The grand opening parade is the only place to see and learn about all of the groups involved in this year's Festival, which spans over 1,000 years of medieval history!

With a booming crack of thunder black powder weapons forever changed the way that battles would be fought. The impact of these weapons was long-reaching: politics, religion, engineering, and the economy all evolved to adapt to these new symbols of power. Join Condottieri and their cannon, Bambino, for a show both educational ... and very loud.

Medieval castles were built to be impenetrable and required not only clever tactics and negotiations, but also mighty war machines. A siege could take many months. Join us to watch the siege of Chinon Castle, as King Henry II mercenaries struggle to wrest the castle from the King’s wayward brother Geoffrey, Count of Nantes.

Witness majestic predators in free flight performing natural aerobatics and learn about the art of falconry, a practice that began four thousand years ago. This "upper-class” sport was the best means of catching prey and putting many delicacies on the tables of aristocratic families. The magnificent sight of the eagle in flight and other graceful birds of prey, such as the falcon and owl, will, without doubt, capture your heart.

Be transported back to the Holy Land in year of our Lord, 1229. On the 12th of July, Balian Ibelin, Lord of Sidon, held a Round Table and Tournament of the most promising knights of the proudest families in the Kingdom of Jerusalem to celebrate the ascension of Conrad II to the throne. It is hoped that the celebrations might relieve the tensions within the Kingdom. For your enjoyment, you will witness the events of the Round Table of the 12th of July, 1229.

Turkish archery is one of the most effective archeries in history. Ottoman Turks used very small composite bows made of hardwood, buffalo horn, sinew, and animal glue. They were reverse curved and finished with exquisite decorations. Turks were very effective with their bow, so much so that their early victories in battle heavily relied on horseback archery. This presentation, in front of the Abbeystowe castle, will demonstrate the many ways and tactics developed and adopted by the Turks.

See the mighty strength of the largest trebuchet in the southern hemisphere as it is put through its paces and hurls projectiles at the castle of Abbeystowe.

Hosted by Make Your Own Medieval Experience, the Archery Tournament is a long-running tradition at the Abbey Medieval Festival. Skilled archers from re-enactment groups are set three challenges: a hunting scenario, a speed round, and the King’s round.

Large group performance battle and melee with horses, reenacting the Battle of Hattin, which took place on 4th July 1187, between the Crusader states of the Levant and the forces of the Ayyubid sultan Saladin.

Nothing excites like the thrill of the joust! Knights go head to head at 30kph and clash at the centre of the list! Witness one of three joust times on both Saturday and Sunday! This joust is a round robin format where the jouster accumulate points for each run. The highest scoring 3 jousters will meet up in the final at 3pm Sunday to determine our champion! There will be limited seating for this high demand spectacle! Tickets can only be pre-purchased before the event! Links for the joust sessions will appear on the confirmation page and ticket email after your Festival entry ticket purchase.

Nothing excites like the thrill of the joust! Knights go head to head at 30kph and clash at the centre of the list! Witness one of three joust times on both Saturday and Sunday! This joust is a round robin format where the jouster accumulate points for each run. The highest scoring 3 jousters will meet up in the final at 3pm Sunday to determine our champion! There will be limited seating for this high demand spectacle! Tickets can only be pre-purchased before the event! Links for the joust sessions will appear on the confirmation page and ticket email after your Festival entry ticket purchase.

Nothing excites like the thrill of the joust! Knights go head to head at 30kph and clash at the centre of the list! Witness one of three joust times on both Saturday and Sunday! This joust is a round robin format where the jouster accumulate points for each run. The highest scoring 3 jousters will meet up in the final at 3pm Sunday to determine our champion! There will be limited seating for this high demand spectacle! Tickets can only be pre-purchased before the event! Links for the joust sessions will appear on the confirmation page and ticket email after your Festival entry ticket purchase.

Amour and swords collide in an epic clash of battle on the field of The Common.

Vikings are rough and tough but that does not stop on the battlefield. Knattleikr (Nat-a-leeker) is a contact ball game with a paddles, scoring goals you must get past your opponents to score between the goal posts. With little known rules, this game is always fun for the family to watch. Other games will involve feats of strength, endurance and some luck, but will always bring a smile to the crowd.

A dispute between two men of noble birth. One a knight of great renown and experience; the other a Squire raised to a position of power and influence by his liege lord. The men have determined their grudges can only be settled one way; through martial combat. They have raised their retinues, Men-at-Arms and Militiamen, to fight for their cause and protect their bodies (and egos) in this medieval dispute.

Individual warriors from Jorth Gar New Varangian Guard vi for personal fame as they battle each other to see who is the greatest in Heroic Viking Combat.

Come and see a demonstration of Renaissance honour and swordplay with Prima Spada School of Fence! Explore a variety of noble weapons and ranks of skill, and witness a duel between two haughty duellists. Showing off their swashbuckling excellence with 16th and 17th Century weapons and combat, the bravos of Prima Spada will delight young and old alike!

See the art of Combat and Training with this demonstration by New England Medieval Arts Society (NEMAS)

Medieval Tournaments did not only present jousting, but also showcased Dismounted Knights fighting hand to hand in a melee. This was often depicted as a Deed of Arms, demonstrating the Knights Martial Prowess with Longswords and Poleaxes, as well as Swords and Shields. These Foot Tournaments saw Knights fighting for Glory and Valour, though were also used to settle legal disputes. Trials by Battle were a privilege reserved to nobility as a way to prove their case in situations where the truth could not be determined, and instead left the decision in the hands of God, who would give strength to the man in the right.

Discover the games and activities enjoyed by children during medieval times.

Illustrating the difference between arms, armour & combat techniques depending on whether a Knight was participating in the brutal Crusading Wars with the Teutonic Order or within the Chivalrous Spectacle of the Tournament.

Morris dancing is a colourful form of English folk dance that dates to the 15th century. It is usually accompanied by music. Wearing bell pads on their shins, the energetic dancers clap sticks, swords, or handkerchiefs together as they skip, leap and whirl through their dance.

Morris dancing is a colourful form of English folk dance that dates to the 15th century. It is usually accompanied by music. Wearing bell pads on their shins, the energetic dancers clap sticks, swords, or handkerchiefs together as they skip, leap and whirl through their dance.

Amour and swords collide in an epic clash of battle on the field of The Common.

Come and watch a series of authentic games as played by Vikings

Watch as the monarch is presented with goods, then grievances are brought forward before the King to pass judgement. Usually a light hearted affair until a dispute arises, then watch out!

Learn about Medieval Veterinary practices, with historically accurate presentations of animals and their handlers and the activities they undertook in the medieval period.

Ever wondered how the elaborate fashions of the Elizabethans are put together? We invite you into the dressing room of an Elizabethan Courtier for a rare glimpse into the secrets of ‘Dressing for Success’ in the times of Queen Elizabeth I.

Join members of musical group, Pastance, as that take you on a musical history tour. Featuring the music of much loved composers such as Hildegard Von Bingen, Guillaume de Machaut, Henry VIII and John Downland to name a few, Pastance will take you on a musical journey through the some of the musical traditions of Western Europe, exploring the development of harmony and polyphony.

Ever wondered how the elaborate fashions of the Elizabethans are put together? We invite you into the dressing room of an Elizabethan Courtier for a rare glimpse into the secrets of ‘Dressing for Success’ in the times of Queen Elizabeth I.

There’s a mistaken belief that medieval people tended to stay in the same place all of their lives; this talk sets out to give examples of why that was definitely not the case, with a discussion of pilgrimage, trade, armies, and other situations that motivated people to leave the village they were born in.

Join in the Women in History as they sing about the Irish Pirate Queen, Grace O’Malley and Jeanne de Clisson, the Lioness of Brittany. There will be songs about medieval life, working women, and a 12th century song about Bedlam. All the songs are sung as Rounds or have choruses that are easy to learn. So come along, join in the fun of the rollicking sea shanties.

Learn all about Turkish medicine during medieval times.

Tournaments evolved from bloody mock battles condemned by the Church to fabulous spectacles. Often held to celebrate an important event, they were usually accompanied by a fair, entertainment and feasting. They provided a display of wealth and prestige, skill and courage, gallantry and courtly love. From the competitors striving for honour and renown to the ladies giving tokens of their favour to chosen knights, tournaments captured the spirit of their time and appealed to both kings and commoners. This talk follows their journey in time and shows how modern festivals evoke their spirit.

Join Rosalie Gilbert, History Enthusiast and Author, as she shares Medieval Women's Secrets in this family-friendly presentation.

The Spice Road was one of the most important trade routes in the Middle Ages. It stretched from Japan to India then through the lands of the Middle East to Europe. A distance of over 15,000 km. Come and enjoy some of the unique dances that traders would have witnessed as they travelled the Spice Road.

Wayward seeks to bring to life the tradition of the “Jongleurs”, the wandering musicians of the Middle Ages. Their repertoire extends from the early 11th to the 16th Century with a focus on the songs of the French Trouvères, Troubadours and German Minnesingers, who while singing of unrequited love, also sang of crusades and the basic pleasures in life ― eating, drinking and the prospect of warm bed. Join Wayward at the Stag Inn, clap along as they make merry music on their hurdy gurdy, medieval bagpipes, shawm, recorder and percussion.

Morris dancing is a colourful form of English folk dance that dates to the 15th century. It is usually accompanied by music. Wearing bell pads on their shins, the energetic dancers clap sticks, swords, or handkerchiefs together as they skip, leap and whirl through their dance.

Please join singers and instrumentalists from the Brisbane Monteverdi Ensemble who will be presenting lively tavern songs from the time of King Henry VIII. Featuring rarely-seen instruments such as the cornetto, serpent, and dulcian, this short performance will be followed by a demonstration allowing for audience participation in singing renowned songs from the late medieval period. Suitable for all ages.

The Spice Road was one of the most important trade routes in the Middle Ages. It stretched from Japan to India then through the lands of the Middle East to Europe. A distance of over 15,000 km. Come and enjoy some of the unique dances that traders would have witnessed as they travelled the Spice Road.

Cirque Medieval honours traditional medieval performance combined with modern circus and music to create a unique spectacle like no other!

With magical vocal harmonies and instrumental wizardry, Pastance span the centuries, bringing together a passion for the music of medieval and Renaissance Europe and a love of traditional folk music. Harp, lute, recorders, shawm, percussion, vocals and more combine to create an entrancing, ethereal and timeless musical experience.

This is the first of three Oil Wrestling bouts this Saturday. Oil wrestling can be traced back many hundreds of years. It is a display of male strength and physical prowess and is culturally significant in Turkey. Turkish oil wrestlers wear heavy leather pants called kipset. Each contestant is then covered in olive oil to make them slippery. The object of each wrestler is to get their opponent in a position so that their belly button faces the sky.

Turkish wedding is, in reality, not a re-enactment but part of actual wedding of two members of the Janissary Barracks. It will commence on Friday, 2nd July being the henna day, and on Saturday the 3rd will be the official wedding. Weddings in Turkey still go over several days. These days, they normally last one week. A wedding generally starts on Friday with henna ceremony, then finishes the following Saturday with official signing of the papers and the wedding party. Everyone is invited. This wedding will be a Turko-Mongol shamanic (Tengrism) ceremony.

This is the final Oil Wrestling bout for Saturday. Enjoy the physical prowess and strength of our oil wrestlers as they compete to be awarded the Abbey Medieval Festival Oil Wrestling Champion 2021.

Meet at St Edith's Village and join Schola Cantorum in the procession to the Museum for the Gregorian Chant Recital

Enjoy the beauty of the ancient Gregorian Chant presented by Schola Cantorum. Many of the chants date from 9th - 12th Centuries AD and some even go back to the vocal music of the early Christian Church (1st - 3rd C. AD). Be transported back in time, experience the melodious sound of our chanters and enjoy the ambience of the Abbey Church with its beautiful medieval stained glass windows.

After the singing of the Angelus, our Gregorian Chanting choir will present a workshop and short recital. The workshop will give beginners an understanding of the history of chant, notation, Latin pronunciation and an opportunity to 'have a go' at singing some simple chants. Or you may just want to listen, and each workshop will conclude with chants sung by Schola Cantorum.

Enjoy a guided tour of the beautiful medieval stained glass in the Abbey Church, featuring 15th century panels from Winchester Cathedral, heraldic panels from Ettington Manor mortuary chapel and continental panels from Flanders and the Netherlands..

Our Gregorian Chant workshop will give beginners a look into the history of chant, notation, Latin pronunciation and an opportunity to 'have a go' at singing some simple chants. Members of choirs and music students would be very welcome. Or you may just want to listen, & each workshop will conclude with chants sung by Schola Cantorum.

Enjoy a guided tour of the beautiful medieval stained glass in the Abbey Church, featuring 15th century panels from Winchester Cathedral, heraldic panels from Ettington Manor mortuary chapel and continental panels from Flanders and the Netherlands..

Night Office (or Compline) is the final set of psalms and prayers sung at the end of each day in abbeys and monasteries throughout the Christian world. The early Christians adopted from the Jewish tradition and the Old Testament, the daily singing of psalms. After Night office ends, the ‘grand silence’ begins.

Take a few minutes out of your day to be entranced by the majestic sound of the harp. Claire will be performing songs from the 6th to the 15th Century and also sharing stories along with some Celtic Bardic healing music.

Wayward seeks to bring to life the tradition of the “Jongleurs”, the wandering musicians of the Middle Ages. Their repertoire extends from the early 11th to the 16th Century with a focus on the songs of the French Trouvères, Troubadours and German Minnesingers, who while singing of unrequited love, also sang of crusades and the basic pleasures in life ― eating, drinking and the prospect of warm bed. Join Wayward at the Stag Inn, clap along as they make merry music on their hurdy gurdy, medieval bagpipes, shawm, recorder and percussion.

Take a few minutes out of your day to be entranced by the majestic sound of the harp. Claire will be performing songs from the 6th to the 15th Century and also sharing stories along with some Celtic Bardic healing music.

Take a few minutes out of your day to be entranced by the majestic sound of the harp. Claire will be performing songs from the 6th to the 15th Century and also sharing stories along with some Celtic Bardic healing music.

Let the kids take a time out from the festival in the Kids’ Kingdom where they can create and play. Kids can: • Design their own heraldry and paint it on a shield (gold coin participation) • Poppet Making (gold coin participation) • Test out their balance on stilts • Play medieval games like skittles, battledore, quoits and Nine Men’s Morris • Try their hand at Archery (for adults and children) $5 for 5 Arrows All proceeds from the Archery experience & Kids Kingdom activities go towards continuing and improving the Education program at the Abbey Museum.