HFoY Field Day 2026
Historical Fencing of York is hosting its first-ever open event - and you're invited.
Field Day is a full day of hands-on HEMA workshops, open sparring, and competitive fencing for practitioners across the mid-Atlantic region. Whether you've been swinging steel for years or you're still figuring out which end of the longsword to hold, there's something here for you.
What to expect:
16 workshop sessions across 8 topics, taught by local instructors. Every workshop runs twice - morning and afternoon - so you don't have to choose between the ones you want most. Small class sizes (10 per session) mean real instruction, not just a demo from across the room.
- Mixed Weapon Sparring
- Meyer's Dagger
- Gladiator Combat!
- Irish Stick
- Italian Rapier
- Running a HEMA Youth Course
- Writing Longsword Plays
- Lecküchner's Messer
Open sparring all day. Dedicated floor space from first bell to last. Bring your gear, find a partner, get your reps in.
The Fight Pit. Staffed all day by experienced HFOY members rotating through with a weapon of their choosing. Want to try messer but have never picked one up? Curious about rapier? Walk up, get a quick rundown, and cross swords with someone who knows what they're doing. It's not a class and there's no sign-up - just show up, try something new, and see what clicks. The fight pit is there all day whenever you're between workshops or just want a break from free sparring.
HEMA Speed "Dating". Ever fence someone from three clubs over and realize you've been solving the same problems completely differently? That's what this is about. Opt in at registration, get matched with someone from another club or region, and spend an hour rotating through short rounds - a little conversation, a little steel, then on to the next. You'll meet 5–8 new people in an hour. Morning and afternoon sessions available. Come make (stab) some friends.
Pricing:
- Advance registration: $35
- At the door: $50
The details:
- Date: Saturday, May 30, 2026
- Time: Doors open at 7:30 AM | Programming runs 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
- Location: Voni B. Grimes Gymnasium, 125 E College Ave, York, PA 17401
- Lunch: On your own - BYO or hit one of the nearby spots downtown
Workshop sign-ups are first-come, first-served at the registration desk when you arrive. Show up early, grab your spots, and settle in.
Gear requirements will be posted per workshop as the instructor lineup is finalized. Bring your own protective equipment - no loaner PPE available. Some instructors will have loaner weapons; details TBD.
This is our club's first big event. We've been building toward this, and we want to fill the gym with good people who love this stuff as much as we do. Come train, come fight, come hang out. Bring your club. Bring your friends. Bring your sword.
See you in York!
