Press Kit
Press Kit
The Renaissance Scots Living History Association (Renscots), a 501 (c) 3 educational nonprofit corporation, has been delighting attendees at Celtic events in the Rocky Mountain West for more than 25 years. The RenScots provide a village setting where the public experiences highland Scottish life and crafts from the time of William Wallace (Braveheart) through Culloden in 1745. With an all-volunteer organization the RenScots present interactive pavilions, demonstrating heritage crafts in an entertaining, family-friendly setting.
The RenScots’ Mission is to bring Highland Scottish life and heritage crafts to the Celtic community and public in an entertaining setting, and to educate about the contributions of the Scots to American culture. We make experiencing history fun! We also teach to help preserve heritage crafts by passing them on to a new generation.
With colorful tents and banners, and folk wearing attractive Scottish attire, the RenScots Living History Village is highly visible on the field and from the road. Taking videos or pictures with the RenScots is popular with the media and patrons alike.
What We Bring to Events:
- Living History Village, presenting interactive edutainment of Scottish life, history, and craft
- Interactive crowd entertainment: running skits and staged fights that interact with the public
- Media opportunities: pre-event interviews and in-event coverage
- Press kit and photographs for inclusion in advertising, billboards and handouts
- Weapons demos and choreographed fights for opening ceremonies, parades and tattoos
Interactive Experiences May Include:
Blacksmithy
Demonstrating techniques and products related to blacksmithing, one of the oldest crafts known to man (dating back to approximately 1500BC) and is sometimes referred to as the “Father of all crafts” due to making the tools or equipment for many of the other crafts.
| Smithing | Showing the production of tools and useful household items at the forge. | |
| History | Giving historical accounts of smithing and the apprenticeships used to pass that knowledge down from generation to generation. | |
| Weapons | Discussing farm implements morphing into modern weaponry. | |
| Migration | Discussing historical importance of the Celtic nations and the migrations of those peoples as they came to the “New World”. |
Blue Bonnet Pavilion
The Blue Bonnet hosts the following crafts and demonstrations:
| Basketry | Highland basket-making from renewable resources | |
| Candle Making | Candle pouring demonstrations | |
| Highland Clothing exhibits |
Hide and Hair Pavilion
Demonstrating the wonder material of the Old World: leather. The plastic of its day, it is easily molded, strong and durable – and could be used to make anything from shoes to saddles, shields to scabbards. In the RenScots, we teach the history of leather, as well as its myriad uses.
Come visit the brand-new Hide and Hair Pavilion to watch our skilled craftspeople (and new apprentices!) show how this critical renewable resource was used in the Scottish Highlands.
Highlander’s Hall
In addition to providing shaded seating and water for patrons, this pavilion provides a venue for several interactive experiences, including:
- Calligraphy
- Games
- Music
- Sketching
- Story Telling
Warp and Woolens
Showing crafts related to clothing manufacture, including:
| Combing | Preparing plant and animal fiber to be spun | |
| Spinning | Turning plant and animal fiber into yarn | |
| Weaving | Making cloth on a loom, featuring tartan weaving | |
| Knitting | Making knitted clothing, such as scarves, hats and stockings | |
| Lace Making | Showing bobbin lace, which is a form of weaving, and tatting, a form of knotting | |
| Clothing | Creating finished clothes, usually from woven cloth |
The Armory: Wolves of Dunvegan
The Wolves are the fighting arm and armory of the Renaissance Scots. A crowd favorite at events, they provide showcase entertainment, interactive demos, and training in weapons use and fighting techniques. In addition to presentations in the RenScots village, the Wolves are frequently featured in opening ceremonies, parades and tattoos.
| Weapons demos | Showing the evolution of weapons and fighting techniques used in the highlands of Scotland from Bannockburn through Culloden. | |
| Choreographed fights | Entertaining fight sequences highlighting different weapon combinations, including iconic Scottish weapons and armor such as the Lochaber axe, claymore, dirk & targe, and basket hilt claymores. | |
| Weapons training | Instructor led training in weapons use and fighting technique. | |
| Weapons displays | Our travelling museum includes firearms, armor, swords and pole arms. Learn about the weapons and armor, and see actual 18th century Scottish artifacts! | |
| The Pit | Public fighting experience with practice swords | |
| Highland Challenge | Ask our team about Paul McDonald’s Highland Challenge held on the MacDonald lands near Fort William in Scotland. Share stories with the Wolves who have trained there and see pictures of our team demonstating the Jacobite period at Armadale Castle on the Isle of Skye. |
The Archery Experience
Come experience archery for kids and adults!
| Interactive Archery | Experience shooting a bow and arrow in our new Archery Pavilion. | |
| Historical Archery | Learn about archery’s role in highland culture. |
Contact Us:
Email: marketing@renscots.org
Web: www.renscots.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/renscots
