In New England, the Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) community hosts one another in a rotating series of “gatherings” for free fencing, exchanging of ideas, and providing attendees opportunities to broaden and deepen their understanding and practice of HEMA. Originally called Boston Sword Gatherings, the growth of HEMA in New England has allowed us to revitalize this tradition as New England Sword Gatherings (NESGs).
This page provides a schedule of upcoming events. Please reach out to the hosting club for further details. The schedule will be updated periodically, so check back often!
To post questions or info to the New England HEMA community, email the NESG mailing list or find us on Facebook! For a list of all HEMA events please visit the HEMAA Event Calendar.
2019 |
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| Date(s) | Facebook Event | Host | Website & Latest Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/27-29 | Iron Gate Exhibition 2019 | Athena School of Arms, Boston Armizare, Forte Swordplay | Website Longsword, Mixed Weapons, Ringen, Cutting Tournament, 3 days of tournaments, classes, and free fencing! |
| 9/1 | Noble Science: New England Fall 2019 | The Exiles New England | The Noble Science focuses on the unarmed side of HEMA and the first outing in the US will include basic instruction in safe practice (falling, tapping, power modulation); classes in classical pugilism (the techniques of the bare-knuckle boxing era), Fiore’s Abrazare, and Ringen; with optional coached sparring to round out the day (and get you ready for IGX!) |
| 8/15-18 | Fechtschule Frisbee 5th Anniversary | NH KdF | Weekend of free play and classes |
| 7/27 | Boar’s Tooth 2019 | Boston Armizare | Open Longsword Tournament, Rapier Tournament, Wrestling Clinic. Dinner after! |
| 6/28-30 | 2019 Brass Frog Assault of Arms | Western Swordsmanship Technique & Research | Registration Link Events will include: Military Sabre/Backsword, Smallsword, and Baton. Over the course of the three day event there will be classes and clinics dealing with the history and unique aspects of Victorian-era weapon systems and other topics. |
| 6/14-16 | Fecht Yeah: Magical Girls 2019 | Rogue Fencing | Classes and women’s-only tournaments (but guys are invited, too!) |
| 6/3-9 | Instructor Intensive with Devon Boorman | Athena School of Arms | Registration Link Devon Boorman is coming to Boston to teach his level 1 Instructor Intensive! This is a 6-day, 50-hour immersive program for practitioners of all levels. Throughout the week you will learn the foundation of the Academie Duello approach to Italian Longsword and/or Rapier with a high level of technical detail. |
| 4/27 |
Raymond J. Lord Symposium on Historical European Martial Arts |
Association for Renaissance and Medieval Swordsmanship |
The Renaissance Center will host the fifteenth annual Raymond J. Lord Symposium on historical European martial arts on Saturday, April 27, 2019. Our keynote speaker this year is Ann Tlusty, Professor of History at Bucknell University and author of The Martial Ethic in Early Modern Germany: Civic Duty and the Right of Arms, and Bacchus and Civic Order: The Culture of Drink in Early Modern Germany. The symposium will be held at the UMass Renaissance Center (650 East Pleasant St. Amherst, MA). It runs from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. There is no charge for attendance but there is a $10 fee for lunch. Pre-registration is required by April 25. Please call 413-577-3600 or email jgoodhind@hfa.umass.edu. |
| 4/27 | Full Target War Games | Boston Viking Irish | Register by sending PayPal to boston@utlandstorm.org by April 13. We invite the New England Viking and HEMA communities to join forces for a day of fighting and fun! Catered feast to follow (cash bar) |
| 4/6-7 | Workshops with Guy Windsor | Athena School of Arms | Registration Link Workshops in Abrazare/Dagger, Fiore Longsword, Italian Rapier, and a special Coach’s Training! |
| 3/16 | crunkhau 2019 | Athena School of Arms | Registration Link hahaha…. |
| 1/26 | Swords of the North III | Resurgam HEMA | Free Fencing all night! |
| 1/12 | Athena School of Arms | Registration Link Methods of increasing complexity in test-cutting practice while maintaining martial applicability. This workshop is designed for those who have experience test-cutting and are confident in their fundamentals. | |
2018 |
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| Date(s) | Facebook Event | Host | Website & Latest Details |
| 12/9 | Cambridge Assault of Arms | Athena School of Arms | The first tournament of the New England Broadsword League. Classes in Broadsword, Saber and Smallsword! |
| 11/16-18 | Long Island Point 2018 | Long Island Historical Fencing Society | Website: Longsword, Sword & Buckler, and classes! |
| 10/27-28 | Workshops with Ton Puey | Athena School of Arms | Registration Link Join us for a weekend of workshops with renowned destreza instructor Ton Puey. More details and registration information coming soon. There will be a chance for private lessons. |
| 9/28-30 | Iron Gate Exhibition (IGX) | Athena, Forte, Boston Armizare | Website: Longsword, Dagger, Mixed Weapons, Cutting Tournaments, 3 days of hands-on Workshops and Free Fencing! |
| 8/2-5 | Fechtsule Frisbee | New Hampshire KdF | Website, Event page: Classes and Horse-y HEMA! |
| 6/24 | Devon Boorman Rapier & Longsword Workshop | Athena School of Arms | Workshops in Italian Rapier & Longsword with master instructor Devon Boorman from Academie Duello. Space limited |
| 6/16 | Boar’s Tooth 2018 | Boston Armizare | Registration Link; Open Longsword Tournament (IGX 2018 Rules test), Free Fencing, and Classes! |
| 5/4 | NESG: Archery Tag |
Athena, Forte, Boston Armizare |
We all love attacking each other with swords, but this time, we are going to change things up with some ranged combat! |
| 4/28-29 | Symposium at Mass Center for Renaissance Studies | Association for Renaissance and Medieval Swordsmanship |
Website; Lectures with Daniel Jaquet and Donald La Rocca on Saturday, and a “Performing the Flügelhau” workshop on Sunday. Putting the ‘H’ in HEMA! |
| 3/24-3/25 | Brass Frog Assault of Arms |
Western Swordsmanship Technique and Research |
Website; Military Sabre/Backsword, Smallsword and one other surprise team event, plus classes |
| 2/24 | NESG: Classes Extravaganza! |
Athena School of Arms |
Classes, Free fencing, art/knowledge share with local Viking Irish group |
| 1/20 | Swords in the North |
Resurgam HEMA |
Free fencing, event fees/proceeds go toward raising sparring steel equipment for the club |
2017 |
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| Date(s) | Facebook Event | Host | Website & Latest Details |
| 12/1-12/3 | Long Island Point |
Long Island Historical Fencing Society |
Triathlon: Blossfechten (longsword), Paired Technique, Harnischfechten |
| 11/4 | La Morte Delle Zucche! (The Death of the Pumpkins!) |
Boston Armizare |
Pumpkin cutting and free fencing |
| 9/29-10/1 | Iron Gate Exhibition (IGX) | Athena, Forte |
Website: Longsword, Dagger, Mixed Weapons, Cutting Tournaments, 3 days of hands-on Workshops and Free Fencing! |
| 8/17-8/20 | Fechtschule Frisbee |
NHKdF |
Website: New to the region: Horsey HEMA! Longsword tournament, Ringen Workshop by Tim Hall, classes and workshops all weekend. |
| 7/29 | Fairfax Mini-Ren Faire |
Grünberg Freifechter | Open demos for Dussack and Ringen, Introductory Longsword Lesson, Open testing of the IGX 2017 dagger ruleset, Open Longsword tournament utilizing modified Swiss pairings technique, Colchester’s Mead Hall for old world dinner fixings and drinks |
| 7/2 | Boston Armizare | Please sign up via the Facebook event or or email Mike O’Brien via the NESG mailing list to sign up — spots limited! | |
| 6/17 | Boar’s Tooth |
Boston Armizare |
Website; Events will include: Longpoint South 2017 Longsword qualifier tourney, IGX dagger rules test tourney, clinic on Stretto (Ringen am schwert) of Fiore dei Liberi, and more TBA |
| 4/22 | Symposium at Mass Center for Renaissance Studies | Association for Renaissance and Medieval Swordsmanship |
Website |
| 4/1-4/2 | Brass Frog Assault of Arms |
Western Swordsmanship Technique and Research |
Website; Events will include: Military Sabre/Backsword, Great Stick and Smallsword |
| 2/25 | NESG #4 |
Resurgam HEMA |
Lectures (Viking Age experimental Archaeology), Scottish broadsword workshop, Elizabethan rapier fencing demo; register by email (resurgamhema@gmail.com) |
| 1/29 | Cakefecht |
Athena School of Arms |
Longpoint South 2017 Longsword qualifier Tourney, Fitness clinic and Rapier clinic, free fencing |
2016 |
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| Date(s) | Event | Host | Latest Update |
| 12/17-12/18 | Longsword Seminar |
Long Island Historical Fencing Society |
Featuring Hugh Knight |
| 11/20 | NESG #1 |
Forte Swordplay |
Footwork clinic, beginner’s clinic, mini tournament |