abbey medieval festival

 Megan has gone away to a music conference in Gumpee.

On Saturday, Chris, Dan, Jemma went to the Abbey Medieval Festival up on the North side of Brisbane.

The main purpose of our visit was to help Derek with the PA systems.  We met up with Paul Merrifield, Glyn Carter, Roz Window, Steve Richardson.  So it was somewhat of a reunion.

Having gotten the PA system at the Jousting to work, we were able to enjoy the show.  Attempts to photograph the moment of contact between the two competitors proved too much for a camera phone.

 There are many people who dress for the occasion and set up medieval style tents and light cap fires and roast venison and other game.  No issues with poaching as they are all Lords and Ladies.  Not a surf or a slave in sight.






So Dan was press ganged into operating the blacksmiths bellows.

 He then decided to rise to the ranks of the knight hood and tried out some armour.

My suggestion is that if you intend attending the tournament, fit out your budding knight in shining armour at home as the purchase of armaments at the festival is not cheap.  One might even suggest a rip off.  These swords that I think consisted of two bits of 3 ply glued together and a dollop of paint went at $9 each.  Another vendor would give you a better quality sword complete with shield for $30.


My other suggestion is to bring a packed lunch and wear a nappy because the queues for both the food vendors and the toilets were very very long.  At one stage while waiting for said convenience I was inconvenienced by having to step round a huge pile of poo.  Wondering aloud about the pour soul who had been so unfortunate as to have not been able to maintain a dignified stance in the line caused a helpful queue member to point out that it was horse poo.  I suspect the horse realised that tying to back into a porta loo would not have been particualaly genuine in keeping with the medievil era.