The Magic and Medieval Festival will delight festival goers with fantasy and medieval elements added to the games and live entertainment.
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The Magic and Mayhem Medieval Festival promises to transport you into a realm of fantasy and gaming geek culture. The immersive festival and market is a full-day event on Saturday, March 8, at the historic Timour Hall Villa in Plumstead, from 10am to 5pm.
“We wanted to create a space that would bring together people who enjoy fantasy and geek culture,” says event co-ordinator Steven Brooks. “It was only natural for us to add that medieval element, which also gave us full rein of adding magic shows, cosplay and has an awesome entertainment factor.”
“We have a jester that runs around the market and entertains the crowd. People can practice shooting bows and arrows, watch sword fighting, go on quests or immerse themselves in live-action role-playing games. So it gives that interactive festival experience that you're not just walking around the market, but a festival vibe with all the available entertainment.”
The festival is held three times a year, with a seasonal theme, summer in March, winter in June and Halloween theme in November and the growth since they held their first event in March last year has been astronomical, says Mr Brooks.
“We struggled to find vendors and managed to scrape around 30 vendors for the first event. And now we have to turn people down because there's just not enough space to accommodate all 90, plus people that applied. But we would love to be able to have a space where we could have all the new vendors and create an atmosphere where everybody feels welcome and has fun.”
The festival drew over 800 people per event last year, with 350 joining in the festivities by coming dressed in costume.
Vendors range from handmade and homemade items, to fantasy-themed items. As they cater to such a niche market, Mr Brooks says holding the festival three times a year gives artisans more opportunity to display and sell some of their art and creations.
Festival goers will also enjoy combat displays by Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) clubs; live performances from a magician, musical acts, and a medieval quiz; Dungeons and Dragons, and other board or card games. They can also try their hand at other festival activities such as axe throwing, tin can alley and cornhole toss or join in on the cosplay competition.
Table Mountain fencing and HEMA club, will be one of three HEMA clubs, with Stellenbosch Hema and Cape Swords Hema, at the Magic and Mayhem Medieval Festival.
Gerhard Boerssen, an instructor at the Table Mountain fencing and HEMA club in Newlands, says HEMA practitioners are not only fighters but historians who study the manuscripts and manuals of medieval fencing and military masters.
“We practice from the manuals and fight according to what it teaches. At the Table Mountain fencing and HEMA club, we do German Longsword, Scottish broadsword and backsword and European Military sabre. We technically recreate the fighting styles.”
“At the end of each semester we have an interclub tournament but Magic and Mayhem provides a rare outlet for the clubs to get together and display their sportsmanship to the public. We can let loose and have a mixed weapons tournament for all the clubs.”
Tickets to the festival are R50. Those dressed in cosplay pay R30. For more information, contact magicmayhemcapetown@gmail.com or 081 510 4632.
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