Bringing History to Life in Sunny Arizona

We hope you enjoyed the Super Bowl war, and that your team won! This month, the Liv Northgate Blog wants to share information about another war that is coming up this month in Arizona. We’re writing about the Estrella War, which isn’t a war in the traditional sense but is, rather, a week-long WAR put on by a group of medieval reenactors, February 20 – 26, at the beautiful Schnepf Farms, a hop-skip-and-jump away in Queen Creek, just over 12 miles away. This is not a renaissance fair, but an opportunity to immerse yourself in a medieval world — or about as close as you can get, anyway.

 

The group’s website explains it like this: “Estrella War is one of the oldest and largest events held in the SCA. It’s purpose: to embark in the fun and frivolity of a week of medieval style camping, pageantry, combat & weaponry skills, arts & sciences including classes & demonstrations… and of course gather in the camaraderie of friends old and new who share in the diverse interests of middle ages life.”

 

The event has been held now for 30 years, Gilbert residents may have heard about it, or maybe even seen people dressed in funny clothes buying ice and camping gear at merchants in the area. For more information and to register for the event, visit the Estrella War website. The event includes medieval arts and sciences, youth activities, archery, special events, combat, and a town square filled events, games, and of course shopping.  Events are held all over the Known World’s Kingdoms — the United States and beyond — this video gives you a good idea of what you may find at a large SCA event.

 

A local medieval re-enactment group, The Barony of Twin Moons, spearheads the event. The group meets weekly according to their website for a weekly Fighter Practice, and newcomers are always welcome. Plan now to get away to the past this month, and learn a new-old skill.

 

If you prefer the more modern counterpart to medieval combat, check out this fencing center in the Gilbert area:

Arizona Fencing Center

From the website:

“Arizona Fencing Center welcomes all interested fencers from beginner to Olympic level with our Introductory, Beginner and Advanced classes, open fencing, and private lessons! We have something for everyone. AFC hosts the scouts, birthday parties, team building events, social meeting events, home school fencing programs, and Fencing For All Foundation’s Zorro Project.

“AFC is proud to be the home of some of the best fencers in the country. We are very fortunate to have the coaching expertise of  Head Coach, Florin Paunescu. Coach Florin has developed numerous fencers to national and international levels of fencing both here and in Europe; he is the ONLY Olympic level coach in Arizona.”

 

Arizona Fencing Center is about 17 minutes from Liv Northgate Apartments.

 

Next week, we’ll have a Valentine’s Day related blog, including its history. Thanks for reading this Liv Northgate apartment blog post today!

 
Liv Northgate Blog, Gilbert, AZ  Take a step into the past and experience a taste of medieval life at Estrella War hed at Schnepf Farms this Feb.