Abbey Medieval Festival

[Mark]

Mark submitted a new Rate & Review Item:

Abbey Medieval Festival

We went to the Abbey Medieval Festival as a family in July 2013 and I must say I had no real idea what to expect. I understood it to be a theatrical experience as a bunch of people act out living in medieval times whilst the rest of us wonder around enjoying the experience and to a large extent that's exactly what it felt like.

The grounds were pretty big and divided into villages sign posted as different periods or clans with a huge mock Castle centrally located. Visitors were free to walk around and watch (from beyond roped areas) the local villagers/actors go about their "daily business" as it was hundreds of years ago.

I guess I found the step back in time interesting but I have to admit in the back of my mind thinking some aspects were a little weird. Let me just say it, I get the fascination with how life may have been in medieval times but I don't get why people want to live and act it out.

Anyway, what interested me the most was the self-sufficiency aspects like: the tool making, outdoor mud ovens, cooking, and the birds of prey. The other theatrics like: mock battles, recruit training in armor, general medieval people looking at us looking at them, etc I found a little ho-hum to be honest.

Also on the mock stuff, what I would have been interested in seeing was the jousting but we decided not to view the session. Unfortunately, the jousting was a separate paid activity costing $20 extra to see it and so was the case for several other activities within the festival grounds. On top of the entry cost at $69 per family pass for the day, we found the whole event an expensive exercise - for what it was.

Food was also expensive and you had to get into the medieval spirit by eating a ridiculously priced, overrated hot-dog on the ground wherever you could find a spare spot.

Some exhibitions were free and the birds of prey were amazing to see up close plus there was a puppet show which freely entertained the kids for a bit.​

Parking and organisation was excellent with plenty of ushers to show where to park and where to go. Other amenities and ablutions were fine for this sort of setting (similar to any show etc).

Overall, it would have been nice if all extras were included in the entry price and if the food stalls were better run with perhaps an area dedicated for tables/somewhere to sit. I personally was...

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[stevo]

"a little weird" ...

They might not be too organised as a group so that may effect the quality. You would think there'd be huge potential to do some awesome things with a festival like this.

 

[Mark]

From what I gather they do have extra stuff like banquets etc over the weekend - I guess they cook heaps of protein over an open fire and throw finished bones over their shoulders into the bush then wipe their mouths with the back of their forearms whilst yelling "where's me wench!"

That's fine for people who are into that stuff... I spose. I was more interested in the craft and tools etc more than the theatrics - as I said. For me, if there was more purpose on why people were wanting to live like a peasant in the middle ages (like for sustainability in the modern world) then I would have been more receptive to the whole concept.