St Anthony's School's annual Medieval Fayre was a huge success this year.
St Anthony's School's annual Medieval Fayre was a huge success this year.
From little seeds might trees grow - or in this case, small galas grow into sell-out medieval fayres.
When the team at St Anthony’s School in Whanganui held a gala in 2012, it’s unlikely they predicted just how big the event would become over the years. Back then, it wasa standard school gala, complete with games, food stalls, second-hand goods and the like.
Fast-forward to February 18, 2023, and the event is almost unrecognisable from those humble beginnings, featuring a range of medieval games from archery and crossbow shooting to a prisoner stock (complete with wet sponges to be thrown at the prisoners, of course).
Image 1 of 15: St Anthony's School's annual Medieval Fayre was a huge success this year. Photo / supplied
The gala first became known as the Medieval Fayre in 2019, and since then, each year it has run has come with the addition of new attractions, including horse and pony rides, wondering minstrels, a local Viking combat group who pitch their tents and bring their armour and swords to be admired - and demonstrated - and even a fairytale-themed bouncy castle for the younger audience members. Delicious and tempting food stalls include a range of fares from Filipino barbecue to Indian curries and Dutch doughnuts.
Prior to February’s event, the fayre was last held in 2021, with the 2022 event being cancelled under the Covid restrictions of the time. In 2021, the fayre sold an impressive 4000 tickets, but this year that number was eclipsed by an incredible 10,000-plus tickets being sold - a 250 per cent increase.
This year, the fayre featured even more attractions, including a daunting gauntlet obstacle course that challenged participants to navigate their way across a wooden beam while avoiding a range of (foam) axes and swords swinging above them. Pirate ship rides, axe throwing, an antler toss stall and a leather work stall also attracted plenty of people over the day.
The gala committee are already at work planning for the 2024 event, which they are confident will be even more spectacular.
