News Come and see history in action this Easter in Maidstone!
Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) is inviting everyone to come along and enjoy a grand Medieval Fayre in Brenchley Gardens this Easter weekend.
The FREE family day out on Saturday 8 April, from 11am to 4pm promises to be a great experience for all ages to enjoy featuring a host of displays and demonstrations, music, entertainment and hands-on history.
The Maidstone Medieval Fayre will see re-enactors who will breathe life into traditional crafts and skills through demonstrations and talks. Visitors can see spinners and weavers, woodworkers and calligraphers, as well as a barber surgeon, and a blacksmith working at his forge. They can also discover more about medieval crime and punishment or learn about childhood toys and games, then meet the beautiful owls and birds of prey from Kent Owl Academy.
Musical entertainment will be provided by The Companye of Strangers on the bandstand in Brenchley Gardens throughout the day and there will be puppet shows for younger visitors, and the young-at-heart.
MBC Lead Member for Culture and Arts, Cllr Claudine Russell said:
We are delighted to be able to put-on this fantastic Medieval Fayre in the middle of Maidstone where everyone can come along and enjoy a day out whilst experiencing history up-close-and-personal.This is the first time Maidstone Borough Council has held a Medieval Fayre and am sure it will be a great success with the brilliant displays, demonstrations and entertainment that are on offer during the day. We have been expanding our calendar of events in the town centre over the past few years to provide people with different things to come and enjoy totally free of charge and I do hope that this will be one that we can repeat again next year.
The event will also give younger visitors the chance to take part in one of the Knight & Princess Training sessions where they can dress up (weather permitting) and learn some courtly manners and medieval dance, as well as a sword school and battle tactics.
Visitors should also look out for the dragon that will be roaming around the town centre at various times during the day. He’ll be accompanied by a Knight in armour to make sure he behaves himself!
MBC is pleased to be working with the following organisations to deliver this fantastic free event for the people of Maidstone: Pelican in her Piety; Happening History; Heathcliff Heroics; Kent Owl Academy; Mutton Chop Forge; Julia Baxter; James Frost; CEP and the Companye of Strangers.
A Thriving Place is one of the priorities of Maidstone Borough Council and the Medieval Fayre reflects that.