Can I fence just for fun and never compete, or do clubs expect everyone to go to tournaments?

Yes, you can fence purely for fun, and plenty of people do. At many clubs a large share of the adult members compete rarely or never, and they are as much a part of the club as the tournament regulars. Outside a tiny group of elite athletes, nobody makes a living from fencing, so for almost everyone it is a hobby: exercise, a puzzle to solve, and a group of friends. A club is a place to train and fence, not a team you owe results to.

Recreational fencing usually looks like this. You start with a beginner course, move into regular adult classes for footwork and technique, and then come to open bouting, sometimes called open fencing or free fencing, where members pair up and fence short bouts against whoever is free. Many recreational fencers come two evenings a week, take a private lesson now and then, and spend most of their time bouting. Some clubs are mostly competitive and some are mostly social, so ask about the adult schedule when you visit.

Clubs expect the same things from you whether you compete or not: pay your dues, keep a current USA Fencing membership if the club requires one (the basic Access level is enough for practice and even local tournaments; regional and national events need a Competitive membership), and work toward owning your own basic gear. Learn the etiquette: salute, take turns on the strips, help set up and pack away, and referee other people's bouts now and then. Tell your coach your goals so they do not steer you into a competition training group you do not want.

If you ever get curious, a local tournament is a friendly, low-stakes way to try competing once, and many areas run adult and veteran events. If you never go, that is fine too. Plenty of people fence for decades for fitness and friendship, and recreational members are often the volunteers and referees who keep a club running.