Medieval Market rolls back the centuries

Action, swordplay, fun and dancing all benefit community groups

Come ye, come ye, and they did by their thousands, covering many leagues to attend the annual Medieval Market in Levin on the weekend.

Anyone could channel their inner fair maiden, wench, witch or knight, if the mood so took them. Levin Showgrounds resembled some bygone era as knights jostled, bards sang and peasants were locked in stocks and had sponges of water thrown at them.

There were 200 stallholders selling wares ranging from trinkets to teapots, bone carvings to woven baskets, some travelling from as far away as Auckland.

It was the 29th annual Medieval Market and possibly the largest event yet. Medieval Market Society chairperson Anna Harris said an estimated 7000 people attended.

Last year was the biggest event yet with 6500 people attending although “it felt like there were even more people there this year,” she said.

What started as a gimmicky get-together in Manakau in the early 1990s had steadily grown each year, so much so it outgrew Manakau and had to move to Levin a few years ago

at the request of New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotaki officials due to the disruption to traffic on State Highway 1.

“It’s an affordable day out for families. We keep the gate entry [cost] as low as possible so people can afford to spend their hard-earned money on themselves.”

Harris said the unique event continues to get bigger and better. Morris dancing groups, musicians and medieval societies return each year, ever larger in number.

There was a grand parade, where Horowhenua Mayor Bernie Wanden was given a cloak and crown and made King.

“He was great, although we didn’t give him much choice,” she said.

The success of the event bode well for community groups, who can apply to the society for grants. All profits from the market were distributed back to the Horowhenua community.

The market had a large

amount of volunteer support from community groups like the cycling club, Phoenix Taekwon Do club, Levin Basketball Association, Skills 4 Living and Levin Fire Brigade who helped clean toilets, man the gates, set up and take down tenting and staging, and make cups of tea.

Some of the more popular activities were the pony rides with seven horses to choose from, and the opportunity to shoot a knight with either a crossbow or a bow and arrow.

A performance from the White Rose Morris Dancers of Wellington at the Medieval Market in Levin.

Matthew Good took a sponging in the stocks at the Medieval Market in Levin.

Scallyrags, a Border Morris dancing group from Greytown, performed at the Medieval Market in Levin.

Donna McConachie and Maree Hewer made the effort to dress up for the Medieval Market in Levin.

Eden Walsh, 11, from Upper Hutt, takes aim with a crossbow at a knight at the Medieval Market in Levin.

Arman Francis from New Plymouth at the Medieval Market in Levin.

Knights do battle at the Medieval Market in Levin.