Black Rose Ball
For many year the Barony of the Bridge has hosted one of the biggest Medieval Dancing events in the East Kingdom. This usually is planned to happen in early to middle March of each year. It is a great excuse to wear your fanciest garb and come to a day of dancing, flirting, and the ggod comradery of like minded friends. There is usually dance instruction throughout the morning and afternoon where the dance that will be danced later in the evening are rehearsed and practiced by the musicians and dancers. As afternoon comes in there is snacking and hors d’oeuvre brought out to keep everyone’s energy up. There is then traditionally a break in the early evening for everyone to eat what they brought for dinner, or for people to run out for food and to come back. Sometime around 5 pm, there will be either a Court of the Barony of the Bridge or a Royal Court if the Royals are attending that years ball. When Court has ended, the actual ball begins and the dancing continues until the full dance list has been completed which is also when everyone is pretty worn out. Then we all clean up the site, say our farewells, and go home.
Bridge Birthday
Every year the Barony of the Bridge get one year older! I know, RIGHT! We get together and celebrate this in about the middle of December each year. This is a chance to see and catch up with the members of the Barony that you may have missed at events throughout the year. It is a relaxed hanging out kind of atmosphere with a medieval flavor. We have several activities that are usually a part of the event. We usually have our tournaments to select our Rapier and Armored Combat Champions outside in the brisk air. We have a competition for the nicest table setting just before food comes out in the evening. The food for the evening and for the day board is sometime potluck (you bring a dish for each but not with much more than your party would eat) and sometime we have a feast provided for an extra fee if we have a baronial member who wants to cook it. We also play a version of an old game called Alquerques. Two people play against each other, but the rest of us put on hats to show what color piece we are and stand on a room sized game board waiting to be told where to move. We also have a brewing competition which anyone can volunteer to judge, and this is probably what makes us all remember Alquerques as being so darn funny. As dinner carries on we hold a Baronial Court where people can compete to become the Baronial Bardic Champion for the year and we take care of local Baronial Business. When we are all done we clean up the site, say our goodbyes, and head on home.