The second annual Nakusp Medieval Days festival was a rousing success.
The sun was out and the sky was blue as residents and visitors came out to Brouse Loop Road for a taste of what life was like back in medieval Europe.
A cacophony of sound met the ears as festival goers walked up to the main field where the festival took place, with music, chatter, and cheers from those watching and taking part in the various demonstrations.
The festival was divided up into different sections, with each one depicting medieval life in some way, shape or form. One section had vendors selling various wares, armour, and clothing from the time period.
Two sections were dedicated to martial demonstrations, such as rapier and sword fighting, and archery.
At the far end of the festival was a war field where, on the first day, several large battles played out.
Throughout the day many festival goers could be heard discussing the improvement to the festival compared to the one held last year.
“Last year it was all clumped together really, really tight,” said festival attendant Oriah Leeson.
“This year they’ve spaced it out a lot, and I think they’ve added a few more booths.”
The second day of the tournament was quieter. Events took place throughout the morning, but crowds really started to arrive in the afternoon, just in time for the highland games demonstration.
About eight competitors for the games were led to the field amid a fanfare of bagpipes and drums.
One of the competitors, Ellias Cote, who goes by Ellias Silver when taking part in re-enactments, has been taking part in various medieval festivals for many years.
“I was always fascinated with medieval history, and Europe has an incredible rich tradition, and rich history with many different cultures,” he said.
“I was lucky enough to travel there and see some of the things that we try to recreate and re-enact firsthand.”
This is the second time Cote has taken part in Medieval Days.
Festival attendants received a treat as members from the Jousting Alliance of Washington State (JAWS) held a joust at the end of both Saturday and Sunday’s event.
This is the first time JAWS was part of the festival, and they proved to be a hit with the crowd.
One knight, Count Richter Dragoi Van Darkove, drew much attention as his armour, along with the trimmings of his horse, resembled the markings of a dragon.
Though there were fewer attendants of this year’s festival, members of the Nakusp Medieval Society were very pleased with this year’s festival.
“It was a lot more interactive, there was more stuff to see, everything came together,” said Daniel Abraham, president of the society. “All of the issues we wanted to address from last year were addressed successfully.”
The Nakusp Medieval Society plans on taking a short break before planning next year’s festival.
