May 3^rd & 4^th, 2008

Noon to 6pm

Festival Admission: 

 Adults                      $6

  60 yrs & over          $4

 12 yrs & under        $4

    5 yrs & under          free

 Feast &Festival        $45

Children 12 & under must be with an adult at all times.

No pets/radios/flash/videos please; Limited Smoking areas.  

Our first outdoor event of the year:

  Maypole dancing, crafts, mynstrels and our May Feast.

   Mayday, “somour games,” was a popular holiday in the middle ages, a celebration of “Sumer is i-cumen in.” Bringyng in the May was the traditional form of this celebration.    Young folk and others would venture into the woods before daybreak, or the night before, to gather wild flowers, greenery, and hawthorn boughs. Sometimes the young men would carry back a tree trunk, stripped of its branches, to be redecorated with flowers and long ribbons.  Many towns had a year-round Maypole fixed in their village square around which villagers would enjoy dancing, games, contests, choosing a May Queen, and feasting.

   Come join us in our 14th annual festival of merriment, feasting and the beauty of Spring in the countryside.  Medieval clothing is encouraged, but optional.  Greens, yellows and a chaplet for your hair are preferred on this occasion.  Clothing rentals are available at the Clothier Shoppe.

  Craft Shops & Booths  will open at noon.  As this is also the season for sheep shearing, we will feature a craft demonstration on textile production: carding, spinning, dyeing and weaving.  Other crafters will demonstrate garland weaving, and cottage building.

.  May games and entertainment begin at 1 pm. Come join in  jou de boule, quoits, long-bow archery, nine-man-morris, and village dancing; you may enjoy the harmonious medieval music of Chansonnier, Bawderie & Blisse, the Sisters, and marvel at Paynes Natural Magykes.

   Sheep shearing using traditional hand shears will be featured at 4:00 pm.

   Maypole festivities begin at 4:30 pm.  We will gather round the great pole, decked with flowers, streamers and greens, for the choosing of the Queen of the May and the dancing of the colorful and traditional maypole ceremony.

.  þe Bors Hede will serve lunch from noon to 3:30 pm (reservations not required) and open again at 5 pm for dinner (by reservation).  For more sumptuous dining, sign up for . . .

Saturday & Sunday - MAY 3 & 4, 2008 - 6 pm

Tickets, not refundable, are $45.00 per guest for all seats (includes gate admission).

 Advance Reservations only.  Seating is limited to 40 guests.

Reservations will be taken in order of postmark, and your tickets will be returned by mail.

No cameras / cell phones, please.

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Le Menu

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Cours i

TRENCHER BREAD  (to eat & to eat upon)

ENGLISH CHEESES  (Cotswold & Sage Derby)

A FRITOR of ERBES

A GRETE HERB & FLOWER SALAT

A TART IN YMBRE DAY  (onion & current pie)

ROSTE LAMB IN FRESEYES  (strawberry sauce)

APULMOS  (apple-almond sauce)

MAY WINE - MUSTE (spiced juice)

Cours ii

PEASCODDES  (sautéed snowpeas)

CHECONES IN CRITONE  (almond & pine nut sauce)

QUALYS ROSTYD with SWETE MUSTARD

JACK-O-THE-GREEN CAKES

FRESH FRUIT OF THE SEASON

PYMENTE (herb-honey wine) - MUSTE