A medieval festival
By Porcospino
@Porcospino (31366)
Denmark
August 26, 2010 5:36pm CST
Tomorrow I am going to a medieval festival in Horsens, Denmark. It takes place every year and I have been there a couple of times. It is a big event and there are lots of activities like concerts, knight tournaments, medieval weddings and stalls where you can buy food, drinks, crafts etc.
Only crafts and food/drinks that existed in the Middle ages are allowed and the food is served on cabbage leaves instead of plates and the drinks are served in some medieval mugs made out of clay. The participants are dressed liked people from the Middle ages. There is no electric light, only candles and torches and that creates a special atmosphere.
Have you ever participated in a historical festival? If you have never tried it, would you like to visit a festival like that? Why/why not?
3 people like this
8 responses
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
26 Aug 10
One of the things that I like about the festival is the costumes. They have very strict rules and the participants are not allowed to wear clothes or shoes that didn't exist in the the Middle Ages, because they want everything to look authentic.
@AutumnGold (1056)
•
26 Aug 10
Hello Porcospino. I'never been to a medieval festival but I'd love to go to one. I love to visit castles and I have a great interest in history so I'd love to get the feel of how it felt to live in those days. Another thing I'd like to see is a Jousting event, it amazes me how they were willing to do such dangerous things in the name of sport. Hopefully I'll get to go to one one day.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
26 Aug 10
I am also interested in history and that is one of the reasons why I like festivals like that. I like to walk around in the area and listen to the music and the people, look at the crafts and costumes, smell the food and the spices, sit on the logs and drink one of the tradional drinks from that time and just feel the atmosphere. I have never seen one of the knight tournaments, but they are very popular. 16 knights participate in the tournaments and it is called the European jousting championship.
1 person likes this
@AutumnGold (1056)
•
26 Aug 10
There are a lot of events held here so I must try to get to one. I know someone who goes to them a few times every year, she dresses in the costumes and gets involved in things, she's a mamber on here so I think she might respond to this discussion, I sent her the link. I'd love to try the Mead, it was a popular drink during medieval times but I understand it's quite potent so I won't have too much 
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
27 Aug 10
The renaissance fair sounds interesting. What kinds of things or activities are there?
1 person likes this
@veejay19 (3589)
• India
27 Aug 10
In my country,India, almost all festivals are of a religious nature and people have been participating in them for thousands of years. In India religions of the entire world are present therefore at any given time some or the other festival is being observed by people in the country.Since people of all faiths live together everybody participates in each ones festival which leads to communal harmony and national integration.It is not required for us to go to any particular place to participate in a particular festival because every city has paople of every faith in it.so we take part in them just by being in our home town.However we don`t have any festival of the type you have described in your country.
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
27 Aug 10
In my country there are relatively few religions represented. There are some jews, some muslims and some buddhists, but most people are protestants, so we don't have the same chance to experience different festivals as you have in India. I would like to live in the country like India where there were many religions and cultures represented, I think that you are lucky to chance to learn from others and experience maybe different kinds of festivals and cultures.
@pinhornudo (437)
• Brazil
27 Aug 10
Sounds so interesting. It's bad that my country don't have stuffs like this.
But someday I hope I can visit a festival like this. Someday sure I will.
Medieval culture is something so much interesting for me.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
27 Aug 10
I also think that it is interesting and it a great way to learn something about the past. I returned from the festival a while ago. I enjoyed my time there. My husband and I walked around and looked at the different activities. The weather was sunny and that was very nice because everything takes place outside. I hope that you will also get the chance to experience a festival like that one day 
@SilverKing (1003)
• Canada
27 Aug 10
No i have never participated but that sounds really interesting.I hope you have a good time and learn alot about the history behind all the landmarks you visit.I can imagine that all the medevil events will be reinacted very well and it will feel like you are back in the 15 or 16 centry.The knight tournments sounds really cool and sounds like a real blast.If i were their i would spend a long time exploring and finding out what it was like living back in that era in history.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
27 Aug 10
Yes, I had a very good time there. There were a lot people and a lot of activites, and the medieval festival is a big event. The festival started at 4 p.m., but the most impressive part of it the last part when it is dark outside, because then they light the torches and the candles. No electric light is allowed.
@sujaysen (594)
• India
27 Aug 10
It is indeed a fantastic idea to perform such type of festival. My contry India is also a very old and ancient country. There are lots of pujas (worship of god and goddess)and rituals are performed in my country which is being followed by the ancient times. I always take participant in our local community pujas while it comes in every year rotationally.
During this pujas, we use to wear new dresses, often eat out a special item, meet with lot of our friends and family members etc. etc.
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
27 Aug 10
It was interesting to read your description of pujas. We don't have that kind of worship in my country. Many of the holidays that we celebrate today also existed many years ago, but the ways of celebrating have changed since that time. Today many people don't know the story behind some of the old traditions that we have, but the traditions still exist.
@qianyun6 (2067)
• China
27 Aug 10
Though there are a lot of historical festivals in China, like the dragon boat festival, mid-autumn day, the spring festival. But in modern time, less and less historical and cultural elements are still in them for us common person. For me, they only represent a long holiday after a long time hard work/studay. I don't have sufficient effort and strength to prepare for historical ceremonies, though some of them are really meaningful and interesting.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
27 Aug 10
I have heard about the dragon boat festival and the spring festival, but I don't know the details about them or how you celebrate them. The thing you write about modern time and less historical and cultural elements sounds like some of the festival in my country. We have a holiday called "The day for prayers" and in the past it was a day where people didn't have to work and where they were able to spend the day on prayers, today is it just a holiday where people relax and have fun. It is still called "The day for prayers" but people don't spend the day on prayers anymore.
