Folks who are not historians tend to think of warfare in terms of things that go bang – rifles, machine guns and bombs. But for most of human history, certainly since the start of the Iron Age, combat was all about the cold, sharp, naked blade. Especially the sword.
That’s what the South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum will be all about on Saturday, Jan. 25, when the Columbia Mill Building will again resound to the alarming clang of steel, as sword enthusiasts from across history celebrate SwordFest 2025.
This has been the museum’s biggest, loudest Saturday program for several years, and Curator of Education Joe Long is confident this one will be no exception.
Living history re-enactors and sword-fighters of every imaginable kind will be there – in the form of knights in armor, soldiers from the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, pirates, martial arts experts, and modern sport fencers. Not to mention hundreds of kids of all ages, come to gawk and listen and sometimes even join in.
And it’s all free. Not only that, but admission to the museum itself – recently reopened after months of remodeling – will also be free throughout the event. And special tours will conduct visitors to learn about the many historical swords in the educational exhibits.
The technology of swords will be on live display as well. Rick Thompson, a recreator of 18th-century blacksmithing techniques, will show how to make a Revolutionary-era sword on his glowing forge as all watch.
Here is some more of what visitors will find between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. that day:
- Iaido, the Art of Sword-Drawing. Dan Bernardo of WellWithin Martial Arts will demonstrate a traditional Japanese sword art, including a live cutting exhibition with a samurai sword.
- The Palmetto Knights Steel Combat Team, which means fully armored knights and their fighting techniques.
- The Columbia Fencers’ Club will engage in the fast-moving modern sport of fencing, as seen in Olympic competitions.
- Carolina Historical Fencing, which recreates the fighting techniques of past centuries with a variety of blades.
- A demonstration of the McAuley Broadsword training manual that came out of South Carolina in the 19th century.
- Cavalry Saber Historian Neil Rose will show how Wade Hampton’s cavalry employed the saber at Gettysburg.
- Swords of the Jedi. Plans are tentative at the moment, but the museum hopes to once again put on a display of a recreational form of swordplay inspired by the Star Wars universe. Yes, we’re talking lightsabers.
- Theatrical dueling in the classic style, by members of the Charles Towne Few – a band of showy pirates in the style of the 17th century.
And more. Much more. Come on out and have fun while learning.
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