New to the SCA?

Find Out More About Us!

• Visit our Newcomers’ Portal for photos and descriptions of activities in the SCA
• View our Photo Gallery and Videos
• Read “What is the SCA?”
  a more detailed version of the info on our About page

Get in Touch:

• Find the kingdom you live in, and contact your local group

Every local group is different. Some run demos and emphasize new member outreach, while others may be waiting for you to contact them. Some large groups sponsor a variety of practices, workshops, and events in their area, while members of smaller groups may need to travel in order to participate in such activities. You are welcome to participate in SCA activities and events sponsored by any group you want to travel to, near or far. One group may have a strong fighter practice, another an amazing sewing circle, and another a monthly dance practice. Try them all!

• Follow your kingdom’s Facebook page for news and info
• View Kingdoms’ Event Calendars

Getting Ready:

• Getting Ready for Your First Event
  what you’ll need to bring, what to expect at the event
• Making Medieval Clothes and Accessories
  articles and instructions on Medieval and Renaissance clothing, links to costuming resources
  • For some basic clothing patterns, see the SCA’s Forward Into the Past pamphlet.

• Advice to Newcomers
• The SCA Without Breaking the Bank 
  Tips on affordable ways to put together a costume (even if you can’t sew!), tablewear, camping gear, archery & fighting equipment, etc.

What’s in a Name?

• How to choose a Society Name: Hints for Newcomers
• Medieval Names Archive
• SCA College of Arms – Name Articles
• What’s a Persona? Choosing a Name and Creating a Persona

SCA Customs

• Who is Everyone?
  Who can use noble titles? How should I address people? Who are the people wearing crowns and how do you tell them apart?
  (see the Forward into the Past pamphlet – go to the “Who is Who?” section)
• Glossary of SCA Jargon
  The SCA has a vocabulary all its own. Here are definitions for the most commonly used terms you will hear at events or see in newsletters.
• SCA Calendar
  Explains the SCA’s unique system for reckoning dates
• “You Know You’re in the SCA When…“
  Amusing anecdotes about those times when the SCA spills over into your modern life.