Information for this year’s Pennsic-Goers

Hey, there! If you’re new to Pennsic, or haven’t been in a while, this might be your year to go! Pennsic offers infinite opportunities for classes, archery, fencing and heavy list, legendary parties at night, shopping like you’ve never seen before, plays and performances, and much more!

The Basics

– Location: Cooper’s Lake Campground, in Slippery Rock PA (an hour north of Pittsburgh)- Dates for 2024: July 26-Aug. 11. You don’t have to go for the full two weeks.

– Cost: It’s a bit complicated. These are last year’s prices because we don’t have the 2024 pricing available yet. Figure $240 max per adult for the full two weeks, or $200 for one week; but you get a discount for pre-registering, and there’s also a SCA member discount. Depending on where you choose to camp, there may or may not be a “camp fee” as well, to support camp amenities.

– Deadline for Pre-Registering Online: We don’t know this year’s registration schedule yet, but last year it was midnight on June 16.

– Pennsic website: http://www.pennsicwar.org/

Why Pre-Register?

  • You know who you’ll be camping with, and where
  • Existing camps often have amenities like firepits, hot showers, common cooking areas, and shade pavilions
  • You’ll get a discount on the gate price
  • You’ll get through the Pennsic Gate much faster after your long hot drive
  • Camps are allocated square footage based on the number of pre-registrations for that camp. So, your pre-registration gives your chosen camp enough land so that you and your tent can fit into it.

How to Pre-Register

Registration for 2024 hasn’t started yet, but when it does, you’ll see announcements. The registration link is here: https://www.cooperslake.com/prereg/account/index.php. You will need to “create an account.” You can pay with a credit card.

Which Camp to Register With?

At some point during registration you will be asked to select the name of the camp you want to sign up for. You may already have an invitation to an existing camp, and that’s fine – but as a Freeholder you are always welcome in the camp that’s called “Freehold and Coldwood.” If you choose the “Freehold and Coldwood” camping option, please send Baron Stephen an email: gbaron55@yahoo.com and introduce yourself. There’s also a Facebook group called “N28 Sir Stephen Grandchamp” which you can join, to ask questions and get details about this year’s camp.

More about the “Freehold and Coldwood” Camp

It’s located in N-28. This is a quiet neighborhood, close to parking, and not too far from the battlefield. It’s a bit of a hike to the “party district” around the Lake. There’s a convenient shuttle bus that passes right by the front of the camp, to get you where you need to go. Pennsic provides running water (technically potable, but high in minerals) and portolets nearby. The land is gently sloped (not too bad, but you might want shims to level your bed.) You’ll be assessed an additional “camp fee” to provide propane for the hot showers and cooking facilities, firewood for the firepit, and to support the yearly storage of the camp’s infrastructure.

If you don’t pre-register

Don’t worry, if you’re not able to plan ahead, you can also just show up at the Pennsic gate. You’ll pay more, and you’ll be put in “singles camping” with random other non-registered folk. “Singles camping” zones are scattered around the Pennsic site. People who just show up are generally not able to fit into a camp of pre-registered people because of space limitations. Sometimes you can find a “singles camping” area that is near to your friends in a pre-registered camp.

Every SCAdian should experience Pennsic at least once! If this is your year, now you know what to do. Have fun!