WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND?

The San Marcos Daily Record staff gives recommendations on what to do in our community

SWORDS, SHIELDS AND AXES, OH MY!

Swords, axes, shields, spears and knives. What more could a boy dream of? When I started looking for events happening this weekend, I really didn’t expect to find a training session from Ninheim Viking Fight School. I’ve never been to one of these events, but the photos online look like it would be thrilling to watch, much less participate in. “Viking Age Martial Arts program teaching fighting techniques and strategies utilizing weaponry discovered from the Viking Age,” according to their Facebook page. The pictures of previous training, which have been held in San Marcos even though the fight school’s location is listed as Fort Worth, appear to be people in athletic gear armed with shields and swords practicing line fighting and swordsmanship. This group training session is planned for 10 a.m. on Saturday at Veterans Park, located at 320 Mariposa St. From the posting online, it is not clear if there is a charge associated with the event, but it sure sounds like fun to me.

FINGERPRINTS THEN A PUNK SHOW

I’ve got an event for the kids this weekend that involves getting their identifying information into the system, if ever it were needed in an emergency. The Hays County Constable Pct. 1 Office will be holding an event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the parking lot of the big H-E-B. They will be taking children’s identifying information as well as their fingerprints and providing educational materials, according to the Hays County Constable Pct. 1 David Peterson. Also on the to-do list this weekend is a stop at Tantra, which will be having a $5 show on Saturday featuring Stop Motion Orchestra (at 7:30 p.m.) and Attic Ted (at 9 p.m.). I have written about the headliner Attic Ted in the past, but if you didn’t already know, they are a two-person duo that plays what the lead singer calls “weirdo cabaret country carnival performance art punk music from Texas with masks.” Their shows are always a blast and resemble a type of musical theater with the various cardboard masks worn and switched out throughout the show. The opening band, Stop Motion Orchestra, is a punk band with a weighty bass sound and a saxophone lead. See y'all there!

A SHORT DRIVE FOR MARKET DAYS

Something I’ve been waiting for all summer finally happens this weekend: The return of the Wimberley Market Days. For me, buying gifts has always been a challenge. I tend to overthink to the point of paralysis, caught within the belief that a gift must be unique, preferably handmade, deeply personal and sustainably produced. Wimberley Market Days has all of this, plus music and food. The Market Days opens the first Saturday of the month from March through December, featuring nearly 500 vendors with vintage treasures, garden accessories, jewelry, art and oneof- a-kind gifts you won’t find anywhere else. Two years ago, I bought a silk blouse as a gift for one of my aunts. It was so beautiful, I had to keep it for myself. Guess I’ll add a replacement to my gift-shopping list while I’m at it.