else you’d like prospective customers to know? I have built my reputation on decades of making wearable art. I take pride in my designs and craftsmanship, and have thousands of five star reviews from happy clients. I do custom designs on occasion.
Are you an SCA merchant from Æthelmearc? If you would like to be featured in a future SCA Shop Talk post, please email us at aethgazette@gmail.com.
Next in our series about Æthelmearc merchants is Mistress Gabrielle d’Auvergne of the Barony of the Rhydderich Hael.
Mistress Gabrielle d’Auvergne
What’s the name of your shop? Minerva’s Spindle
How long have you been in business (online or at events)? I think I started selling at Pennsic 21, 1992. Thomas had been a weapons merchant for a couple of years, one of the first weapons merchants at Pennsic. I displayed a few items in his space. When he retired, I took over the entire space as Minerva’s Spindle. I have kept merchanting at only Ice Dragon and Pennsic, but recently opened a page on Facebook.
What website do you use? I do not have an online presence, only on Facebook as of this year. This is not my full time work. I am a full time Storyteller, author and vocalist. This is my SCA business, although I am listed with some of my suppliers and do business mundanely out of my home.
What kinds of goods are you selling? I sell spinning and weaving supplies, including fibers, yarns, looms, wheels and accessories associated with them. I am an Ashford and Harrisville dealer.
What are your most popular products? Wool yarns, cotton spools of warp thread, and fibers, also drop spindles.
Are you also the artisan as well as the seller? I do not sell what I make. I do teach and am always willing to help new spinners on both the drop spindle and wheel.
Do you offer any kinds of discounts or special offers? If so, what? This business was born of my love for the SCA and my interest in the fiber arts. I have made it my goal to keep my prices affordable in an effort to support this art form. I have no control over prices from my major suppliers, such as looms and wheels, and so I offer discounts by way of shipping or tax inclusion, and occasionally, the inclusion of fiber for these larger purchases.
How has business been since the pandemic, and has the pandemic made it harder or easier to make items to sell? We lost all of Ice Dragon and Pennsic which means the pandemic wiped out our only selling events. I have a lot of stock and so have not ordered more as I usually would for these events. As such, we have had little expense, but no sales. We had a flurry of small sales during Virtual Pennsic.
Is there anything else you’d like prospective customers to know? Minerva’s Spindle, since it began, has been considered one of the best merchants for your spinning and weaving needs. Some of our yarns are also suitable for knitting. If we don’t have what you are looking for, we will make every effort to find it. I try to keep to colors and materials appropriate to reenacting, but do have some fun items for mundane artisans as well. I put most of my inventory in photos on our Facebook page, but that doesn’t mean everything is there. Please inquire.
A little girl learning to weave at Mistress Gabrielle’s Pennsic merchant booth
Are you an SCA merchant from Æthelmearc? If you would like to be featured in a future SCA Shop Talk post, please email us at aethgazette@gmail.com.
Welcome to a new feature of the Æthelmearc Gazette: SCA Shop Talk!
With gift-giving holidays coming and the pandemic making it hard for small businesses to survive, we thought it would be great to help support our merchants by getting the word out about their shops. We’ll post interviews with SCA merchants where we ask them about their businesses and the goods they sell.
If you are an SCA merchant and would like to be featured in a future column, please write to us at aethgazette@gmail.com.
Our first merchant is Lady Nichola Beese, of the Barony-Marche of the Debatable Lands.
What’s the name of your shop?
Lady Nichola Beese
Bee & Elephant
How long have you been in business (online or at events)?
Since June of 2019.
What website do you use? What do you like/dislike about selling through that venue?
I find the software intuitive and user-friendly, which is a major consideration. And Square makes card readers and hardware that are very useful for in-person sales. The major downside is that they don’t take Paypal, which means tracking those transactions separately.
What kinds of goods are you selling?
Handmade parchment, inks, and hide glue. Custom sewing, fabric painting, and embroidery, everything from Birka caps to ornate livery coats to shirts for ten man teams. Handmade pottery, jewelry, scribal tools and supplies, animal bones and hides, and the odd vintage piece that catches my eye. I’m currently working on establishing a partnership with a local potter for some exclusive pieces, and am very excited to have a source for handmade girdle books.
What are your most popular products?
The parchment is by far our most popular item, I think because it is a consumable item. We also have a very popular scribal pigment kit for folks wanting to experiment with making their own paints, and our first original product, the leather-cover needle book, continues to be popular.
Are you also the artisan as well as the seller?
For a number of things, yes. All the parchment, glue, and inks are my work, and so is the custom sewing and embroidery, to this point.
Do any other artisans sell through your shop?
Least Weasel Weaving provides our narrow goods, and I am working on a new pottery line with Terru Ceramics.
Do you offer any kinds of discounts or special offers? If so, what?
We offer periodic, and rather random sales, generally on our entire catalog.
How has business been since the pandemic, and has the pandemic made it harder or easier to make items to sell?
The pandemic, coupled with personal circumstances, made me really focus on parchmenting and establishing the business online the past six months or so.
I’m home more often, which is good for production, but so are the children, which is definitely not!
Is there anything else you’d like prospective customers to know?
I never thought I could be one of those people who turned a hobby into a job, but I really enjoy my work and creating things for the community to use. I love working with people on custom projects, especially the challenge of making reality match up with their dream.
by Noble Rhys Penbras ap Dafydd, Ice Dragon Autocrat
Greetings Good Merchants!
This year’s Festival of the Passing of the Ice Dragon brings new changes to how merchants will be selected. To maximize the diversity of products offered within our Merchant Hall, we are implementing a Jury Selection Process for all merchants.
Potential merchants are required to provide information regarding their wares, including any websites, photo albums, etc., as well as identify a category that best fits the majority of their wares (typically 50+%). Based on this information, the Merchant Jury will select the merchants they feel will best provide a diversity of products to Ice Dragon attendees.
Merchant applications must be completed by January 25, 2019. The first wave of accepted merchants will be notified and sent the relevant payment requirements via email, by February 1, 2019. All remaining applicants will be placed on a waiting list, in juried order, and contacted as additional merchant spaces become available.
If you are interested in applying to be a merchant at Ice Dragon, please complete the merchant application form located on the Ice Dragon Website.
Merchant spaces are available in two (2) sizes/prices:
Small (10’ x 10’) for $20 USD and
Large (10’ x 15’) for $30 USD.
Each space includes:
Admission for one (1) merchant
Admission for one (1) assistant
One 8′ table
Two folding chairs
Additional tables can be rented for $10 USD each.
Please direct any questions to the Merchant Coordinator, Lady Natsu, who can be contacted through the Ice Dragon Website.
Glad Tidings and Happy New Year, Snowy Æthelmearc!
As the Ice Dragon roosts across the Kingdom, I am pleased to announce that Merchant Registration for the 2018 Festival of the Passing of the Ice Dragon on April 14 is now open! We have a *NEW* registration process this year, that will hopefully expedite registration and make overall Merchant management much more stream-lined for all involved this year.
We are limited to 18 Merchant spaces this year, so the sooner you complete registration, the better!
We bring you info for potential 50 Year Merchants courtesy of our friends at the MidRealm Gazette.
Greetings Potential 50 Year Merchants from Countess Kenna, your Merchant Coordinator!
SCA 50 Year Celebration will be here before you know it. This is your introductory information to the wonderful world of SCA 50 Year Merchanting. We hope to have the best of the best at 50 Year.
Please take time to go through the information provided and please feel free to come up with questions of your own. I hope that in answering many of your questions you will see if your business will align with the needs of SCA 50 Year. Please feel free to send any additional questions to merchants@sca50year.org*protected email*. I will answer them and add the info to the current questions/answer list. I will keep this list updated with new information until the release of the SCA 50 Merchant application package. Look for that October 1, 2015.
Please have your request in by December 20, 2015. At that time, all applications will be reviewed and merchants will be selected. Space is limited so I encourage you to send along websites and pictures of your booth and goods with your application so the team can see your set-up. We will have room for a small number of tent merchants so please let us know if you are tent merchant, bazaar merchant, or are willing to be either. Thanks again for your interest and happy reading.
1. Will 50 Year fit our schedule? When and where is SCA 50 Year going to be held? SCA 50 Year will be held outside of Indianapolis, Indiana on June 17 to 27, 2016. The event is located at the Hendricks County Fairgrounds in Danville, Indiana.
2. Since it is in the state of Indiana, where do I go to get a license to sell items in the State of Indiana?
You can find this information at IN.gov and you must register your business online. Since we have limited spaces for vendors, proof of an Indiana sales license will be required.
3. Will everyone who requests merchant space be allowed to merchant?
At this time space is limited. Some folks may be turned away. We will be reviewing the applications and getting a variety of wares for the event. You will be encouraged to send along web addresses and pictures with your application. This information will be added to the site when we coordinate the Merchanting area.
4. What is the sales tax in Indiana and what is taxed?
We have a 7% sales tax across the board in Indiana for all products/items sold. Our only exception is food which is not taxed. Food items that are vended are taxed at restaurants. In the counties directly around the city of Indianapolis, restaurant tax is 8%.
5. Can I bring my merchanting tent?
There will be a very limited number of tent merchants at SCA 50 Year. Most merchants will be housed in two pole barn-type shelters with roofs, fans, and electricity. We will be having a bazaar-type setting for all. At this time, space is limited. We are looking to have about 70 merchant spaces plus a limited number of tent merchants. Please note that is spaces, not merchants. Merchants may wish to purchase more than one space. Folks will need to review their space needs and purchase space to fit the need.
6. What sizes are the merchant spaces as well as the cost of each?
You will be offered a 10×20 space for $50.00 for the event. A 20×20 space will be $75.00 for the event. A 20×40 space will be $125.00 for the event. We will not offer spaces larger than 20×40 with the exception of a few tent merchants. Tent merchants will be billed per square foot. Price will be $5.00 per square foot and you will need to include your ropes with the total amount. Due to the electricity running through the site, tent stakes are dangerous and we will have to make sure you fit within the markings of the electric company.
7. What do I get with the space?
As a bazaar vendor, you will be assigned tables and chairs based on the space you purchase. Please remember that if you want to utilize all your space you should think about using all four sides of your booth area. You can always build up as well. Tent merchants will get a marked-off space only.
8. As a SCA 50 Year Merchant, can we arrive on site early to set up?
Yes, you can. Details for early arrival will be made available closer to the time of the event, but it does appear that merchants will be able to get onto the site on the Thursday before Friday opening. So, at this time, we are looking at one day early for early on set up.
9. When can we officially register?
Registration will officially begin on October 1, 2015. You will need to decide the size of space you will need. We will have options for additional table and chairs for rent. This information will be available closer to registration. The fees for these items will be minimal. We are looking at making the trip as easy for you as possible.
10. Can I put a structure on my bazaar merchant space, i.e. tent, shelves etc.?
Yes, you can, but they have to be free-standing structures and cannot interfere with the ceiling fans in the building. The floor-to-fan height is over 15 feet. Please keep that in mind if you plan on constructing structures. The floor of the barns are concrete, so you can’t use stakes.
11. Can I use the electricity provided?
Yes, you can. Bring your own extension cords and make sure that they are approved for outdoor use.
12. Can I sleep in my merchant area?
Yes, you can if you like. Please work around your space to fit your needs. You can fit a small pop-up tent in your area if it works! Please note that we will be providing security through the week, but we are not responsible for any lost or stolen merchandise. There is a limited amount of space between the barns for tent camping (small period tents, if possible). Your property and the security of it is up to you.
13. Do I have to have a license to sell or vend in Indiana to merchant at SCA 50 Year? Yes, you do. We will be requiring a copy of your license as part of the registration process.
14. What will be our hours of operation?
We hope you can be open from Saturday to the following Sunday at 6 PM, although we do understand if you need to leave early, just let us know. If that is the case, we would rather you leave after 6 PM when the crowds in the area die down. You will be required to be open throughout the event from 10 AM to 6 PM. You are welcome to sell around those hours, but we will be requesting a quiet time after 10 PM. That being said, Midnight Madness will be the exception! We hope to have a Midnight Madness Sale on Wednesday of the event (or Thursday, if the weather is bad). On this date, please open later if you like and try to stay open until at least 11 PM. We do understand that there are events and activities that you may need to close your space. This is fine as this is also your vacation. Please leave a ” I will return at ___” sign at your booth. Enjoy the event!
15. Speaking of weather, what can we do to protect our merchandise?
The barns do not have walls, although the roof and sides are steel and steel beams. You are encouraged to create walls for your booth areas. This will cut down on wind and rain. The booths near the middle of the barns are less likely to be impacted. We encourage all to bring plastic coverings and or lids for tubs and merchandise. Contrary to the song in the early 70’s, it does rain in Indianapolis in the summertime!
16. Can we ship merchandise to the site?
Yes, you can. Staff will accept your packages, but we are not responsible for the security of the packages. They will be housed in a locked area, but again, we are not responsible for the security of your items. Some folks had asked about shipping pods. We have a location for these to be stored near the merchant buildings.
17. Will there be trailer parking/merchant parking?
Yes, I am working with the staff to secure parking for your trailers and cars. This parking will be closer to the merchant area. If you choose to camp in general camping, it will be located in a different area of the site, but still accessible by walking. The event site has paved roads and all areas are within walking distance.
18. Will there be food available on site?
Yes, there will. The food vendors are located directly across the road from the merchant buildings. We will have a variety of foods available serving all day.
This is just the start. I am sure you will come up with many more questions, so please feel free to send them on. Have a Great Fall!
Glad Tidings and Happy New Year, Snowy Æthelmearc!