Levin Medieval Market curries favour with huge crowd

Journalist·Horowhenua Chronicle·

12 Feb, 2023 11:54 PMQuick Read

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.

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.