Magna Faire Open Rules

Magna Faire Overview, Categories and Rules

At Magna Faire artisans from around Meridies have the unique opportunity to enter not only one faire but two! Magna Faire is Iron Mountain’s premier arts and sciences faire in which the competitors have the unique responsibility of judging each other. In conjunction with Magna Faire there is also a Kingdom Arts and Sciences Regional Faire where entries are judged with the same guidelines and caliber of judges as those of Kingdom Arts and Sciences. Competitors may choose to place one or all of their entries in one faire or both. The two faires run congruently so there is only one set up and display required. Regional Faire judges judge while Magna Faire is taking place. Please note that documentation is encouraged, but not required, for Magna Faire. Documentation is required for Regional and Kingdom Arts & Sciences Faires.*

*See the Kingdom Arts and Sciences Faire page for kingdom level guidelines and rules.

Arts and Sciences Categories

There are twelve Magna Faire categories. These categories are made up of a combination of the twenty-seven Kingdom Arts and Sciences Faire categories. In some cases, the Kingdom Arts & Sciences category falls into more than one Magna Faire category: ex: a Ceramics and Glass (KA&S #6) entry would be in Domestic Arts (Magna Faire #3) if the entry is a vessel; under Accessories (Magna Faire #10) if it’s glass jewelry; and Fine Arts (Magna Faire #2) if it’s a majolica plate. The faire staff will determine into which Magna Faire category an item fits.

Categories: (Corresponding Kingdom A&S Categories for the Regional Faire are in parenthesis)

  • Performing Arts – (#1 – Music, #2 Non-Music, #3 Dance)
  • Fine Arts – (#4 Fine Arts, #5 Calligraphy & Illumination, #6 Ceramics & Glass, #19 Printing Sciences)
  • Domestic Arts – (#6 Ceramics & Glass, #7 Cooking and Cordials, #18 Animal Husbandry, #20 Bone, Horn and Amber work, #21 Herbs (non-culinary), Soap and Candles)

NOTE: No Cooking and Cordials entry will be judged without a complete ingredients list.

  • Textile Arts – (#9 Costume Revue)
  • Costuming – (#11 Costume Revue)
  • Brewing and Vintning – (#8 Brewing and Vintning)

NOTE: No Brewing and Vintning entry will be judged without a complete ingredients list.

  • Armor – (#16 Armor)
  • Woodworking – (#17 Woodworking)
  • Writing – (#24 Writing – Research Papers, #25 Writing – Creative)
  • Accessories – (#6 Ceramics and Glass, #12 Costume Accessories, #13 Jewelry, #14 Metal work (non armor), #15 Leatherwork (non armor), #20 Bone, Horn and Amber work)
  • Miscellaneous – Any entry which doesn’t fit within categories 1-10 (Note that this is not a Kingdom Arts and Sciences category.)
  • Children’s Open – (#27 Children’s Open – Any item or activity by a child under the age of twelve. Categories follow those in the adult section.)

In addition to the regular Magna Faire categories, there may be special themed or sponsored categories. Please check this year’s event flyer or with the current fairecrat to see what other categories apply for this year’s faire.

** NOTE: Entries that would normally be entered in the Kingdom A&S categories #22 Heraldic Display and #23 Historical Technology will be placed into whatever category the item fits. For example: a heraldic dress is a Costuming (Magna Faire #5) entry while a hand-built loom is a Woodworking (Magna Faire #8) entry, but the wool spun on it is a Textile Arts (Magna Faire #4) entry. 

Awards

Each category shall have a first place winner. Second and third place will be announced at the discretion of the Fairecrat. Two overall entrants will be awarded as well. These are:

  • Premier Entry – The Baron and Baroness, or others at their invitation, will choose the one entry (static or performance) which they feel is the most noteworthy. In addition to the wordfame that comes with such a high honor, the Premier Entry receives a worthy prize.
  • Magna Faire Champion – The Magna Faire Champion is the entrant with the highest point average of the entrants with multiple entries. The individual with the most entries is not necessarily the Magna Faire Champion. The Fairecrat will determine who is Champion. In the case of a tie, the Baron and Baroness, or their designee, will break the tie. In addition to the wordfame that comes with such a high honor, the Magna Faire Champion receives free admission to Iron Mountain baronial events for one year, as well as any other prizes the Fairecrat may give.
    Documentation is encouraged but not required for Magna Faire.

Documentation is required for Regional and Kingdom Arts & Sciences Faire.

Entries

  • The entry cannot have placed in any previous Magna Faire.
  • Deadline for entry registration is 10:00 am Saturday morning. (Check event schedule for updates.)
  • All entries must be original items. No representation by photo, photocopy, etc. (Requirement amended for virtual events. Check requirements with Event Fairecrat.)
  • All entries may be created by a single artist or a group of artists.
  • Each single item may be entered in more than one category – Ex: a dress with embroidered trim may be entered in #5 – Costuming for the dress construction and #4 – Textile Arts for the needlework. No one part of an item is entered in more than one category. 
  • You may enter as many categories as you like, but two (2) entries per sub-category are permitted to each single artist or group of artists. NOTE: Single artists may enter two items in one category and have two group entries in the same category. 

Judging

  • Judges: The power of judging is given to the competitors. The faire staff will not supply judges for Magna Faire. 
  • Individual competitors: You are required to judge all entries (excluding your own) in each category in which you have an entry. Failure to judge your category will result in your entry being disqualified.
  • Group competitors: You are required to have one competitor from your group judge all the entries (excluding your own) in each category you have entered. Failure to have a group representative judge the category will result in your entry being disqualified.
  • Competitors with both individual and group entries in a category: You must only judge for the individual entry. You are not allowed to also judge for the group entry.
  • Replacement Judges: If the competitor is busy / not there during judging time, they must find a judge to represent them. The replacement judge cannot be someone already judging for themselves or judging for someone else in the category entered. The replacement judge does not have to be a competitor in the faire.
  • Proxy entries: (entry brought in for an absent competitor) All competitors who send in a proxy entry must have a designated replacement judge or the entry will be disqualified.

Display Card

  • Entries must include a 3 x 5” card (additional cards will be available at registration). The cards, which should be clearly typed or printed, must be address the following:
  1. What the entry is
  2. Its use
  3. Approximate time frame or period
  4. Country / area
  5. Materials it is made from
  • NO other documentation is required
  • Each entry will be assigned a number by faire staff. The number will be written on the card.

Scoring

  • There are 30 maximum points in scoring.
  • All scores on a competitor’s items will be totaled and averaged by the faire staff.
  • The average score will determine placement within the category.
  • Three places will be determined for each category. In the case of a tie, third place will be eliminated.
  • Each category has a sponsored prize for the highest average score.

Created December 20, 2021