The Regina German Club celebrated the official beginning of summer with a Summer festival on Saturday.
The Shire of Sigelhundas, a medieval fighting team, participated in the celebration on Saturday.
The team was looking for an event to showcase their skills after the German Club opted did not have a pavilion at the Mosaic Festival of Cultures this year. According to Jenifer Ulriksen, a member of the Sigelhundas, the solstice was the perfect event to get involved in.
“When they said they were doing summer solstice event in lieu of mosaic this year, they actually reached out to us and asked are you interested in participating,” said Ulriksen. “We said of course.”
The solstice celebration is a northern European tradition that started hundred years ago. The fighting the Shire reenacts fits the correct timeframe of the beginnings of the tradition.
“This is a northern European custom, it's actually celebrated all over the world but at the German club we're going to be bringing on the northern European of summer solstice,” said Tara Knoll. “It's celebrated in Europe between June 19 and June 25.”
Matthew Pawliuk, another member of the Sigelhundas, appreciates the opportunity to show off the team’s unique talents to the public.
“It’s actually quite entertaining. It's enjoyable, it's nice to show people what we're doing,” said Pawliuk. “It's always nice to bring more people into our gang and show them what we're doing.”
The German Club said there are already plans to hold the event again next year, but it hopes next year’s weather will be more summer-like.
With files from CTV’s Cole Davenport
