Levin Medieval Market curries favour with huge crowd

A knight is attacked by children at the Medieval Market in Levin.

Dames, knights, urchins, archers and bards came hither to the Medieval Market in Levin over the weekend.

Thousands again flocked to what has become an annual highlight in the Horowhenua region. The event, first held in Manakau almost 29 years ago, quickly outgrew the venue and has been held at Levin Showgrounds ever since.

Fair maidens Lindsey, Leimomi and Fil at the Medieval Market in Levin over the weekend.

Held on the second Saturday in February, the event only missed one year - last year - on account of the Covid-19 lockdowns.

Chairwoman Anna Harris said there were an estimated 4500 people attending the weekend event, making it one of the busiest ever. There were 173 stallholders, from blacksmiths to bone carvers.

“It’s really hard to count heads, but it would be pretty close to being the most successful,” she said.

James the blacksmith.

The Manakau Medieval Market society is a charitable organisation, and profit was returned to the community through grants. Community organisations and groups were welcome to apply.

Harris said the show relied on community groups to volunteer, to help set up, pack up, man the gates, clean the toilets, co-ordinate parking and make cups of tea, for which they were grateful.

It was hot work for James Hamill from Taranaki Medieval Society under his heavy armour at the Medieval Market in Levin.

A knight in shining armour at the Medieval Market in Levin.

Matthew from the Wellington White Rose Morris Dancers at the Medieval Market in Levin.

It was hot work for James Hamill from Taranaki Medieval Society under his heavy armour at the Medieval Market in Levin.

Carl Bennik from Levin was selling his hand-crafted wares made from the skulls of animals at the Medieval Market in Levin.

Levin Baptist Church pastor Dave Catto was a good sport and put himself forward for a sponging at the Medieval Market in Levin over the weekend.

- Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ on Air.