The Banyan
The Banyan is a "For-us-by-us" event for those who are interested in trying something approaching a true historical re-enactment of a pirate encampment. We eschew all things modern looking, favoring stoneware, metal, wood, cloth and leather.
It's a rain-or-shine event, and it's not for everybody. If you don't think it would be fun to get dirty, eat roasted pig right off the carcass with your knife, drink rum from communal bottles, possibly get soaked to the bone, and do everything in your power to make our event look for all the world like the careening camp scene in Black Sails, please consider joining us at a different event. This isn't a festival, it's the real deal, and attendance is by invitation only. Learn about the history of the banyan concept here. If you're still not clear on the concept, email Topknot for more information.
The date for the Banyan is May 30th & 31st, 2015. We will begin gathering beginning at 10am on Saturday. We have a NEW LOCATION (click here), on private property on the Clackamas River near Oregon City. There will be rough, non-period camping available on this property (out of sight of the banyan encampment), and we encourage you to avail yourself of it. There is no running water (apart from the river), so you must bring your own for hygiene and drinking. We will rent a porta-potty, and to help pay for it and to give a stipend to our hostess we will require a $20 fee from each attendee.
I wouldn't call this event child-friendly, as there will be dirty pirates doing all sorts of dastardly deeds and we WILL NOT clean it up for the kiddies. There will be open flame, firearms, cannons, blades and moving water. That said, I suppose the event isn't child-hostile, and well-behaved powder monkeys who will not be permanently scarred by seeing grownups doing stupid and dangerous things and who remain the responsibility of their parents are probably acceptable.
Bring for the Encampment:
· Rustic food to share (such as whole chickens, loaves of bread, cheese wheels, etc.)
· Barrels, planks, wooden benches or chairs
· Trenchers, tankards, jugs, mugs, plates, and cups of metal, wood, ceramic or stonewear
· Copious amounts of your favorite beverages*
• Firewood and/or chunk charcoal (not briquettes)
· Musical instruments and songs to sing
· Piratical items or crafts to barter, sell or trade – your spare costumes, extra blades, ill-fitting boots, or any other appropriate items you wish to part with.
· Games, pastimes, or other activities to share.
· Your piratical self and others like you, and your desire to participate!
Bring for Camping:
Not Allowed in the Main Banyan Encampment:
· Anything plastic or modern that you can’t somehow conceal
· Anything you’re not willing to haul away when the party’s over.
· Grudges and bad attitudes
• Mardi Gras beads, glow sticks, electronic music devices
· Plastic last-minute-supermarket-grab deli trays. If you're not prepared to put some thought into this it's probably not the right event for you.
The Banyan is a "For-us-by-us" event for those who are interested in trying something approaching a true historical re-enactment of a pirate encampment. We eschew all things modern looking, favoring stoneware, metal, wood, cloth and leather.
It's a rain-or-shine event, and it's not for everybody. If you don't think it would be fun to get dirty, eat roasted pig right off the carcass with your knife, drink rum from communal bottles, possibly get soaked to the bone, and do everything in your power to make our event look for all the world like the careening camp scene in Black Sails, please consider joining us at a different event. This isn't a festival, it's the real deal, and attendance is by invitation only. Learn about the history of the banyan concept here. If you're still not clear on the concept, email Topknot for more information.
The date for the Banyan is May 30th & 31st, 2015. We will begin gathering beginning at 10am on Saturday. We have a NEW LOCATION (click here), on private property on the Clackamas River near Oregon City. There will be rough, non-period camping available on this property (out of sight of the banyan encampment), and we encourage you to avail yourself of it. There is no running water (apart from the river), so you must bring your own for hygiene and drinking. We will rent a porta-potty, and to help pay for it and to give a stipend to our hostess we will require a $20 fee from each attendee.
I wouldn't call this event child-friendly, as there will be dirty pirates doing all sorts of dastardly deeds and we WILL NOT clean it up for the kiddies. There will be open flame, firearms, cannons, blades and moving water. That said, I suppose the event isn't child-hostile, and well-behaved powder monkeys who will not be permanently scarred by seeing grownups doing stupid and dangerous things and who remain the responsibility of their parents are probably acceptable.
Bring for the Encampment:
· Rustic food to share (such as whole chickens, loaves of bread, cheese wheels, etc.)
· Barrels, planks, wooden benches or chairs
· Trenchers, tankards, jugs, mugs, plates, and cups of metal, wood, ceramic or stonewear
· Copious amounts of your favorite beverages*
• Firewood and/or chunk charcoal (not briquettes)
· Musical instruments and songs to sing
· Piratical items or crafts to barter, sell or trade – your spare costumes, extra blades, ill-fitting boots, or any other appropriate items you wish to part with.
· Games, pastimes, or other activities to share.
· Your piratical self and others like you, and your desire to participate!
Bring for Camping:
- All your own camping gear. Period gear is not required, as camping will be out of sight of the main banyan encampment.
- Enough water for your personal consumption and hygiene needs.
Not Allowed in the Main Banyan Encampment:
· Anything plastic or modern that you can’t somehow conceal
· Anything you’re not willing to haul away when the party’s over.
· Grudges and bad attitudes
• Mardi Gras beads, glow sticks, electronic music devices
· Plastic last-minute-supermarket-grab deli trays. If you're not prepared to put some thought into this it's probably not the right event for you.
