[Moo] Fredericksburg Dog mart

[Barbara Miller]

The Fredericksburg Dog Mart will be this Saturday, Sept 27 at the Izaac Walton League park (where Defending the Gate is), 12400 Herndon Rd, Spotsylvania, VA 22553 from 9:30 til 4. Gates open at 6:30 for setup, I will be there at 7 to set up tent and a small archery range and a rapier/heavy ring.

For the Opening Ceremonies  (about 10) at the Fredericksburg Dog Mart, the "Colonists" get to hold a dog (or leash), smile, and nod at the indians while the Chief and 1 lead Colonist negotiate the trade. I think we have the Potowomak tribe this year, which is fun because they actually do the negotiations in algonquin and sign languages. Usually Greg of the Izaak Walton League dresses up with us and plays the part of the lead colonist. It was real funny seeing his face the first time the Chief started trading negotiations in Algonquin and he was not expecting that! The Indians hold a variety of furs until the trade is complete, then we switch dogs for furs. In the real Colonial time, there were stipulations that the trade could not involve any fire arms. All trade with the Indians had been banned, and the Dog Marte was a special exemption because the Indian hunting practices had changed after the settlers had come. They liked the trained English Hunting
 Dog, and the settlers liked the furs they did not have to catch and prepare.

I have an assortment of men's Elizabethian garb coming. May be short on white long socks... and I only have 3 men's hats found so far. . So, we will garb up whom we can to participate in the "trading". Colonial women did not like to go out when the Indians were around :(

Otherwise, for the rest of the day, wear whatever style you like. Our static display at the Fredericksburg Dog Mart is on dogs before 1603... I have info on Persian, Chinesse, Mongolean, Philipino, North American indigeonous, as well as European Dogs! There will be some archery demonstrations, so bring your archery gear. I am still hoping for a rapier marshal, so bring gear in case. I have a Heavy marshal coming, so bring gear. 

I will be at site at about 7am to set up. (coming early means you get in free) Things need to be set up and ready to go by 9am. (after then, I know the site charge is $5 per car)  About lunch, the Izaak Waltons will have hotdogs and hamburgers for sale as their fund raiser.. so you can buy from them or bring  a lunch.

See everyone there! the weather should be wonderful! I will have water and sunblock...
-Blitha
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