WMAW & the Chicago Swordplay Guild Presents
In Arnis, et Sine Arnis
A Collegium on the Knightly Art
September 19-21, 2025
The famed “off year” or “not-WMAW” event began with “The Fiore 600”, and since then has featured a variety of topics, including last year’s immersive School of the Renaissance Soldier.
This year, in the words of that Italian tactical genius, Vizzini, we “go back to the beginning” with a workshop dedicated to the medieval Art of Arms. The event will consist of tracks “in arnis and sine arnis” (armoured and unarmoured combat), from wrestling to poleaxe, lectures on knightly martial culture of the 14th and 15th centuries, and discussions on how to train for and in armour and acquire kit of one’s own. (This workshop is not for the armoured alone!)
Instructors
- Christian Henry Tobler, Selohaar Fechtschule (KDF)
- Bill Grandy, Swordsman-at-Large (KDF)
- Sean Hayes, Northwest Fencing Academy (Armizare)
- Kurt Holtfreter, Triangle Sword Guild (Armizare)
And finally, in honor of that redoubtable master, Fiore dei Liberi, and the many men he prepared for “encounters in the lists” a Deed of Arms with good armour, in the style of the early 15th century.
Cost: $490
Admission includes all classes, meals and lodging onsite at a new location, the beautiful and sequestered St. Iakovos Retreat Center in Kenosha, Wisconsin. This event is a retreat: attendance is limited to the number of folks we can house on site, so register now!
Note: Cancellations permitted with full refund until May 15. After that you cannot cancel for a refund. Registration may be transferred to someone by sending the Registrar the original registrant’s name and the new party’s name and registration form.
About St. Iakovos Retreat Center in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
After 20 years at the Dekoven Foundation, our event is moving to a new home. For all who have joined us before at our previous location – St. Iakovos is a bit different, including some new lodging options, so some clarifications are needed:
All buildings are climate controlled with modern bathroom/shower facilities. There are two kinds of accommodations: Bunk House and Lodge Rooms. The main lodge has some classroom spaces in addition to private rooms with their own bathrooms. The Bunk houses are separate structures from the Lodge and have multiple bathroom / shower facilities.
Basic registration includes meals, a single bunk in the bunk house (note: no linens are supplied – you will need to bring your own towel, pillow, and sleeping bag or bedding). For 2025, our smaller ‘off-year’ event, we are likely only going to have a single bunk house available, which means it will be an all-gender sleeping facility. If you desire a single-gender option, or the option to decide who you are sharing a room with, you will need to rent a room in the Lodge.