Pennsic site rules 52.6Download
Table of Contents
  1. Background
  2. Scope
  3. Definitions
  4. General Site Rules
  5. Specific Topical Rules
    1. Access to Site
    2. Children At Pennsic
    3. Special Gas Line and Digging Restrictions
    4. Garbage Disposal and Recycling
    5. Hay/Straw, Firewood, and Mulch
    6. Mail, Package, and Rental Deliveries
    7. Merchants
    8. Picnic tables, folding tables, and folding chairs
    9. Announcement Boards/Town Criers
    10. Quiet and Nighttime Hours
    11. Smoking
    12. Utilities
    13. Alcohol
    14. Gaming
    15. Fundraising
    16. Volunteers at Pennsic
    17. SCA Royalty at Pennsic
    18. Golf Cart Use
    19. Portable Toilets (Porta-Johns)
    20. Radio Use
    21. Sanctions
  6. Registration Rules
  7. Traffic and Parking Rules
    1. Traffic Rules
    2. Parking Rules
    3. Parking Lot Rules
    4. Traffic and Parking around the Battlefield
    5. Towing Policy
    6. Disabled/Stuck Vehicles
  8. Zoning and Planning (“Land”)
    1. Land Allotment
    2. Accessibility Camping
    3. RV Camping
    4. General Land Use
    5. Singles Camping
    6. Land Alterations
    7. Mobile Camp Structures
    8. End of the Event and Exit from CLC
  9. Accessibility Assistance
    1. Camping Space
    2. Charging Stations for Medical Equipment
    3. Service Animals

Background

The Pennsic War (Pennsic) will run from Friday, July 25, 2025, until Sunday, August 11, 2025, when all attendees must be off-site. During Pennsic, all people in attendance must abide by the Laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the USA; the rules and policies of Cooper’s Lake Campground (CLC)[1]; the Governing Documents of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. (SCA)[2]; and the rules and policies of Pennsic as provided here. Anyone who chooses to ignore these regulations may be subject to appropriate sanctions. Anyone who may be in actual violation of the law will be referred to the appropriate modern authorities.

Pennsic is a complex event made possible by a collective agreement between attendees, staff, and the property owners. Pennsic does not operate without a baseline of agreed-upon policies, rules, and procedures that ensure an equitable playing field for all involved. Since its inception, Pennsic has grown from a small weekend event into what amounts to a small city operating over multiple weeks. The resources necessary to operate Pennsic are drawn from hundreds of hours of volunteer work, even beyond the direct hours involved in the time of the event itself. In addition to those invaluable volunteers, rental contracts, service contracts, and modern resources (such as EMS) are necessary to fully support the day-to-day operation of the event. Because of this, Pennsic is likely unique among all other SCA events. And uniquely, this requires Pennsic to adhere to what, on its face, appears to be a lengthy set of rules. But all of these rules are in place to ensure that all attendees, as well as the staff, are able to enjoy the magic that is called Pennsic.

As you review these rules, please understand that the letter of them underpins an intent to ensure the safe and efficient operation of Pennsic using the limited resources available. Individual attendees should seek clarification whenever intent is unclear.

Scope

These policies and rules exist as a baseline of expectation for all attendees. Whenever provided, please attempt to understand the intent as much as the letter of the rule.

The rules and policies contained in this document constitute the baseline of rules that every attendee must follow while in attendance, both letter and intent (when provided). Additional policies and rules may be provided for individual functions (e.g., battle/combat scenarios), and attendees participating in those activities must additionally follow those rules as provided. By attending Pennsic, each attendee agrees to these rules and policies.

Definitions

Electric Conveyance Vehicle (ECV): A vehicle, typically on three or four wheels, which provides a method of propulsion (motor) to its user for purposes of mobility and access. This does not include bicycles, “foot-powered” scooters, skateboards, or other recreational, human-powered means of transportation. “Walkers” and other human-powered walking aids are not included in this policy. For purposes of this policy, “motor” in this circumstance is exclusively electric, as gas-powered devices are not allowed by the policy of CLC.

Construction Project: Any non-tent structures, including but not limited to gates, towers, houses, scaffolding, etc.

Corpora: Common term in this document referring to The Corpora of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. Corpora is one governing document of the SCA, Inc.

Disability parking: A subset of lots specifically designated by CLC personnel. These lots require a visible disability license plate or hang tag.

First Aid Point: A dedicated location for providing emergency first-aid services for attendees.

Fundraising: Any activity that seeks to obtain money or other goods from other attendees. These activities include, but are not limited to, raffles, pay-to-play tournaments, and a spot to put out a can at a Pennsic Point or a merchant booth.

Gate: Gates provide access to the site by either motor vehicle or pedestrian traffic. There are five gates through which motor vehicles may pass. Both motor-vehicle and pedestrian traffic may be restricted or prevented at times during the event according to published site rules and policies.

Mobile Camp Structure: A mobile camp structure is a structure built on a modern trailer base that can be used for shelter, lodging, showering, or kitchen use. Examples of mobile camp structures include towable campers, tiny homes, shower wagons, chuck wagons, and shepherd carts.

Motor vehicle: Any vehicle that uses a motor (electric or petroleum-based fuel) to provide its primary means of movement. This includes motorcycles. This does not include ECVs and golf carts.

Nighttime hours: Hours from one-half hour past registration closure until registration opens the next morning. For purposes of this policy, that is defined as 10:30 PM until 6:00 AM.

Oversized vehicle: Any motor vehicle with an overall length of more than 22.5 feet (270 inches). This includes box trucks, converted buses, RVs, etc. It does not include pickup trucks, SUVs, conversion vans, or box trucks less than 22.5 feet in length.

Parked vehicle: Any immobile motor vehicle without a driver behind the wheel.

Parking: Designated lot within the CLC for parking motor vehicles.

“Party hopping”: The use of a motor vehicle to travel or transport a person or persons within the campground, to or from any type of events, regardless of whether the driver has or has not consumed alcohol. This definition is not limited to nighttime hours.

Passenger vehicle: Any motor vehicle with an overall length less than 22.5 feet (270 inches). This includes pickups, SUVs, conversion vans, and some box trucks. (The longest consumer vehicle produced is the Ford Super Duty with crew cab and 8’ bed, which is 267 inches long.)

Pennsic staff: An individual attendee named and designated as responsible for a portion of the operation of Pennsic. The names of all Pennsic staff are provided in the site guide for the event as well as published on the event website.

Pennsic volunteer: Any attendee who volunteers time at the event to assist Pennsic staff with the operation of the event. While all of the Pennsic staff are volunteers, not all Pennsic volunteers are staff. Pennsic volunteers’ service is at the direction of and in support of Pennsic staff, thus, they are temporarily (for the length of their shift) authorized to speak or act on behalf of Pennsic as limited or described in the policies of individual divisions.

Recreational Vehicle (RV): An RV is a registered recreational motor vehicle, travel trailer, or fifth wheel.

Registration Point: Registration for the event is located on the southwest corner of the intersection of Dragon Trace and Brewer’s Road (diagonal from Watch Point).

Roads/Roadways: Pathways for vehicles and pedestrians marked by natural boundaries (pavement/stone) or by markers (painted lines) or both; and typically indicated by signage at the end or intersection.

SCA: The common abbreviation of the Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. The SCA is the corporate parent of Pennsic War, Inc., and the governing authority under which Pennsic operates.

Stopped vehicle: Any immobile motor vehicle with a driver behind the wheel.

Trailer: Any wheeled vehicle that is towed behind another vehicle and which lacks its own motor. This does not include racks or trays that attach to a vehicle but do not have wheels of their own. This also does not include trailers that have been converted to a mobile camping structure as defined elsewhere in Pennsic rules or policies.

VIP (or paid) parking: A subset of lots specifically designated by CLC personnel. VIP parking is a function of CLC and requires you to surrender your Pennsic parking tag in order to access VIP lots.

The Watch: The Watch is a section within the Pennsic Event Safety Department responsible for assisting in the safety of the event by providing patrols and operations to aid attendees in need.

Watch Point: The Watch base of operations, located on the corner of Brewer’s Road and Dragon Trace, adjacent to First Aid Point.

General Site Rules

  1. Firearms, fireworks, airborne lanterns (including Japanese Lanterns), or chemical weapons of any kind are not allowed at Pennsic. Fire performing is not allowed without the permission of the Mayor and CLC management.
  2. Do not cut trees, branches, shrubs, or other foliage for any reason, including but not limited to use as firewood.
  3. Do not alter, remove, or damage any campground fencing for any reason. This includes temporary fencing erected for parking or traffic control and any caution tape markings used for temporary traffic/pedestrian flow.
  4. Do not use the sinks in the bathhouses for any purposes other than those for which they are intended; prohibited uses include but are not limited to the washing of dishes, utensils, or clothing, as well as bathing.
  5. Pets are not allowed at Pennsic. Trained Service Animals as defined in law[3] are welcome. For more detailed information, please see the Accessibility Assistance policies.
  6. Horses are not allowed on-site.
  7. Boats are not allowed on the lake.
  8. There is a 10 MPH/16 KPH speed limit for all roads within CLC. Use special caution in congested areas. The posted limits may be too fast for local conditions.
  9. Martial activities of any kind are not allowed outside of the proper, designated areas. This includes but is not limited to sparring, siege weapons, youth combat weapons, thrown weapons, rapier, archery, armored heavy combat, or modern martial arts.
  10. Powered[4] earth-moving equipment is not allowed without advance written permission of CLC management. This includes, but is not limited to, power augers and bobcats.
  11. Gasoline and diesel-powered tools of any kind, including but not limited to lawn mowers, weed eaters, and chainsaws, are not allowed. Generators that use internal combustion, regardless of fuel, are not allowed. There will be no exceptions.
  12. If you bring any single water receptacle with a capacity of 100 gallons or more, you may not fill it from the CLC water supply, nor may you drain it at CLC.
  13. Construction projects may not include any structure taller than 16 feet. Pennsic staff and CLC management reserve the absolute right to order the dismantlement of any construction project.
  14. Personal conveyances are not allowed at Pennsic. Personal conveyances include but are not limited to bicycles, personal golf carts, rollerblades, skateboards, mopeds, scooters, hoverboards, tricycles, unicycles, or trail bikes. Electric Conveyance Vehicles (ECVs) and electric wheelchairs are not considered personal conveyances for purposes of this rule and are allowed; however, they must operate at walking speed. In addition, any trailer attached to any ECV or electric wheelchair must be done properly and not impede the safe operation of the ECV. The capacity of these units is restricted to one person per unit.
  15. Do not dig trenches or wastewater pits deeper than 3 feet. All pits and trenches must be filled in before leaving the event.
  16. Do not dig trenches or pits across, against, or under paved or rolled gravel roads.
  17. Do not use public address systems after 10 pm. All amplifying systems that can be heard outside of a camp must get approval from the Mayor’s Office before use.
  18. Do not post any notices/announcements in or on any portable toilet (“Porta-John”) or any other Campground facility.
  19. Do not plug any devices into outlets in any CLC building or Pennsic staff facility.
  20. The use of drones, deer cams, static optical devices, dash cams, and all types of surveillance devices is not allowed on any CLC property without the express permission of CLC management.
  21. Do not tamper with, move, destroy, or vandalize any facility or property of Pennsic or CLC. These properties and facilities include but are not limited to: road signs; A&S tents; golf carts; the Barn; the Great Hall; bath houses; battlefield set-ups; tables, chairs, benches, and picnic tables used by Pennsic; and any other item that non-staff members are not entitled to use. Any person who violates this rule, as well as any person who aids or abets in such conduct without the express permission of staff members of Pennsic or CLC who are authorized to grant said permission[5] will be subject to immediate ejection from the event.
  22. There is no “day-pass” or other temporary admittance to Pennsic. All attendees must pay the full price appropriate for their length of stay as provided by CLC’s registration site [6]. Anyone who must enter the site temporarily (e.g., vendors, deliveries, etc.) must be escorted at all times and will only be allowed to remain on-site for the period necessary to complete their immediate task. Anyone who violates this rule will be considered trespassing and will be ejected from the site and will face appropriate sanctions.
  23. All camping must be done within defined camping blocks (including accessibility and RV camping locations). No attendee may camp, including inside a vehicle, in any parking area on CLC.

Specific Topical Rules

Access to Site

  1. Attendees may only access the site through the designated entry/re-entry areas (commonly referred to as “gates”).
  2. Do not climb, cross, or remove fences to enter or re-enter the site.
  3. Anyone attempting to enter or re-enter the Campground without a medallion, either by crossing or removing fences or by transferring medallions, will be evicted from the site without refund.
  4. Attendees are not allowed to open or close gates. If a gate is closed (e.g., during nighttime hours), attendees must re-enter via an alternate gate.
  5. Vehicles may not stop on Currie Road at any point to load or unload people or equipment from or to the battlefield or any area of CLC. There are no exceptions to this rule, and vehicles observed loading/unloading along Currie Road may be subject to sanctions up to and including ejection from the event for the driver or any and all passengers.
  6. Motor vehicles may only access the site via the Battlefield, West, Main, and North gates (with additional restrictions during nighttime hours).
    1. Vendors and merchants may (with approval of CLC management) use the Vendor gate.
  7. Pedestrians who wish to cross between the battlefield and the campsite (i.e., walk across Currie Road), may use any open gate and may walk around any physical barrier which allows passage without removing the barrier (e.g., chains or ropes used to restrict vehicle traffic may not be moved, but may be walked around).
    1. Pedestrians should exercise caution crossing Currie Road.
    2. Pedestrians may not walk along Currie Road.
  8. Pennsic staff golf carts may cross Currie Road via the West, Vendor, and North gates.
    1. Watch Patrol carts are further restricted and may only cross at the West gate.

Children At Pennsic

  1. A parent(s), legal guardian, or notarized guardian must remain at Pennsic for as long as the minor remains on-site. Parent(s), legal guardian(s), or notarized guardian(s) are responsible for every action by their minor, regardless of whether they are in the presence of the minor.[7]
  2. Minors under the age of 12 must have an accountable adult or teenager in visual/auditory range at all times.
    1. For purposes of this rule, an accountable adult is any adult who has or assumes accountability for a minor. This includes parent(s), legal or notarized guardian(s), and any other adult appointed by the same for purposes of ensuring accountability for a minor’s actions. For purposes of this rule, an accountable teenager is known to and appointed by a parent or legal guardian temporarily as a proxy (i.e., a babysitter) and is between the ages of 12 and 18. This assignment of accountability cannot be indefinite.
    2. Minors between the ages of 12 and 18 may roam the site outside of visual/auditory control of an accountable adult or teenager, so long as an accountable adult is aware of their activities.[8]
  3. After 11 p.m., minors must be in their encampments or in the company of a parent, legal guardian, notarized guardian, or accountable adult.
  4. Any minor in breach of these rules will:
    1. For a first offense, the parent(s), legal guardian, or notarized guardian will be required to keep their minor(s) with them for the remainder of the event. A report on the incident will be reported to the host Kingdom and Society Seneschals.
    2. For a second offense, the minor(s) and parent(s), legal guardian, or notarized guardian will be expelled from the event, and the matter will be reported to the host Kingdom, Society Seneschals, and other appropriate authorities.
    3. Any offense committed by a minor that would result in ejection from the site if it were committed by an adult will result in immediate ejection of the minor and their parent(s), legal guardian(s), or notarized guardian.
  5. All sponsored, organized Youth Activities at Pennsic will be in compliance with the Governing Documents and Policies of the SCA[9]. These policies do not relieve parents or guardians of their primary responsibility for the welfare and behavior of their children and ensuring that their children’s activities are compliant with the current Pennsic Site Rules and Policies.

Special Gas Line and Digging Restrictions

  1. No digging of any sort in blocks W02, W03, E06, & E10 without explicit permission granted by the CLC War Office.
  2. No digging or stakes deeper than 12 inches in the lower half of W07.
  3. Additional restrictions apply to blocks E11, E18, E20, E24, W02, W03, AND W21, due to an underground high-pressure natural gas line that runs through those areas. The center of the gas line will be marked with a dotted white painted line. Dotted white lines will mark the 25 feet on each side of the centerline.
    1. No fire pits or ground fires may be placed within 50 feet of the Right-of-Way of the gas line. Violation of this rule may cause the gas company to exercise its right to demand that no camping of any type be allowed in this area. Violations of this rule will not be tolerated.
    2. Tents are allowed if stakes are less than 3 feet in length.
    3. No tents or other structures may be placed within 10 feet of any gas company marker or vent. Markers and vents must always be accessible from the nearest road. A blue painted circle will mark markers and vents. Nothing may be placed within this circle.

Garbage Disposal and Recycling

  1. Dumpsters are located throughout the campground. These dumpsters are the only proper location for the disposal of garbage or refuse.
  2. Before departing Pennsic, stack raw wood materials (plywood, 2x4s, etc.) next to the road nearest to your camp. Wood should not be placed in or next to the dumpsters.
  3. Because of safety factors, do not remove anything from the dumpster/dumpster area.
  4. Under no circumstances may garbage or refuse be burned.
  5. Please be sure to remove all personal property from the site by noon on the final Sunday of Pennsic.
    1. Anything found after that time will be considered abandoned property and will be disposed of by the event staff or CLC management.
    2. Do not leave any large items (e.g., furniture, mattresses, old tents, etc.) in your encampment when departing Pennsic, even if you intend to abandon them. Individuals are solely responsible for removing all such large items from the campground; the rubbish service employed by CLC will not remove such large items on your behalf. Failure to follow this rule may result in your camp being in violation of the rule to break down and leave Pennsic by noon of the final Sunday, and could result in land sanctions at subsequent Pennsic events.
  6. CLC recycles. Please take all recycling to the recycling station located on the battlefield at the “Field Gate”[10].

Hay/Straw, Firewood, and Mulch

  1. Hay or straw may not be used as rushes or ground cover in any camping area without the express permission of CLC management. If permission is granted, hay or straw will be available for sale at the Camp Store. The purchase price includes the cleanup fee. Do not burn hay or straw.
  2. Mulch (sometimes called wood chips) may not be brought into the campground, nor may it be used for any ground cover. Mulch causes severe damage to the grounds and could become a health hazard.
  3. Under no circumstances may attendees “import” firewood from outside of Butler County, PA. All firewood must be purchased locally within Butler County.[11]
  4. Hay bales from the battlefield and the Middle Eastern Dance Tent are not for common use. These hay bales are for battlefield Scenarios and for Middle Eastern Dance activities and may not be removed. Any group caught with unauthorized hay/straw will be sanctioned appropriately.

Mail, Package, and Rental Deliveries

  1. Mail or parcel deliveries from USPS or commercial services:
    1. Will be held at the Merchant’s Office[12]. Non-merchant deliveries will be charged a $2.00 handling fee at the time of pickup from the Merchant Office.
    2. All deliveries must be made during Merchant Office Business hours (9am and 5pm). Deliveries arriving other than during these hours will be turned away for re-delivery the next day.
    3. The Merchant Office will not accept packages with perishable goods. Any perishable deliveries must be delivered directly to recipient outside of the site or at a pre-arranged gate.
    4. It is the responsibility of each individual expecting a delivery to check with the Merchant’s Office during the office’s business hours.
    5. Any package or mail not collected by close of the Merchant’s Office on the last Friday of Pennsic may be returned to the sender or disposed of at the discretion of CLC management.
    6. Reminder: CLC’s address: 205 Currie Road, Slippery Rock, PA 16057
  2. The rental or purchase of goods and merchandise between an attendee and a local vendor including but not limited to firewood, pizza, rental tents, tables/chairs, catered food, propane, rental appliances, oxygen deliveries, and lumber are considered a private contract between the two parties and as such each attendee’s responsibility to coordinate the delivery thereof, subject to the rules in this section.
  3. No deliveries allowed before 9am on Saturday opening weekend. All goods must be picked up by 5 pm, Monday after Pennsic ends, or they will be considered abandoned and forfeit.
  4. The staff of Pennsic and CLC will not be directly involved in the final delivery of any goods. Attendees are required to meet vendors at the appropriate point of entry to receive articles.
  5. Delivery information for merchants is included in the merchants’ information package.
  6. When making arrangements with a vendor, provide the following information to your vendor:
    1. Modern name under which the items are being rented/purchased.
    2. Your cell phone number.
    3. An on-site contact (with modern name and cell phone number if different from above).
    4. The name of the group which you are camping (including block number if known at the time of arrangement).
    5. At which CLC entry point will you meet your vendor (e.g., West Gate, North Gate, Main Gate, Parking/Battlefield Gate).
    6. The date and estimated time you wish to have your item(s) delivered.
  7. If you are renting a shade tent or bringing a shade tent for the battlefield, please note that they cannot be set up before 8 am on 2nd Tuesday of Pennsic, without specific permission of the Deputy Mayor for Martial Activities. Battlefield tents require a tent ID tag, available from the Battlefield staff. Tents without proper ID may be removed from the field.

Merchants

  1. Selling, vending, or merchanting outside of the designated market area is not allowed.
  2. Merchant approval is solely a function of CLC and must be coordinated through CLC management.[13]
  3. It is the sole responsibility of the individual merchant to comply with all applicable tax and licensing regulations and requirements.
  4. This includes outside catering, which must be coordinated through the Merchant Office.

Picnic tables, folding tables, and folding chairs

  1. There are not enough picnic tables for every encampment to have one in camp. Tables are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
  2. Attendees may relocate tables from one location to another on-site, provided those tables are not already in use by a camp, not in the merchant/food court areas, and are not in the Great Hall or other Pennsic tents or facilities.
  3. Folding tables and chairs located in Pennsic tents (e.g., The Watch, EMS, University, etc.) may not be removed from those tents.

Announcement Boards/Town Criers

  1. Notices are posted daily on the 26 signboards located at many of the bus stops and intersections around Pennsic.
    1. All notices must be posted by town criers. Do not post notices yourself.
    2. Notices are for official Pennsic events only.
  2. Do not remove notices or maps from signboards.
  3. If you need an event posted, please contact the Town Criers’ office.

Quiet and Nighttime Hours

  1. Quiet hours are in effect between 2:00 A.M. and 7:00 A.M. throughout the campground.
  2. Please be considerate of your neighbors when you are contemplating high-decibel nighttime activities such as drumming, piping, singing, etc.
  3. As referenced elsewhere in rules regarding traffic, during nighttime hours: No motor vehicle may be operated, except in emergency situations, within CLC during nighttime hours South of Dragon Trace and Currie Road (that is, the lower “half” of the site essentially south of the great hall and Penn Marketplace areas). If you need to leave the site during nighttime hours, please contact the Watch, and you will be escorted safely off-site
    1. No motor-vehicle may be operated, except in emergency situations, within CLC during nighttime hours South of Dragon Trace and Currie Road (that is, the lower “half” of the site essentially south of the great hall and Penn Marketplace areas). If you need to leave site during nighttime hours, please contact the Watch and you will be escorted safely offsite.
    2. Motor vehicles may enter CLC via the North and Battlefield gates for the primary purpose of reaching parking areas. While this does allow the operation of motor vehicles in areas north of Dragon Trace, the operation of motor vehicles during nighttime hours is strongly discouraged even in areas not otherwise forbidden by other parts of this policy.

Smoking

  1. There is no smoking or vaping allowed in any public building or tent, golf cart, or bus.
  2. Please dispose of cigarettes or cigar butts in the proper receptacles.
  3. Please be courteous to others when smoking in open areas and private campgrounds.

Utilities

  1. Do not block access to water spigots or electrical boxes.
  2. If you attach a hose to a water spigot:
    1. It must be equipped with both a vacuum breaker and a y-connector.
    2. Any hose attached to a spigot that does not conform to this policy may be confiscated by the Pennsic staff or CLC management.
  3. Do not run hoses across roads.
  4. Grey water[14] may be disposed of by digging a wastewater sump in your camp.
    1. Do not dump your wastewater into the lake, stream, or any of the water spigots.
    2. Please ensure that everyone in your encampment is aware of the locations of all wastewater sumps, and please fill in all sumps before leaving the War.
  5. Attendees may not alter or modify existing utilities in any manner. You may not access or tie into any water lines or electrical boxes to install new or additional connections. Anyone attempting to alter or modify any of the existing utilities may be evicted from the site without refund and will be responsible for any and all damages resulting from their actions.
  6. No personal washing or bathing is allowed at the water spigots. Please be courteous when using showers. Please try to conserve hot water whenever possible.
  7. No dumping of black water[15] is allowed at CLC. The dumping of black water may result in offenders being banned from future CLC events, including Pennsic.

Alcohol

  1. The legal age for the consumption of alcohol in Pennsylvania is 21 years of age. Any violations of Pennsylvania law may be reported to the authorities, and violators may be evicted from the campground without refund.
  2. If you choose to serve alcohol in your camp, you do so at your own risk and are solely responsible for ensuring that you conform to the laws of Pennsylvania, including confirmation of legal age for all those who consume alcohol in your camp.
  3. Pennsic attendees may obtain alcoholic beverages off-site for consumption on-site.
  4. The sale of alcohol by any attendee while on-site is illegal. This includes the use of “free with purchase of a mug” schemes and other cover charges/fees that otherwise disguise the purchase.[16] Tips may be collected, but must be entirely voluntary.

Gaming

  1. Pennsic provides limited official resources for gaming, generally divided between medieval and modern games. While there is no official definition, the medieval gaming facilities are generally understood to relate to games that existed prior to 1700.
    1. The medieval gaming tent is staffed and open for limited hours.
    2. The modern gaming tent is unstaffed and open 24 hours.
  2. Games, including any live action role-playing type events, may be conducted anywhere on site in addition to official gaming locations with the exception of the upper areas of the bathhouse, CLC business locations (e.g. Penn Market store), or any area which will otherwise disrupt or interfere with other attendees’ activities.

Fundraising

  1. To hold an official fundraiser (i.e., publicized in any Pennsic Schedule; held at any Pennsic Point; advertised in any way by Pennsic-sponsored media; or listed as an activity of the Pennsic War:
    1. The fundraiser must be approved by both the Mayor and the Pennsic Exchequer.
    2. Any advertising of an approved fundraising activity at Pennsic must include the purpose of the funds being raised and the name of the organization that will benefit from said donation.
    3. All funds must be collected by someone approved by the Exchequer.
    4. All collected funds must be turned into the Exchequer, and a check to the appropriate not-for-profit organization will be mailed by the Exchequer to said organization.
    5. No official fundraising may be held on behalf of an individual, a household, or any organization that is not a recognized, registered non-profit.
  2. Pennsic does not hold a license granted under Pennsylvania’s Local Option Small Games of Chance Act, 1988 P.L. 1262, No. 156, as amended. In compliance with Pennsylvania Commonwealth law, raffles of any sort are not allowed at Pennsic.
  3. There can be no cash prizes to any participants in any pay-to-play tournament at Pennsic.
  4. Unofficial fundraisers for someone or something can be held by individuals or camps, but you may not use Pennsic resources or facilities[17] to do it.

Volunteers at Pennsic

  1. All Pennsic staff are volunteers and must abide by all site rules and policies.
  2. Individual departments also use volunteers beyond named staff[18] positions for the smooth and efficient operation of those departments.
  3. Volunteers at Pennsic are not staff and are not given any authority beyond that necessary to conduct the specific tasks for which they are volunteering.
  4. Volunteers must abide by all site rules as well as those for the departments in which they are volunteering. Volunteers who do not follow the direction of named staff within departments or who repeatedly fail to perform their assigned duties may be asked to forgo additional volunteering in specific departments or in general. This does not equate to sanction or prevent the attendee from remaining at Pennsic – unless the behavior is egregious enough to warrant further sanction by Pennsic, the SCA, or CLC.
  5. Attendees wishing to volunteer for specific departments should seek opportunities at those departments’ locations on-site.

SCA Royalty at Pennsic

  1. Royalty at Pennsic are functionaries of individual SCA kingdoms, and while they enjoy a recognized status as leaders of various SCA functions, they are still attendees at the event and are required to adhere to all site rules and policies.[19]
  2. In addition, because of their status as officially recognized representatives of the SCA, they may be precluded from participating in various Pennsic staff roles in order to avoid conflicts of interest.
  3. Royalty (or their staff) who require assistance of Pennsic staff should coordinate their requests through the Pennsic Royalty Liaison.

Golf Cart Use

  1. Per general rule #14, personal golf carts are not allowed at Pennsic.
  2. Pennsic staff and individual departments use golf carts to facilitate the efficient operation of departmental functions. While individual staff members may have a golf cart assigned to them for a portion or the entirety of the event, the use of a golf cart is to facilitate ready access and management of departmental functions. These golf carts are not solely for personal use or transportation around the site and are not to be used by staff members when not needed for purposes of departmental needs/access[20].
  3. All staff and volunteers who need access to or use of a golf cart must sign and maintain a valid golf cart agreement.
    • Golf cart agreements can be filled out at Watch Point and will be maintained for the entirety of the event at The Watch.
    • Misuse of, damage to, or abuse of golf carts may result in the removal of the golf cart agreement and removal of privileges to operate a golf cart for a portion or the remainder of the event.
  4. Attendees may not interfere with, alter, or appropriate golf carts for any reason. Failure to comply with this rule is grounds for immediate sanction up to and including ejection from the site.

Portable Toilets (Porta-Johns)

  1. Per general rules #18 and #21, do not post notices or otherwise alter or move Porta-Johns.
  2. If you have concerns about Porta-Johns, including placement and availability, please contact The Watch.
    1. There are a limited number of Porta-Johns, which are placed according to anticipated population and need (including Accessible units). While CLC and Pennsic staff attempt to accommodate all needs, the limited number of units may prevent the accommodation of all requests.

Radio Use

  1. Personal communication devices are not restricted at Pennsic so long as they do not violate modern rules for their use.
  2. Pennsic operates its own radio communication system. Use of Pennsic radios is strictly limited to official Pennsic functions.
    1. Use of Pennsic radios for anything other than Pennsic business/operations is subject to sanctions.
    2. Attendees may not appropriate Pennsic radios, and anyone who finds a radio should return it to The Watch or a member of Pennsic staff as soon as possible.

Sanctions

  1. Pennsic land sanctions:
    1. The Pennsic staff may levy sanctions against registered land groups who do not comply with the written rules or who are unwilling to work with Pennsic staff to resolve issues that occur during the event.
    2. Sanctions may be levied immediately, at future Pennsic, or both. Past sanctions on groups have included loss of block seniority, loss of block choices, and land forfeiture.
    3. Working with Pennsic staff to resolve issues on-site is in your best interest to avoid these or even harsher sanctions.
  2. Repeat or combative offenders of any Pennsic polices or rules may be subject to expulsion from the event.
  3. When necessary and appropriate (e.g., violations of the anti-bullying policies, or abuse of CLC or Pennsic staff and volunteers), or when requested by these entities, Pennsic staff may refer attendees to SCA or CLC management for further sanctions. These sanctions may include bans from future attendance or participation in other SCA or CLC events.

Registration Rules

The following policies provide guidance on Pennsic registration, including required ID and other procedures.

  1. You will be required to have the following items with you at registration:
    1. Sufficient cash or a credit card to cover the cost of your entry (personal checks, money orders, and traveler’s checks will not be accepted).
      • If you are pre-registered, additional fees may be required.
      • Refunds will not be granted after you have passed through registration and received your medallion.
      • Coins will not be accepted at registration.
  2. A government-issued photo ID that has your photo, name, and date of birth on it. If your government-issued ID does not provide all this information (e.g., it is non-photo), please have a secondary form of ID in addition to your government-issued ID, which can be checked against your primary. (For example, a work/building pass with your name and picture on it, in addition to a government-issued ID with your name and date of birth on it would be sufficient.)
  3. Proof of membership is required if you wish to take advantage of the member discount. Any Milpitas-issued item with your name, membership number, and expiration date on it will suffice. In addition to any printed proof of membership, digital membership information, including digital membership cards and proof of membership emails, is also acceptable proof of membership.
  4. If you arrive with a minor who is not your child, you must be at least 21 years of age and present at registration the following for each minor child for whom you are responsible.
    1. An original (no photocopies or scans will be accepted) SCA “Minor Waiver & Consent to Travel/Medical Authorization Form” (often referred to as the “Florida Form” – https://www.sca.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/FloridaWaiver.pdf). The form must be fully completed by the minor child’s parent(s) or legal guardian and duly notarized on both the top and bottom halves of the document for each minor child.
    2. You will be required to sign a waiver in the child’s name before admittance. Upon completion of this process, you will be considered the notarized guardian of said minor(s) for the duration of Pennsic.
    3. Lying on these waivers constitutes fraud and will result in your family’s expulsion from the event.
  5. Emancipated minors must show legal proof of emancipation, in addition to the ID mentioned in line 1 above.
  6. Other important registration details:
    1. Reminder: there are no single-day admission rates for visitors. This includes family, friends, and clergy. Everyone attending Pennsic will pay the full requisite fee from the date of their arrival until the end of the War, regardless of when they arrive, depart, or how long they stay. There are no exceptions to this policy.
    2. If you are getting a ride from someone who is not staying, they are not allowed to enter the campground without an escort. Escorts are on a first-come, first-served basis, and waiting for an escort may require additional time, so attendees should plan accordingly. The purpose of this escord is to unload items from a vehicle. The escorted party may not
      • Socialize with attendees in the destination camp or other camps (reasonable judgment should be exercised by the escort about what constitutes socializing).
      • Help the attendee or others with any setup. The purpose is only to unload or load items into the vehicle. Once the vehicle is unloaded, the escort will lead the vehicle to the closest gate and ensure it departs the site.
    3. Pre-registrations are not transferable to another person. If a pre-registered attendee is unable to attend Pennsic, they should request a full refund from CLC (within deadlines for that process as provided by CLC management).
    4. According to privacy requirements, no personal information will be provided about attendees at the gate. This includes confirming if someone is on-site and where they are camped.
  7. Medallions:
    1. Each attendee at Pennsic will be issued a medallion and a paper receipt at Registration Point when they arrive.
    2. The medallion is your visible indicator of authority to be on-site.
    3. Each medallion issued is designated to a particular individual; the medallions are not transferable.
    4. All attendees attending Pennsic will always wear their medallions and will produce their medallions for CLC and appropriate Pennsic staff members upon request.
    5. Please ensure that you take your medallion with you when you leave your campsite for any reason. Please note that when traveling between some sections of the campground, including the battlefield, you will be asked to show your medallion.
    6. If you misplace or lose your medallion, please report to Registration Point with your paper receipt to see if it was recovered. If it was not recovered, you will be provided with a wristband instead of a medallion.
    7. Anyone attempting to re-enter without a medallion or wristband and who cannot produce a copy of their printed receipt will have to go through Registration Point process again and pay the appropriate fees.

Traffic and Parking Rules

The following policies provide a comprehensive set of rules governing the operation of motor vehicles during Pennsic. Due to the close proximity and large volume of pedestrian traffic and other considerations, the operation of motor vehicles on the grounds of CLC during Pennsic presents safety concerns. As such, these rules are designed to allow attendees the convenience of accessing their camps under limited circumstances while reducing the likelihood of accidents. These rules have been written as informed by specific incidents and issues which have been observed by CLC and Pennsic staff and are an effort to ensure equal and fair access, while equally ensuring safety for all attendees.

Traffic Rules

  1. The operation of motor vehicles on CLC presents a risk to operators and pedestrians. As such, the following rules are to be enforced during the entirety of Pennsic:
    1. Motor vehicles in motion within CLC must remain within roadways, except when entering/departing an attendee’s campsite. Attendees are encouraged to ensure appropriate planning to allow for motor vehicles entering/departing their campsite to do so without impeding the roadway.
    2. All motor vehicles must obey traffic signals. This includes one-way markers and posted speed limits. Note: the overall speed limit within CLC is 10MPH. For most motor vehicles in motion, this pace does not require the use of the motor vehicle’s accelerator to maintain on level ground.
    3. No motor vehicle may be operated, except in emergencies, within CLC during nighttime hours, South of Dragon Trace and Currie Road (that is, the lower “half” of the site, essentially south of the great hall and Penn Marketplace areas). If you need to leave the site during nighttime hours, please contact the Watch, and you will be escorted safely off-site.
    4. Motor vehicles which must be operated (under escort in precluded areas) during nighttime hours must operate using headlights (not just parking/driving lights).
    5. During nighttime hours, motor vehicles may enter CLC via the North and Battlefield gates for the primary purpose of reaching parking areas. While this does allow the operation of motor vehicles in areas north of Dragon Trace, the operation of motor vehicles during nighttime hours is strongly discouraged even in areas not otherwise forbidden by other parts of this policy.
    6. “Party hopping” of all types is forbidden. The use of motor vehicles for certain combat-related activities (e.g., transportation of combatants/participants to/from any martial activity) is strictly at the discretion of CLC personnel and Pennsic event staff. In such events (e.g., the Woods Battles), special and designated traffic and parking practices may be used to control traffic. All attendees in this event agree to expressly follow the instructions of event staff for the safe operation of these large events. Failure to comply with event staff instructions presents a risk of serious injury and, as such, is potential grounds for expulsion from the event or other appropriate sanctions.

Parking Rules

General Rule:

In general, motor vehicles are not allowed to be parked anywhere outside of designated Pennsic event parking areas, even if the motor vehicle is covered. There are specific exceptions to this rule, which are outlined below.

This rule states that all motor vehicles must be parked within parking areas. If you find yourself confronted by parking staff about a motor vehicle being parked in your camp or elsewhere outside of parking areas, and find yourself defending a violation of the reasons below, you should ask yourself why you are attempting to defend a violation of the principle and intent of this rule.

  • The following rules will be enforced for the entirety of Pennsic:
    • Motor vehicles may not be parked on a roadway. “Insufficient space” inside or outside of a specific camp does not justify an attendee stopping or parking their motor vehicle in a way to impede a roadway for personal convenience. Note: This may mean you need to park at a short distance from your camp in order to maintain clear roadways.
  • When loading and unloading a motor vehicle, if you are unable to pull into your camping area, you should stop or park any motor vehicle on the EAST (towards I-79) and NORTH (towards the main parking lot) sides of the road. In areas of the site where this is impractical (due primarily to terrain), you should always stop or park on the same side as other motor vehicles which may already be stopped or parked on the roadway.
    • There is no stopping or parking allowed in front of the CLC store or in “Town Square” (the area in front of Information Point and adjacent to the ice vending). Stopping or parking in these areas is strictly limited to CLC staff and vendors. Failure to comply with this restriction may result in immediate towing of a motor vehicle. “Ice runs” and “grocery runs” to CLC shopping venues are not a justification for disregarding this rule. Attendees of Pennsic are not CLC staff and may not use CLC Staff parking tags to circumvent this (or any) rule.
  • Enforcement of the following rules will commence at 6:00 AM on Monday of “Peace Week”, and will continue through the event until 6:00 PM on Friday of “War Week”:
    • Motor vehicles may not be parked in camp. There is no disability exception to this rule.
    • In general, attendees have six (6) hours from arrival (as noted on your motor-vehicle’s “hang tag” provided when you check in at Registration Point) to unload your motor-vehicle and move it to parking, not including nighttime hours. Due to nighttime driving restrictions, the following practical guide is being provided in order to clarify expected times for your motor-vehicle to be moved:
Arrival TimeTime by which motor-vehicle should be in parking
Registration opening through 4:00PM6 hours from arrival on that day
5:00PM7:00AM of the following day
6:00PM8:00AM of the following day
7:00PM9:00AM of the following day
8:00PM10:00AM of the following day
9:00PM11:00AM of the following day
10:00PM12:00PM of the following day
  • Stopped motor-vehicles (as defined above) are allowed on-site to facilitate practical transfer of items to/from campsites (e.g. “town- runs”, etc.). Motor-vehicles must not impede the roadway while stopped. If the driver exits the motor-vehicle, the motor-vehicle is considered parked and, if outside of the allowed six-hour arrival window, the motor-vehicle is subject to parking policy enforcement instantly.

Note: practical consideration of this rule means parking enforcement personnel will use significant discretion and observe interaction of parked vehicles which may be returning from a town run to unload. As long as attendees are actively unloading a vehicle, they will not be asked to move to parking. The intent of this rule is to prevent attendees from returning from a town run and parking their motor-vehicle in camp longer than necessary to unload. We ask attendees to plan appropriately to have necessary assistance in their camp to facilitate unloading such that attendees do not have to remain stopped or parked beyond any time necessary to unload.

Parking Lot Rules

The following policy/practices are in effect for designated parking areas throughout Pennsic:

  1. General parking areas are for passenger vehicles only. No trailers are allowed in general, VIP, or disability parking. Trailers parked in any of these areas are subject to immediate towing/removal.
  2. All vehicles (including trailers) should be parked in a way which allows the maximum, efficient use of the parking area for all attendees. In most circumstances, this requires a maximum of four feet between vehicles.
  3. Vehicles may only be parked perpendicular to the direction of travel in the lanes (“face in” or “face out” to the ropes in the lane).
  4. Trailers may be parked only as follows:
    1. Detached trailers may be parked in the trailer parking area. This area is in the far northeast corner of CLC and is marked by signage indicating “trailer drop-off”. This area is for detached trailers only – parked with tongue facing the travel lane for access.
    2. Attached trailers (that is, trailers which remain attached to their towing vehicle) may be parked in oversized parking only.
  5. Oversized vehicles must be parked in the designated oversized parking areas. Oversized vehicles parked in general, VIP, or disability parking may be towed.
  6. Disability parking is for the use of those who have a marked (license plate or hangtag) indicator of authority to use these parking areas.
    1. No personal mobility devices may be left in disability parking to “hold” a space. Areas adjacent to disability lots will be provided for you to leave any personal mobility device.
    2. Vehicles without a marker (license plate or hangtag) parked in disability parking will be subject to immediate towing.
    3. Trailers may not be parked in disability parking.

(Note: The ADA only requires CLC provide a minimum number of spaces based on attendance. That requirement is far below demand, in the range of ~120 spaces. Every effort will be made to provide sufficient disability parking to support attendees of the event, but parking – including disability parking – is a first-come, first-served commodity.)

  • VIP parking is controlled by CLC and requires attendees obtain a replacement parking pass (in exchange for your Pennsic hangtag) from the War Room. Hours and availability for these passes is strictly controlled by CLC staff. Use of a VIP parking pass does not entitle the holder to any additional benefit other than the ability to park in designated VIP parking areas. VIP parking pass holders are subject to all other provisions within this policy.

Traffic and Parking around the Battlefield

  1. The entire battlefield area, including tents, margins, and marked fields is under the control of the Martial Activities. No one may park within any battlefield area without express permission of the DM of Martial Activities. Vehicles may not stop for any period of time on roads (including Currie Road) for the purpose of loading or unloading passengers to or from the battlefield.
  2. Certain designated areas may be temporarily set aside for this purpose at the discretion of staff.
  3. Absent temporary drop off locations, vehicles transporting attendees to the battlefield may only stop in the parking lot to load or unload. Vehicles observed violating this safety requirement may be subject to sanctions including barring of participation in martial activities and ejection from site for driver and any passengers.

Towing Policy

  1. Vehicles which: block essential services such as Porta-Johns, Pennsic War facilities, CLC facilities; park in specifically marked “no parking” zones; whose driver, passenger(s) or other attendee(s) remove road barricades on closed roads; or block or otherwise obstruct the ability of emergency services to perform their task or the bus to pass, are subject to immediate towing without any prior notice.
  2. Vehicles that are improperly parked or are in violation of any site rule or site policy are subject to immediate towing without any prior notice.
  3. Warnings may be provided based solely on the judgment of Event Safety personnel but are not required.
  4. All costs of towing vehicles will be the responsibility of the Owner/Operator of the vehicle in question.
  5. The Watch will maintain a list of all towed vehicles and which towing company is holding the vehicle. If your vehicle is towed and you need contact information about the company, please contact The Watch.

Disabled/Stuck Vehicles

  1. If your vehicle breaks down in the middle of a road or parking area, or becomes stuck in some fashion, please leave a note on the dashboard identifying the issue and the time it occurred and then immediately report the breakdown to the Watch Tent. Unreported disabled vehicles that are improperly parked or block access as described in these policies, will be towed, without notice, at the owner’s expense.
  2. Should your disabled vehicle need extraction, you may contact the CLC War Room for determination if assistance/towing is possible. Due to increased use of plastic in car construction, CLC may decline to tow/extract your vehicle, if in their opinion, an unsafe or damageable condition exists or may occur.
  3. If your vehicle is declined for towing/extraction, you will be required to contact a commercial towing company (information on available companies may be obtained from The Watch).

Zoning and Planning (“Land”)

Land Allotment

  1. Every person who pre-registers for Pennsic with a paid pre-registration will have 250 square feet assigned to their designated group.
  2. If no group is designated by an attendee by the close of the pre-registration period, the registered attendee will be assigned to “Individual Camping” and while the space will be reserved, the registrant will need to select their space from the available Single Camping areas once they are opened to Single campers after Land Grab is completed. People paying their registration upon arrival will be allocated 250 square feet in one of the available Single Camping areas.

Accessibility Camping

  1. All those who wish to camp in the designated Accessibility Camping area must register with CLC by the pre-registration deadline. Select the land group “ACCESSIBILITY CAMPING” once you have received permission to camp from the Accessibility Camping Coordinator.
  2. To receive permission to camp in Accessibility Camping, you must communicate with the Accessibility Camping Coordinator at email address accessibility@pennsicwar.org by the Accessibility Assistance Registration deadline.
  3. Additional information regarding accessibility can be found under the Accessibility Assistance section of this document.

RV Camping

  1. RVs must be in RV camping (if used) or in parking (if no one is living in it).
  2. Those who are considering using an RV for camping must contact CLC directly before pre-registering as the Land Office does not coordinate RV camping. (When pre-registering, please select the Land Group “RV CAMPING.”) Please note that an RV, in this case, is defined as a registered motor vehicle, travel trailer or fifth wheel.

General Land Use

  1. It is expected that campers will camp with their designated group in the location where they are pre-registered. If this is not possible, the camper must inform Registration Point and the Watch so that the new location is accurately recorded for emergency purposes.
  2. Pre-Registered group campers will not be allowed to use space in single camper areas. They must camp within the boundaries of their registered group.
  3. No space can/will be held by anyone for Individual Campers (pre-registered) or Single Campers. These spaces are first-come, first-served.
  4. No attendee my erect any camping structure in designated parking areas and attendees may not “camp” in a vehicle, except as provided within RV camping policies.

Singles Camping

  1. Single campers may camp in areas designated as single-camper space. These are the unoccupied areas remaining in certain blocks after the pre-registered groups have established their borders.
  2. Single campers should not arrive until after Land Grab is complete. This is typically no earlier than Sunday of Land Grab weekend.
  3. There will be a Singles Liaison desk located at the Watch Tent which will be staffed during times of expected high singles traffic (e.g. Sunday and Monday after Land grab, and Friday, Saturday and Sunday of Middle weekend).
    1. The Singles Liaison can assist those looking for singles spots. If you arrive and the Singles Liaison desk is unstaffed, you can ask the watch to radio for Singles Liaison.
    2. For those who do not wish to avail themselves of the Singles Liaison, there will also be maps at Registration Point and Information Point indicating where the Single Camping areas are located after all registered encampments have finalized their maps.
  4. If you are the first to arrive in a single camping area, please set up your camp around the perimeter of the space leaving room for others to fill in. If there are multiple tents to be set up for a small group of single campers wishing to camp together, those tents should be placed contiguously within the square footage allocated by the number of paid registrations. (Number of campers x 250 sq ft.) If these guidelines are not followed, Land Staff reserves the right to require you to move your tent, in order to make the best use of the space.

Land Alterations

  1. Any capital or permanent improvements or alterations to the land (such as landscaping or terracing) must be pre-approved, in writing, by the Cooper’s Lake Campground Management. Pennsic staff may request and you will be required to provide this documentation upon request.
  2. Upon installation or completion, any improvements will become the sole property of Cooper’s Lake Campground and there is absolutely no guarantee that you will have any rights to that land in the future as a result of installing or completing any such improvements or alterations.

Mobile Camp Structures

  1. For use at Pennsic, all mobile camp structures must visually present a reasonable attempt at Pre-17th Century structure. If you are uncertain about your trailer’s appearance, please contact the Zoning and Planning department (“Land Staff”).
  2. No mobile camp structures may be connected to the campsite power outlets. Anyone in violation of this rule may be required to pay the additional RV registration fee and move to the RV camping area (space is not guaranteed without pre-registration); or be removed from site.
  3. Mobile camp structures must fit within a campsites’ allotted land space. These structures will not be granted any special land allotments or special land assignments. Mobile camp structures cannot also be used for any special land negotiations.
  4. Encampments found to have structures out of compliance with these rules must agree to a corrective plan with Pennsic Land Staff. Encampments unable or unwilling to comply may have Land sanctions issued against them.
  5. All trailers (including mobile camp structures) stored on-site outside of the Pennsic event itself must follow all CLC rules for storage trailers. If you are uncertain about your trailer’s suitability for storage on CLC’s site, please contact the CLC management.

End of the Event and Exit from CLC

These rules apply to the end of the Pennsic event and proper exit from the site by attendees. These rules extend or close rules provided elsewhere in this document and are designed to ensure that we are assisting CLC in maintaining the site for the rest of the year and in preparation for next year.

Be aware that Pennsic Staff may levy sanctions against groups who do not leave their campsite in good order. Sanctions may include loss of block seniority, loss of block choices, and land forfeiture.

  1. Pennsic War 52 closes at 12:00 pm, Sunday, August 10, when all attendees must be off site.
  2. Garbage and cleaning your camp in preparation for departure:
    1. Litter and garbage from your campsite must be placed in the dumpsters prior to your departure. If the dumpster is full, do not put your trash in front of the dumpsters. Instead, stack any trash beside or behind the dumpster so the garbage team can empty the dumpster.
    2. Leave all firewood and lumber stacked next to the nearest road to your camp. Do not put wood in or next to the dumpsters. The garbage company will not take wood.
    3. Rake used straw into a pile. Leave unopened straw bales next to the road nearest your camp.
    4. Do not leave open holes. Fill in the holes or ditches you have dug and mark them with flagging tape on a stick, a flag, or something else that can be easily seen. (Marking where you dig helps us fix your campsites so you do not have divots next year.) If you do not have enough dirt, please come to the Coopers Lake Campground War Room for assistance.
    5. Before leaving camp, extinguish any fires so that they are no longer smoking or smoldering. Leaving an unextinguished fire will result in sanctions for your camp for the following year.
  3. For those of you who store trailers at Coopers Lake Campground: do not overload your trailers. It damages your trailer, the equipment, and is dangerous for the drivers. Please respect the drivers by making sure your trailer has a balanced load front-to-back and is not too heavy.
  4. When loading your car and trailers, be respectful of your neighbors. Do not block the road, and do not park in a neighboring camp without asking. Follow the same guidance for parking on roadways as when you arrived (see Parking Rule 2.b. on page 22 for reference).

Accessibility Assistance

The Pennsic staff welcomes the participation of those gentles with accessibility needs.

Services available through Accessibility Services include:

Camping Space

  1. Pennsic is a rustic campground with few areas and camps supplied with electricity. The accessibility camp is a reasonable accommodation to provide individuals who have mobility issues with the choice of a centrally located, flat camping space with access to electrical outlets.
  2. Accessibility camping functions as singles camping restricted to those who need the location and electricity. Because of physical limits to this space, prior registration with Accessibility Services is required to camp in the accessibility camp.[21]
    1. Attendees with accessibility requirements who are not camping in accessibility camping spaces are not required to register in advance. 
  3. Pennsic does not provide assistance with unloading or set up of tents for those camping accessibility camp. It is incumbent upon attendees to organize such assistance as required to individual needs
  4. Accessibility camping is limited to individuals with a disability and those camping in the same tent as them. Households or groups cannot be registered in accessibility camping space.
    1. Each attendee registered is afforded the same space allotment as any other attendee at Pennsic.
    1. RVs are not permitted in accessibility camping.

Charging Stations for Medical Equipment

  1. Pennsic is a rustic campground. As such there are limited locations with electricity.
  2. Do not use electrical outlets in any CLC or Pennsic facility for the charging of medical equipment (per rule 18 of the general site rules).
  3. To facilitate the charging of required equipment (e.g., batteries for CPAPs and ECVs) Accessibility Services manages charging stations around site for purposes of charging medically required devices.
  4. Use of these charging stations requires registration prior to plugging in any device.[22]
  5. Slots for charging stations are filled on a first come, first served basis, and there are a limited number of outlets at each location. 
    1. Once you have registered for a charging station time slot, you must report to Accessibility Assistance Point to collect a tag associated with your device and then leave this tag on your device while it is charging during your time slot. Once your time slot is over, you must retrieve your device from the charging station.
    2. Items without a tag or which have a tag for an expired time slot may be unplugged. 
    3. Attendees who are observed unplugging a tagged device may face sanctions up to and including ejection from site (for repeated infractions).
    4. A copy of the registration request will be emailed to you and serves as your receipt for your time slot. Thus, a valid email is required for registration and communication.

Service Animals

  1. The SCA abides by all national, state, and local regulations regarding service animals.
    1. Pets are not permitted on-site.
    2. A doctor’s letter does not turn an animal into a service animal.
    3. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA or the PHRA.
  2. You must bring your service animal with you to Registration Point when you first check-in to the event.
    1. Please consider filling out a Service animal Information form online. The information requested at registration is designed to help us make the experience as smooth and safe as possible for you and your animal.
  3. Each service animal must be accompanied by a certificate of Rabies vaccination.
  4. The handler is responsible for the care and supervision of his or her service animal.
    1. Service animals must be housebroken.
    2. Service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered.
    3. In the case (and only in the case) that these devices interfere with the service animal’s work or the handler’s disability prevents using these devices, the handler must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls.
  5. At Pennsic, owners must clean up all dog waste and properly dispose of it in a waste receptacle, regardless of where the dog defecates (including in the weeds or bushes).
  6. If a service animal behaves in an unacceptable manner or is perceived to not be in control, and the handler does not immediately control the animal, the handler may be required to immediately remove the animal from the site. (A list of local kennels will be provided upon request, but this is only a list of available facilities, and Coopers Lake / Pennsic staff are not making recommendations for any of these establishments.) Unacceptable behavior of service animals includes, but is not restricted to, the following:
    1. Uncontrolled barking, jumping on, or charging at other people or other service animals.
    2. Turning away from the handler, when the animal’s behavior poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others.
    3. Service animal growling at other patrons or staff.
    4. Defecation or urination onto the privately-owned property (tents, camp gear, etc.) or in the food court or other public or private establishments within Pennsic.
  7. Pennsic and Coopers Lake are not responsible for the behavior or needs of any service animal, nor required to provide services for your service animal. Please anticipate all your service animal’s needs including water bowl and water, poop bags, as well as all other needs such as medication and hygiene. If you have any questions about local services in the surrounding community or have an immediate need while at Pennsic, please as Accessibilty Services for assistance.
  8. When using the dog run:
    1. The dog run is not a public dog park.
    2. Please be cognizant of other animals that may be there prior to your arrival. You may need to wait your turn.
    3. Even at or in the dog run the owner/handler is still responsible for their dog’s behaviors, and the dog is still required to be in total control by its owner/handler at all times.

[1] Cooper’s Lake Campground, as a subsidiary of Cooper’s Lake Farms, Inc. is the host of Pennsic and maintains their own site rules and policies. While many of those policies are incorporated or expanded by Pennsic specific rules, the hosting facility still supersedes on determining rules beyond those explicitly provided on their own site (https://www.cooperslake.com/clchome/rulesandregulations.php) or within this document. Pennsic event staff consults with CLC staff in cases where a conflict may occur.

[2] https://www.sca.org/resources/document-library/

[3] The Americans with Disability Act of 1990 (as amended) Title III, § 36.104; and guide and support animals as defined by the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA) of 1955 (as amended) section 5.i.1, and its explanatory documents.

[4] Gas or electric, not human-powered.

[5] Pennsic staff members with authority to grant permission varies depending on the request. At a minimum, permission must come from at least a Deputy Mayor level. Alterations to CLC facilities require permission of CLC management and only will be authorized with written permission from same. “I have permission from the Coopers” is not an acceptable statement to demonstrate permission.

[6] https://www.cooperslake.com/clchome/index.php

[7] See Section XI, item 3, of the SCA Seneschal Handbook, https://www.sca.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Seneschal-Handbook-0421.pdf

[8] It is strongly encouraged for an accountable adult to have a regular “check in” with any minor between 12 and 18, with a recommended time span of no more than three hours. While this is only recommendation, minors who are found to be unduly disruptive, engaged in destructive or dangerous behavior, or who are unruly and not responsive to instructions from Pennsic or CLC staff; and whose activities and comrades are unknown to an accountable adult may be considered in violation of site rules and SCA policy and may be subject to ejection from the site immediately.

[9] See Section XI of the SCA Seneschal Handbook, https://www.sca.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Seneschal-Handbook-0421.pdf

[10] This is the gate across from the Main Gate at the east end of the VIP parking area at the southeast corner of the battlefield.

[11] The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is currently under a quarantine for the import/export of firewood (and certain other camping items) due to the threat of the spotted lantern fly, emerald ash borer, and other invasive pests https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pabull?file=/secure/pabulletin/data/vol40/40-3/108.html. In addition, Butler County is further restricted and under an import/export ban at the county level https://www.agriculture.pa.gov/Plants_Land_Water/PlantIndustry/Entomology/spotted_lanternfly/quarantine/Pages/default.aspx.

[12] The Merchant’s Office is a function of CLC and is located across from Watch Point.

[13] https://www.cooperslake.com/merchant/register/index.php

[14] Grey water is wastewater which is used for non-human waste related activities. For example, water which comes from showers, sinks, cooking, etc. is typically considered grey water.

[15] Black water is associated with human waste activities, typically from toilet facilities.

[16] https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/lcb/documents/legal/documents/legal_faqs_conducting_special_events_where_alcohol_is_served.pdf

[17] Including the battlefield and associated facilities, the great hall, or other CLC permanent structures.

[18] Named staff are those listed in the site guide and on the website, pennsicwar.org and may further be identified by medallions which are different in color or appearance from standard attendee medallions.

[19] Corpora, Section IV.

[20] Certain staff positions have required “response readiness” as a function and thus these staff members may use an assigned golf cart to facilitate personal functions while still maintaining an ability to respond to calls.

[21] https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdXhy7Onn7Mn2FOpYFvKHulgAG9g8i7mQn2S-cuEK89a0VMIw/viewform

[22] https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeP9mJWfqis7pjndTlVtl6mZwjxK03K3QcocvJt4ew-7eM3ZQ/viewform