I've taken and updates this list from my old blog post:
Pennsic List:
Garb - A general rule of thumb is that you want at least one outfit per a day. While this sounds like a lot when you are staying a week, Pennsic is HOT. You can get away with less if you are wearing things in an actual historically correct manner - mainly that you have one shift/chemise per a day and just wear the garments over that. Also, there are laundry facilities at Pennsic but they have that lovely orange water so...be wary.
Bedding - You need something to sleep on. While a sleeping bag is fine, most people prefer a cot because it gets you off the ground. If you do use a cot, put a mattress pad down over it or at least a couple of fleece blankets, then put the sheets down. Otherwise, you will have a frozen backside at 2 am with no way to get warm.
Another popular option is to have an air mattress, however, air condenses in the cold at night. Be prepared for that.
I personally have a twin mattress I bought at IKEA years ago. It rolls up - sort of- and I just leave it in the shepherd's hut or, if I need to have a tent, put it up on a couple of pallets.
Shower tent - I made my own out of an old papasan chair back for the "roof", some rope to hang it from a tree, and draped the papasan in some old outdoor fabric I had lying around. Make your own or buy one but you will need a way to wash because walking to the bath house everyday gets annoying.
As far as the actual shower, I found a couple of interesting shower devices. One creates water pressure with just 4 d cell batteries. However, you need to provide the water source (typically a large jug painted black to warm the water). There are also the solar showers that are cheap. I got the solar shower...the year it was cloudy almost the entire time, of course.
Firepit & accessories. I got a cheap one at Wally world. For sitting around said firepit, I bought some old folding chairs at a thrift store. They are wood and I just put some covered cushions on them. They look fine. However, I have to take the covered cushions off all the time because it rains, a lot, at Pennsic.
A gate of some sort. Most camps have some sort of "here's where you come into the camp" entrance. It's not necessarily a traditional gate, but just an entrance. For most people, your encampment will already have one.
Spray paint. Good to mark off my encampment. It's cheaper than buying a lot of rope and stakes.
Personal hygiene accessories. This includes, but not limited too, shampoo, conditioner, soap, tissues (handkerchiefs work well too), and even a trash can. I have a small crate I keep most of my stuff in. This helps when carrying it to and from the shower tent. (Well, not the tissues, of course!) I also need to remember towels, washclothes, and clothesline. The clothesline is very useful for drying out towels or freshly cleaned laundry. (I have a sink in the shepherd's hut.)
Kitchen accessories. I already have a propane stove in the shepherd's hut and a tripod with dutch oven for over the firepit. However, I need to remember pots, pans, spatulas, and dish soap. Pot holders would be nice too. And my tea kettle. And my mug.... and probably some utensils. Maybe some paper plates although I will have my feast gear with me. Oh! And mixing bowls! Measuring spoons...measuring cups.... Basically, everything in my real kitchen needs to go into my shepherd's hut kitchen. ...tin foil. Parchment/wax paper. Plastic baggies. Trash bags.
Food. Yes, if you really want to, you can easily eat out every day at Pennsic and never cook for yourself. I'm not like that. With food, you do need to be sensible about what you bring, however. The mini fridge in my shepherd's hut acts as a good cooler for many raw meats and other items that need to be kept cool. I just put a dish washing tub full of ice at the top shelf of the fridge and keep everything else below - it's basically a glorified ice box.
Flour, honey, sugar, olive oil, salt, and some packs of dry yeast are good for making fresh bread over the fire in the dutch oven. All these items also don't need refrigeration. Herbs and spices are great to bring along as well - I normally bring basil, oregano, pepper, and maybe some sage. I don't want a whole bunch of spices, but enough to make a good basic alfredo sauce would be nice.
Potatoes, carrots, and onions are all great for fire cooked meals. Add some beef (that can be kept in the cooler for a couple of days if you actually keep it cool) for something really yummy. The veggies don't need to be kept in the cooler and will last a while - which makes them great for camping. I also like to bring hot dogs to camp - I have a hot dog roasting stick. That with some rice and soy sauce is a "comfort food" for me.
Wooden pallets. I used to use four pallets to make a floor for my tent. Throw a couple boards on top and you have...a wood floor! As pallets are normally free (many smaller hardware stores love it when I ask if I can have a few) it's a very cost effective way to get a platform tent. You don't need to worry about rain as much either - the water goes under the pallets.
A wagon. You know the traditional red wagon for kids? It's amazing to haul stuff up from the grocery store in the middle of Pennsic (yes, there is one) to camp. You can cover it pretty easily with fabric to make it look less 20th Century.
I think that's it for my list. Most of it is stuff I already have - garb, kitchen stuff- or stuff I'll need to buy anyway - shampoo, food. Going medieval camping does not need to mean $$$. I think my first year, I spent maybe $300 on everything I needed - and that was from scratch. If you stretch that out over a few months, it's not that bad. Most people can get by in most encampments with just a tent, a cot, and their garb. (You do want to have something that will lift you off the ground. This isn't just because of your back when sleeping on the ground for two weeks- this is because the flooding at Pennsic is the stuff of legends. Keeping stuff off the ground means keeping everything dry.) If you really want, some people buy everything they need at Pennsic - yes, even the tent. I would suggest though buying a tent beforehand. Many cabin tents are between $120-$200. Check military surplus stores for something more medieval looking (many military tents have shapes similar to those you see in the late 16th century). Also, ebay always has "Civil War" canvas tents up. Many of these do have older designs and tend to be in the $250 - $300 range , Remember, the tent should last you at least five years if not a lot longer. (you can also do what I did and just make your own..)
You can get a nice, simple, wood bed frame from Ikea for about $40, I think. I can vouch for the twin mattress from Ikea - $79 on sale and very, very comfy. So, for about $120 you get a nice, reusable twin bed to sleep in rather than a normal cot. (It also looks more medieval)
