The Westman Gaming Expo — now with Vikings
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 04/03/2024 (661 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
History and technology collided at the Westman Gaming Expo at the Keystone Centre on Saturday and Sunday.
Vikings wearing chainmail and carrying swords and wooden shields strolled by retro arcade games, while knights in shining armour clashed in a ring set up beside a historic Viking village.
The event, put on by Westman Gaming, a non-profit group that promotes traditional and non-traditional gaming, featured games like Warhammer, Super Mario Smash Bros., Magic: The Gathering, Disney’s Lorcana and more.
Booths showcasing and selling sports trading cards, Pokémon cards, anime memorabilia, comic books, posters, 3D printed objects and more were also on display. People from as far away as Winnipeg and Yorkton, Sask. came out to the event.
James Welbourne, a Viking re-enactor from Brandon, is part of the Markland Vikings group, and has been involved with historical re-enacments for 19 years.
“To be quite honest, what I love the most is the re-enactors that you meet,” he sad. “We’ve all got he same passion for history, and doing the crafts, and educating people about it. They become family that you pick rather than are born with.”
Whenever they come out to events such as the Westman Gaming Expo, people often come up to Welbourne, his daughter Rowan and other re-enactors to ask questions about everything from the tents set up in their village and the crafts they work on to their authentic, hand-made chain mail.
“Normally, people come by, they want to know what we’re doing, especially right after our fight shows,” he said. “Because who doesn’t like to see someone else get hit with a broad sword or shot with a long bow?”
The Markland Vikings group is open to anyone who is interested in joining them, regardless of age, ability or ethnicity, Welbourne said.
“The Vikings weren’t worried about skin colour, and neither are we.”
Jailyn Corbin and her family have been re-enacting with the Markland Vikings for two years now. She said they first got interested after doing a play that featured a Viking battle scene, and have been hooked ever since.
Corbin echoed Welbourne’s sentiments of inclusivity and encouraged anyone interested in helping Viking history come alive to find the group on Facebook or at a future local event.
“We’re always looking for new members, so you can talk to us and we can tell you how you can join us,” she said.
» mleybourne@brandonsun.com
» X: @miraleybourne
