Tournament of the Golden Swan
October 11-13, 2013 Site TBA
Golden Swan 2012 has come and gone, and now the hoary days of winter are upon us. We have 3 new Swans, to join us. Three cheers for Alicia de Wilforde, Marguerite fitz William, and for our first-ever double Swan, Meresigha Stonegatta, who challenged herself a second time, 20 years after she first went through Swan.
This year's event was the 29th Golden Swan, held at the Rock Creek Fairgrounds. The site offers indoor washrooms, a feast hall, a smaller hall for the Swan sessions, ample outdoor areas for tourneys, archery or games, and a heated hall for indoor camping (please contact the Event Steward to confirm that you will need space indoors, and indicate the size of your party. There is a large level parking lot close to the event hall, convenient if you bring an RV or want to sleep in your vehicle, and there are grassy fields close by with electrical power outlets. RVs are encouraged due to the remoteness and elevation of the site. Temperatures will drop to freezing overnight at this altitude, regardless of the daytime temperature.
In addition to a full schedule of Golden Swan activities and sessions, there will be heavy tourneys, archery and other activities. The Appledore Heavy Championship will run on Saturday, October 6, under the direction of Master Kraig Landental. All Swan categories are open as contests to any who wish to participate, please locate the sign-up sheets in the hall. Categories will include: Costuming, Needlework, Correspondence, Skills and Technologies, Survival Skills, Everyday Life, Habitat, Food, Performance. All contestants will be judged by the same standards as the Swan applicants. Please see the Categories and Criteria sections on this site for details.
Sunday night's feast will see the annual Jawbone of the Ass competition, for best (or worst) punster. Puns, people, PUNS. Pull out your best puns in preparation for this.
Traditionally, there are two feasts at this event, on the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. The Saturday feast will be a potluck, with the shire providing two main meat dishes. Vegetarian and non-dairy alternatives will be provided, but quantities are limited. Sunday's feast is always a potluck. Bring your harvest bounty to share!
Breakfasts and lunches will be available for sale on-site, provided by the War-Hound Kitchen!
There are two motels in the town of Rock Creek, as well as the Kettle Valley Villas farther east. There are 3 large suites at this property, which can sleep up to 6 adults (3 queen sized or double beds in each unit).
Kelowna is just over an hour away, and RVs are available for rent at several locations in Kelowna. Some RVs can sleep 4 to 8 people, and there may be seasonal specials in October, so this is a realistic option. Kelowna International Airport is just north of the city of Kelowna.
Site fees: Adults $22, children under 15 $12. NMS will apply. Day fee $14 adults, $8 children.
DIRECTIONS: From Kelowna, head east on Highway 97 to Highway 33. Proceed through Rutland and continue on Highway 33 for 79 miles, 127 kilometres, to the junction with Highway 3. Just before the junction, take the last left-hand turn onto Kettle Valley Road East. Cross the bridge and immediately turn RIGHT. Proceed to the gates of the Fairgrounds approximately two kilometres on the right..
From Osoyoos, take Highway 3 east from Osoyoos for 53 kilometres, 33 miles. This road is steep and winding for about 10 km, with gorgeous views. When you get to Rock Creek, turn left onto Highway 33. Just past the Pub, take the first right turn and go across the bridge. Immediately turn RIGHT. The site will be approximately 2 kilometres along on your right.
Please be aware that if you enter the street address for the Fairgrounds into Google Eaerth, Google Maps or Mapquest, you will be directed the wrong way. Apparently, there is a Kettle Valley Road East, and a Kettle Valley Road South. Technically, according to Google, the site is on Kettle Valley Road South, but the actual address is on Ketle Valley Rd. East. All the online map services will have you turn left off the bridge, not right. You MUST turn RIGHT. Once on the correct road, there are no major cross-roads or intersections, just private driveways, a school, farms, and the Fairgrounds.
There is a 24 hour border crossing at Oroville-Osoyoos. There are also very small border crossings, with limited hours of operation, at Midway and Grand Forks/Danville. We have no advice on the roads on the US side of these border crossings. We live around here, and we would get lost on those roads.
Please keep checking back for details. Our Event Steward has left for Clinton War and will be back in August! In the meantime, check your winter and fall wardrobe, make your travel arrangements, plan your songs for the feast's entertainment, and think about stories you will tell in the hall. Visitors are coming from Avacal, Shittimwoode and Madrone, Lions Gate and many other farflung reaches of the Kingdom for this event.
Event Steward: Lady Crystal Hannah Rose (Elleshia Study), theglasswolf at yahoo dot ca message phone: 250-499-0008
Appledore Acting Seneschale and Swan Steward: Honourable Lady Olwen Pen Aur (JoAnn Turner) joann_turner at telus dot net 250-498-7394 (cell)
Golden Swan Judging Co-ordinator: Honourable Lady Magdalen of Haphazard Manor, aka Swan Walburga of Liege (Mary DeFeo) mdefeo1 at telus dot net
This year's event was the 29th Golden Swan, held at the Rock Creek Fairgrounds. The site offers indoor washrooms, a feast hall, a smaller hall for the Swan sessions, ample outdoor areas for tourneys, archery or games, and a heated hall for indoor camping (please contact the Event Steward to confirm that you will need space indoors, and indicate the size of your party. There is a large level parking lot close to the event hall, convenient if you bring an RV or want to sleep in your vehicle, and there are grassy fields close by with electrical power outlets. RVs are encouraged due to the remoteness and elevation of the site. Temperatures will drop to freezing overnight at this altitude, regardless of the daytime temperature.
In addition to a full schedule of Golden Swan activities and sessions, there will be heavy tourneys, archery and other activities. The Appledore Heavy Championship will run on Saturday, October 6, under the direction of Master Kraig Landental. All Swan categories are open as contests to any who wish to participate, please locate the sign-up sheets in the hall. Categories will include: Costuming, Needlework, Correspondence, Skills and Technologies, Survival Skills, Everyday Life, Habitat, Food, Performance. All contestants will be judged by the same standards as the Swan applicants. Please see the Categories and Criteria sections on this site for details.
Sunday night's feast will see the annual Jawbone of the Ass competition, for best (or worst) punster. Puns, people, PUNS. Pull out your best puns in preparation for this.
Traditionally, there are two feasts at this event, on the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. The Saturday feast will be a potluck, with the shire providing two main meat dishes. Vegetarian and non-dairy alternatives will be provided, but quantities are limited. Sunday's feast is always a potluck. Bring your harvest bounty to share!
Breakfasts and lunches will be available for sale on-site, provided by the War-Hound Kitchen!
There are two motels in the town of Rock Creek, as well as the Kettle Valley Villas farther east. There are 3 large suites at this property, which can sleep up to 6 adults (3 queen sized or double beds in each unit).
Kelowna is just over an hour away, and RVs are available for rent at several locations in Kelowna. Some RVs can sleep 4 to 8 people, and there may be seasonal specials in October, so this is a realistic option. Kelowna International Airport is just north of the city of Kelowna.
Site fees: Adults $22, children under 15 $12. NMS will apply. Day fee $14 adults, $8 children.
DIRECTIONS: From Kelowna, head east on Highway 97 to Highway 33. Proceed through Rutland and continue on Highway 33 for 79 miles, 127 kilometres, to the junction with Highway 3. Just before the junction, take the last left-hand turn onto Kettle Valley Road East. Cross the bridge and immediately turn RIGHT. Proceed to the gates of the Fairgrounds approximately two kilometres on the right..
From Osoyoos, take Highway 3 east from Osoyoos for 53 kilometres, 33 miles. This road is steep and winding for about 10 km, with gorgeous views. When you get to Rock Creek, turn left onto Highway 33. Just past the Pub, take the first right turn and go across the bridge. Immediately turn RIGHT. The site will be approximately 2 kilometres along on your right.
Please be aware that if you enter the street address for the Fairgrounds into Google Eaerth, Google Maps or Mapquest, you will be directed the wrong way. Apparently, there is a Kettle Valley Road East, and a Kettle Valley Road South. Technically, according to Google, the site is on Kettle Valley Road South, but the actual address is on Ketle Valley Rd. East. All the online map services will have you turn left off the bridge, not right. You MUST turn RIGHT. Once on the correct road, there are no major cross-roads or intersections, just private driveways, a school, farms, and the Fairgrounds.
There is a 24 hour border crossing at Oroville-Osoyoos. There are also very small border crossings, with limited hours of operation, at Midway and Grand Forks/Danville. We have no advice on the roads on the US side of these border crossings. We live around here, and we would get lost on those roads.
Please keep checking back for details. Our Event Steward has left for Clinton War and will be back in August! In the meantime, check your winter and fall wardrobe, make your travel arrangements, plan your songs for the feast's entertainment, and think about stories you will tell in the hall. Visitors are coming from Avacal, Shittimwoode and Madrone, Lions Gate and many other farflung reaches of the Kingdom for this event.
Event Steward: Lady Crystal Hannah Rose (Elleshia Study), theglasswolf at yahoo dot ca message phone: 250-499-0008
Appledore Acting Seneschale and Swan Steward: Honourable Lady Olwen Pen Aur (JoAnn Turner) joann_turner at telus dot net 250-498-7394 (cell)
Golden Swan Judging Co-ordinator: Honourable Lady Magdalen of Haphazard Manor, aka Swan Walburga of Liege (Mary DeFeo) mdefeo1 at telus dot net
