From The Page (May, 1985):
Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley CA is this year's site for Beltane Coronation. The address for the fairgrounds is: (omitted). The site will be open at 2pm, Friday, May 3rd.
There are few restrictions at this site. Please remember not to carry beverage cans and bottles around the campgrounds; just fill your favorite chalice or drinking horn with your favorite beverage and jaunt about to your heart's content. Flush privies, showers, and potable water are available. There is a revision concerning dogs: they are allowed, but not especially welcome at the site. Needless to say, dogs must remain tethered at all times and under control.
All merchants should contact the autocrat upon arrival. There are a few restrictions concerning selling, trading, and bartering. There also will be a Merchants Row.
Persons sponsoring or running contests should contact Aislinn Gildara Breemore at the site.
AUTOCRAT: Gleda Eiriksdottir (contact info omitted).
Directions: (Omitted).
 Paul of Bellatrix Sable, on a bend Or three compass stars palewise gules. |
 Rowena d'Anjou Azure, on a pile inverted throughout between two fleur-de-lis argent a swan naiant affrontée, wings elevated and addorsed, head to sinister, sable. |
Commentary:
"... We held an heraldic grand march. No grand march of any kind had been held at a kingdom event for some time, but I wanted our reign to be filled with medieval pageantry. We encouraged everyone, branches, households, individuals, to outfit themselves in as much heraldic display as possible. I was greatly pleased at the level of compliance, and the results were splendid. Many people commented favorably on it, as well." -- Rowena d'Anjou
"During the time between Oertha's first Coronet Tournament, and this event, I had started a relationship with Queen Grün. As long distance relationships go, that was pretty long distance, as she lived in the SF Bay Area in California, and I was in Anchorage, Alaska. However, we spent time writing letters and on the phone (this was before email).
"I came down to Beltane for this event. Had a lot of fun, although I still didn't know a lot of people. Saturday morning, Gerstan Heah Leah had a breakfast for the Royalty, incoming and outgoing, and their significant others (in this case, King Radnor had Ysabeau, and Queen Grün had me). This was the first time I had Eggs Benedict, and having them at an event was pretty amazing (they've become one of my favorite breakfast foods ever ...). Gerstan is a heckuva cook. I was a bit overwhelmed to be having breakfast with the royalty of the Kingdom. The saving grace was that I knew Radnor, and obviously knew Grün, sort of knew Their Royal Highnesses Paul and Rowena, and knew the Prince and Princess of Oertha (Kylson and Anne) who were there.
"I got to be the backing herald for the Coronation court that was run by one of the best Court Heralds the West has ever had, Macsen Fidelis. That was amazing. I was given the opportunity to read the Countess scroll that was done for Grün, and after, before I could start the cheers, Macsen stepped in with a lead into the cheers in German at full voice. Wow. That was cool. The fun part of the court was when Macsen started closing court (this made me feel good, because I had screwed up closing the first Principality court in Oertha several months earlier) -- Macsen stated words to the effect of "Thus ends the court of Paul and Verena!" Which caused His Majesty Paul to stare at Macsen rather intensely, the court to start laughing uproariously, and James Greyhelm (as in "James and Verena") stepped forward and stated something like "I am not sure which of us should be more insulted!". Macsen, however, proved what a consumate professional (as it were) that he was, and handed the ceremony book and herald's tabard to me. He then walked very stiffly to the front of court. Made a 90 degree turn to the left, and then again, so that he was facing Their Majesties, and fell on his face, and crawled to Their Majesties' feet, apologizing the whole way. It was very funny.
"I don't remember a whole lot about the event, but that will always stick out in my mind, and just that
I had a really good time at the event." -- Hirsch von Henford
(P.S.: Grün (now Juana) and I are no longer a couple, but are very good friends,
which is rare these days,
but we're happy about the way our lives have turned out ...)
Description of this event (if any), taken from The Page, or from memory of at least one person who attended the event.
The West Kingdom History Website was created by and is maintained by Hirsch von Henford (mka Ken Mayer).