'Chosen family'; Kamloops-based LARP group hosts growing renaissance fair in Barriere

Hosted by the Kamloops-based Duchy of River Watch, the event combines a public renaissance fair with the groups' Amtgard LARP (live-action role play) system.

'Chosen family'; Kamloops-based LARP group hosts growing renaissance fair in Barriere Renaissance fair swords fly A fascination with the fantastical and connections within the live-action role playing community drew hundreds of people to the North Thompson for a renaissance fair and combat tournament. Omens 2026 was held over the weekend at the North Thompson Fall Fair Rodeo & Agriplex in Barriere. Hosted by the Kamloops-based Duchy of River Watch, the event combined a public renaissance fair with the Amtgard live-action role playing (LARP) system.

A number of people who were attending a renaissance fair for the first time said they had a prior interest in the fantasy and medieval genres, like The Lord of the Rings, Dungeons & Dragons or Magic the Gathering. Among the first-timers this year were Kamloops friends Nolund Charlieboy, who said he has an interest in the medieval, and friend Brody Cormack, who said he’s always up for a new experience. Charlieboy was dressed head-to-toe in a homemade suit of medieval armour, which he had previously built as a Halloween costume.

“I’ve just kind of had it sitting around and then I was told about the ren fair and I'm like, ‘Well, what better chance to get out and use my armour?” he said. Browsing the vendors were Payton Thompson and Matthew McRae of West Kelowna, who said they’ve been trying to attend more such events.

They noted they want to support local vendors and artists, and revel in the community of like-minded creatives and nerds. “It's crazy how many people just come up to you and just compliment you, ask you where you're from,” McRae said. “Normally I'm an introvert — I’m not talking to people.

But I will here.” We band of brothers Onlookers climbed into the rodeo stands to watch more than a dozen fighters duke it out with foam-padded weapons during a combat tournament on Saturday afternoon. Duchy of River Watch-based combatant Aaron Morris, whose alias is Sir Storm Thunderbrand, said he’s been playing with the Kamloops Amtgard group for 11 years after stumbling onto one of their weekly get-togethers at Riverside Park.

It’s a natural fit for Morris, who’s interested in fantasy and has previously practiced martial arts like jujitsu and judo. But he said the major appeal is the friendships that are forged along the way. “Let's say I travel to a different kingdom in Seattle — there's 300 people

and I know they're gonna all enjoy Amtgard, and they probably have similar interests like card games, nerd movies, stuff like that,” he said. Those ties can run deep. Thomas Brown, another combatant who goes by Pricmark Lauxus, travelled from Kansas City, Mo., because a friend was being knighted.

He said the game can help alleviate social pressures. “I’ll be honest with you, 90 per cent of us are probably introverts, a little scared, a little autistic — I know that I am and a lot of other people are,” he said. “Sometimes social situations are hard to do, but when you show up in a field and we’re sitting here and we’re in the same place, it’s much easier to say, ‘Hi, how’s it going.’

And that’s sometimes all it takes to start a snowball effect.” Ahead of Saturday’s tournament, both Morris and Brown said they’ve met some of their closest friends through Amtgard. “You see them every weekend, it's a grown family, a chosen family,” Morris said.

Candle-making business Theysister had returned to the event for the second year and was one of about 40 vendors set up over the weekend around the Barriere fairgrounds — about twice as many as last year. Owner CB McCann, who grew up as a punk rocker, noticed similarities between the two communities — grassroots momentum, passion among attendees and a “DIY energy.” “I feel like this is a space where people are really safe to be themselves,” McCann said.

Fair here to stay It’s the second year the public renaissance fair has been held and Jared Allan, an organizer with the Duchy of River Watch, said he thinks it’s here to stay. He told Castanet the event’s second edition has bumped up the number of activities, displays, vendors, and tournament fighters. He said hundreds of people attended over the course of the weekend.

“It'll travel word of mouth a lot and as that happens more and more people will come, and I think it'll just add more to the environment itself,” he said. Each Amtgard kingdom works as a non-profit and, aside from one-on-one duelling and battle games, participants can be knighted for leadership of the organization. Morris and Brown said the game teaches people real-life skills.

Amtgard started in Texas in 1983 and the Kamloops chapter was founded in 2013. The Omens event has been held for several years, but opened up to the public for the first time in 2025 with the addition of the fair. “This game is similar to that of a board game in that it's only as good as the players you play with, so if you have some good friends that you play around with in this game, it's going to be a great time,” Allan said.

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