Medieval and Rennaissance Fairs in Australia




Last year D and I went to the inaugural St Ives Medieval Faire. We had a ball. There were knight's in armour, jousting, Viking combat, Dark Ages encampments and lots more.  For anyone who loves a chance to dress up (or see others dress up) in Ye Olde finery, I drew up a list of medieval and renaissance fairs around Australia. With the fair season starting in earnest, I thought it might be useful to publish it again. My apologies to Rowany Festival and Geelong Highland Gathering goers, it's a bit late for them but there is always next year- oooppps!



New South Wales 

Rowany Festival -

Where: - Camp Wombaroo, 162 Black Spring Rd, High Range, N.S.W.
When: - Easter each year - 2 April to 7 April 2015
Website: http://festival.lochac.sca.org/


IronFest -

Where: - Lithgow Showground, Lithgow, N.S.W.
When: - 18 & 19 April  2015
Website: http://www.ironfest.net/
Note: Ironfest doesn't stick to the medieval/renaissance theme. This year the focus is on the 20th Century and WW2 battle re-enactments, but there will still be medieval jousting and other displays.

Australian Celtic Festival

Where: - Glen Innes Showground, Glen Innes, New South Wales 
When: - 30 April to 3 May 2015
Website: http://www.australiancelticfestival.com/
Note: This isn't strictly medieval or renaissance, but it's a lot of fun nevertheless.


Blacktown City Medieval Fayre 

Where: - Nurragingy Reserve, Knox Rd, Doonside, NSW
When: - 23 & 24 May 2015
Website: - http://www.blacktown.nsw.gov.au/News_and_Events/News/2014/May/My_Lords_and_Ladies_Medieval_Fayre_2014


Winterfest  

Where: - The Old King's School Parramatta, Sydney, N.SW.
When: - 27 & 28 June 2015
Website: - http://www.winterfest.com.au/


St Ives Medieval Faire  

Where: - St Ives Showground, St Ives, Sydney, N.S.W
When: - 19 & 20 September 2015
Website: - http://www.stivesmedievalfaire.com.au/


Queensland

Gold Coast Renaissance Faire  

Where: - Pratten Park, Broadbeach, Qld.
When: - 2 & 3 May 2015
Website: - http://www.goldcoastrenfaire.com/

History Alive

Where: - Fort Lytton National Park, Cnr Lytton Rd and South St, Lytton QLD
When: - 6 & 7 June 2015
Website: - http://www.historyalive.com.au/
Note: History Alive includes but does not confine itself to the medieval and renaissance periods.

Abbey Medieval Festival

Where: - Abbeystowe, Caboolture, Qld
When: - 11 & 12 July 2015
Website: - http://abbeymedievalfestival.com/about/
Note: Two Medieval Banquets will be held in the weeks before the festival on 27 June and 4 July.  http://abbeymedievalfestival.com/events-and-tickets/medieval-banquet/

Abbey Medieval Jousting Spectacular

Where: - Caboolture, Qld
When: - 15 November 2015
Website: - http://abbeymedievalfestival.com/events-and-tickets/abbeymedievaljoustingspectacular/


Victoria

Geelong Highland Gathering

Where: - Deakin University Waurn Ponds Campus.
When: - 1 March 2015
Website: - http://www.geelonghighlandgathering.org.au/
Note: Not medieval but still lots of fun.

National Celtic Festival

Where: - Port Arlington, Vic
When: - 5 to 8 June 2015
Website: - http://www.nationalcelticfestival.com/


Timeline Festival, Kryal Castle

Where: - Kryal Castle, Ballarat Vic
When: - 12 & 13 September, 2015
Website: -http://www.timeline.org.au/ 

Nordic Festival

Where: - Warburton, Vic
When: - 17 & 18 October 2015
Website: - http://www.nordicfestival.org/


Sth Australia

Gumeracha Medieval Fair 

Where: - Gumeracha Sth Australia, about 50 minutes east of Adelaide, S.A
When: - 2 and 3 May 2015
Website: - http://medievalsa.org/


Western Australia

Perth Medieval Fayre

Where: - Supreme Court Gardens, Perth, W.A.
When: - 16 May 2015.
Website: - http://www.wama.asn.au/

Where: - Balingup, W.A., about 250 km south of Perth.
When: - 22 & 23 August 2015.
Website: - http://www.balingupmedievalcarnivale.com.au/


Tasmania

Tasmania Medieval Festival

Where: - Lions Park, Reservoir Drive, Wynyard, Tas.
When: - 26 & 27 September 2015.
Website: - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tasmania-medieval-festival/931721103514067


Do you know of any festivals I have missed out? Tell me about them and I will add them to the list. Have you been to any old time fairs? D and I have been to a few around the world. Click here to read about them.

12 comments:

  1. Ooh, good list! We drove past Kryal Castle on the weekend. It's on my 'to visit' list.

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    1. Hi RJ. I haven't been there. My 'kids' are adults now but they used to just love that sortof thing.

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  2. I'll be taking my kids to the St Ives one in September .

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    1. I might see you there - lol. I would just love to own one of the beautiful gowns you see at these fairs so look for me in the 'period dresses' tent.

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  3. Oh that would be awesome to go to! Too bad there's none near us :(

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    1. Hi Jess, Petition your local council to organise one - they are great fun.

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  4. OMG! I have a friend who makes custom period clothing and sells her wares at a lot of Renaissance fairs! She'll love this post!

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    1. Hi Jolanta, The dresses you see at these fairs are just beautiful. If you look at my post on the Cesky Krumlov, Colorado and St Ives fairs at this link - http://www.thetravellinglindfields.com/2014/09/stepping-back-in-time-three-great.html - you will see photos of some of the magnificent dresses I saw.

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  5. Wow, did not know they had these in Oz - looks like great fun :)

    Hello from #teamIBOT

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    1. Hi RDCG, We have been to a few both here and overseas. They are always a lot of fun, especially the jousting.

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  6. We are planning to attend a Renaissance Faire in a few weeks near Los Angeles. I hadn't realized they were popular in Australia too. They're so fun to attend.

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    1. Hi Mary, David and I went to one in Colorado a few years ago. It was a huge event and we loved it. By far the best we have ever been to though was the Five-Petalled Rose Festival at Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic. See http://www.thetravellinglindfields.com/2014/09/stepping-back-in-time-three-great.html for pictures and commentary.

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