Jaye Brooks Sr., as King Lucan VIII, takes on Peter Lafrenaye (aka Wulfrick the Black) in the dueling ring.
Fair ladies and ferocious fighters
The Mohr Library held Mohr’s first annual Medieval Faire on Saturday, May 14, on the grounds of the new library. The event featured members of the Society for Creative Anachronism (www.sca.org) dressed in clothing of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, who demonstrated the music, crafts and combat of a long-ago period of history. Library staff were also decked out in Middle Ages garb and offered, with support by the Friends of the Library, related crafts for children. The five-hour event, co-sponsored by the Johnston Insider, was filled with non-stop action as SCA members held a simulated "tavern brawl," a German longsword class and demonstration, as well as armored combat, rapier combat and youth combat demonstrations. The faire also featured the return of Jaye Brooks Sr. to Johnston, but this time he was here as King Lucan VIII. Brooks lived in the town as a teen and graduated from JHS. Insider photos by Beth Hurd
May 18, 2011
Above left, Jeremy and Jessica Council and their mom, Carla, check out a display of medieval weaponry at the Mohr Library Medieval Faire. Above right, traveling back in time, thanks to some medieval "garb" borrowed from the SCA members, Mohr Library Director Jon Anderson and his daughter Violet, 12, enjoyed participating in German longsword classes, learning to spin wool, and taking part in the life-size game of alquerques.
Above left, Ryan O'Donnell demonstrates some medieval weapons, including homemade arrows to Jessica Council. Above right, King Lucan VIII poses for photographs.
Above left, Elaine Phuon has her photo taken with "Wulfrick the Black;" he wears mid-10th century Byzantine armor, which he made himself. Above right, a demonstration of "sprang" – a technique now used to create hammocks – was among the many crafts by artisans on display.
Above left, library patrons take turns feeling how heavy the armored helmet is. Above right, Anthony Sevigny has a fire-breathing dragon painted on his arm.
Above left, Jacob Cordeiro, age 4, made a jewel-encrusted goblet at the Mohr Library's craft table during the faire. Above right, Alex Carney, 10, son of Children's Librarian Meri Carney, and Violet Anderson, 12, daughter of Library Director Jon Anderson – both wearing medieval garb – also had their faces painted. Later they participated in a game of alquerques, as life-size game pieces.
Above left, Johnston Insider employee Janelle Tarnopolski is victorious in the "tavern brawl". Above right, "Miss Meri," Meri Carney, the children's librarian, dressed in medieval garb, takes photos for the library's Facebook page.
Above left, Baron Eloi engages a young fighter during the youth combat demonstration. Above right, library Director Jon Anderson, dressed as a Norman peasant, learns to spin wool.
Above left, Jaye Brooks Sr., a patron of Mohr Library as a teen back in the 1980s, returned to Mohr Library on Saturday, May 14, as King Lucan VIII. The teens that attended the event loved the stories he related of real-life battles, and checked out his armor and chainmaille. Above right, library patrons became life-size game pieces during a demonstration of alquerques.
Above left, Tom Seal, a member of the SCA, and one of the organizers of the Mohr Library's Medieval Faire, tries out the throwing weapons. Above right, Peter Lafrenaye (aka Wulfrick the Black) uses a flail to finish off his opponent, Dan Miller (aka Nikademus) in a heavy fighting bout.
Johnston resident Nikki Batsford gets a lesson in wool spinning.
