Running a Tournament

This simple and fun-thing-to-do, is a cinch!

Here's a quick pointed plan to easily achieving your desired event:

1. Actually decide that you want to hold and run an event. Work out roughly how and what you would like your event to look/feel. eg. a 'Potluck feast and tourney.
2. Find a place to run the tournament. It could be where your local SCA group holds their regular events, like a monthly meeting, or a park around the corner from you. Contact the owners of the park (like the local council), make the arrangement with them to ensure everything is fine and you're not breaking any laws. you might be surprised how easy this truely is...
3. Organise a marshal to be in charge on the day. This is the person who will be in charge of fighting. If you don't know who the marshal(s) in your area are, ask your local Baron/Baroness or anyone else who seems important - your seneschal for eg. If they don't know, they'll know someone who will.
4. What style of tournament do you want to run? Round robin, single kill/double elimination, challenge, pas d'arms... something new and imaginative? Find someone to run the lists. Work this out more in depth. think of possible problems, and try to solve them in your head. Usually your List keeper will have a clue about this.. ask them again... if they don't know, they will know someone who DOES!
5. Organise what equipment you need. An eric rope and marshal poles are usually standard, although depending on the style of tournament you may need something more, like hay bails or some other obstacle. Think about making it look a little prettier and farm out banner making to your friends !
6. Advertise it!! Tell people that you're actually running the tournament. Post messages on your local group's messageboard, hand out fliers, put it in newsletters.
7. Finally organise your constabulary, - the person to take names, money (if any) and organise the signing of the all important waivers on the day.
8. Kick back and enjoy the event. Roll with the punches and don't overly worry about things. If YOU are enjoying yourself, others will follow suit, YOU are the autocrat after all!