The Barony of Jararvellir presents:
The Griffin Needle Challenge
7PM Friday, September 5, 2025 – 10PM Saturday, September 6, 2025
Waterloo Fireman’s Park
500 Park Ave. Waterloo, WI 53594
Waterloo, WI
https://eithni.com/gnc
Please join us for an exciting costuming challenge – Teams of up to six members each meet at 10PM Friday night and have until 6PM on Saturday evening to complete an entire outfit in an all-night sewing extravaganza! Please see the competition division and rules pages for more information. Grab a few friends, register a team, and come take on the Griffin’s Needle Challenge!
We will again have the Bingo Hall – a separate building just a few steps away from the main hall – to use as a dedicated sleeping space. It should be darker and quieter than the previously used basement space.
Since co-crafting has been so popular last year, we will also have some space available for all night crafting and sewing! Depending on the number of competitor teams, crafters may be be invited to show off what they accomplished over the night. Almost all crafts welcome, but please check with Eithni if you plan to do anything loud/messy/stinky/on fire/otherwise potentially dangerous or disruptive.
PLEASE NOTE – there are separate forms for signing up a team and for registering for the food plan! (Site preregistration is optional for slumber party participants not on teams.)
Fees
Competitors or Weekend pass (Friday and Saturday): $25 ($15 for members)
Friday Daytrip: $20 ($10 for members)
Saturday Daytrip: $20 ($10 for members)
Children under 12 years old: free
Full Board (Friday late night through Saturday night feast) TBD (usually about $25)
Feast only (Saturday night dinner) TBD (usually about $10)
(Please note the corrections to the non-member site fees due to a recent increase in the nonmember fee.)
Schedule
Schedule (subject to change)
Friday
5:00 PM – Site opens to staff
7:00 PM – Site opens to competitors and crafters
9:45 PM – Competition begins with a selected review of rules
10:00 PM – Needles up!
Saturday
3:00 AM – Snack time
8:00 AM – Breakfast
12:00 PM – Lunch
2:00 PM – Snack time
6:00 PM – Needles down! Competition Ends Show and Tell – all attendees will be invited to get up and show off what they accomplished
6:30 PM – Class Photos, Fashion Show, and Judging
9:00 PM (approximate) – Judges’ Report/Awards Clean up and departure
10:00 PM – Site Close
Food Details
In 2025, we will be requiring pre-registration for the meal plan. Register for the food plan HERE. (Please note that TEAM registration is at a separate link below under “2025 Teams”)
Meal options will be focused on low-mess, low-staining, easy-to-eat-while-sewing items.
Full Board Menu for 2024: (2025 info will be posted when available!)
Breakfast: scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, waffles, steel cut oats and a clafoutis
Lunch: Make your own sandwich tray, hummus, chicken soup, lentil soup, fresh fruits and vegetables
Dinner: Various meat pies, cheese pie, roasted vegetables, apple crumble (plus whatever is left from lunch)
Snacks: Pending details – Popcorn, fruits, etc., plus Any leftovers from previous meals.
General Notes:
Coffee, Tea, and Water will always be available.
Special requests will attempt to be accommodated if notice is provided in advance to the food coordinator.
For special requests or other questions, please email the food coordinator
Site and Lodging Details
- As of 4/6/2023, masks are encouraged in the building, but not required. This may be updated if local transmission levels spike. Vaccination is recommended, but will not be required. All Society, Kingdom, and modern rules will be followed. The health and safety of all participants is the priority.
- Site is handicapped accessible (via fairly steep outdoor ramp from first to second level) and discreetly damp.
- Lodging – There is no group hotel block at this time
- Crash Space – There is free sleeping space on site in a communal sleeping space in a nearby building or at your group’s station. The basement hall will be used only for meals.
- Most people crash on site on Friday night, if they sleep at all, but there is no restriction against team members leaving for the night.
- Children under 12 are free, but no children’s activities are planned and children must be closely supervised at all times as there will be hot, sharp, and dangerous items on site.
- Sorry, there are no merchant spaces, children’s activities, or fighting spaces available at this event.
- Site is damp.
2025 Teams
Due to space constraints, there is a 10 team maximum. Teams will be allowed to register at the door if spaces remain available, but pre-registration will ensure you have a spot and assist in event and space planning.
Register teams HERE. (Please note that FOOD registration is a separate form available above under “Food Details”)
Team Registration information includes:
Team name:
Team Leader:
Leader email address:
Leader phone number:
Division (choose one): Box (Introductory – just for funsies), Casket (Intermediate), Pyx (Advanced – bring the nerd!)
Optional: describe your project (period and culture):
Estimated number of team members (1-6):
Staff
Site Coordinator
Ètaín Inghen Duibh Rea (Heidi Anderson)
[email protected]
Provost and Judge Coordinator
Eithni ingen Talorgain (Jean Kveberg)
140 Stonehaven Dr, Sun Prairie WI 53590
608.628.7782
For email, please use form below
Meal Plan Coordinator
TBD
Please contact via Eithni if needed
Gate
TBD
No prereg monies should be sent – register on the google forms (above) and pay at the door
Webmistress
Eithni ingen Talorgain (Jean Kveberg)
140 Stonehaven Dr, Sun Prairie WI 53590
608.628.7782
For email, please use form below
Header art by Leona Talbot (Sara Flatt).
The SCA prohibits harassment and bullying of all individuals and groups. Harassment and bullying includes, but is not limited to the following: offensive or lewd verbal comments directed to an individual; the display of explicit images (drawn or photographic) depicting an individual in an inappropriate manner; photographing or recording individuals inappropriately to abuse or harass the individual; inappropriate physical contact; unwelcome sexual attention; or retaliation for reporting harassment and/or bullying.
Participants violating these rules are subject to appropriate sanctions. If an individual feels subjected to harassment, bullying or retaliation, they should contact a seneschal, President of the SCA, or the Kingdom’s Board Ombudsman. If a participant of the SCA becomes aware that someone is being harassed or bullied, they have a responsibility pursuant to the SCA Code of Conduct to come forward and report this behavior to a seneschal, President of the SCA or Kingdom’s Board Ombudsman.