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Welcome to the 2010 Abbey
Medieval Festival.
This year we plan to be on the new site. It will be
different and possibly challenging as we accommodate and
settle in. There will be no clearly defined internal
roads (apart from the ring road around the site) for the
first year. Once we have established the flow of
people around the site we can make adjustments to enhance
the markets and your potential to attract customers.
The markets are situated in a wonderful position at the
south-eastern corner of the new site. Entry will be
via Old Toorbul Point Road but parking will be where it has
been for the last few years. There will be only a
limited space for stallholders the first year until we see
how the new site works. Participation will be on a
first come, first accepted process providing you meet the
strict criteria we require.
As the Medieval Festival period covers a thousand years, -
from AD 600 to 1600 - it allows a variety of re-enactment
arts and crafts. You need to make a general historical
reference to this time period on the APPLICATION FORM. Please make sure you
have read the GUIDELINES FOR PARTICIPANTS.
Merchants and
stallholders selling or demonstrating their fascinating
wares in the Market form one of the most important elements
of the Abbey Medieval Tournament. Around 60 carefully
selected merchants take part, selling food, arts, crafts and
weapons, and most merchants are aware of the rigorous
guidelines we use to determine who we invite back.
With some 14,000 visitors in 2009, we welcome new merchants
and craftspersons that wish to attend, so long as they meet
the standards required.
Wearing appropriate
costumes to your time period is a requirement.
Merchants who do not conform will not be invited back.
Check out our
Medieval Guide for Stallholders or
Rosalie's Medieval Woman for costumes.
Our aim is to provide an
authentic medieval marketplace. This means the Abbey
Museum sets high standards on its merchants and
craftspersons or artisans. We are constantly upgrading
to keep our reputation as Australia’s most authentic event.
Merchants or
craftspersons selling or demonstrating wares that were part
of the artistic heritage of the Middle Ages fit right into
the medieval scene.
These included:
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armour and weapons
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enamel work
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carving in wood,
bone, antler and ivory
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mosaics
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pottery
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glasswork
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stained glass
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painting in fresco,
tempera and oils
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stonework
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embroidery and other
textile arts
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spinning, weaving and
dying
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tablet weaving
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braid making
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cooking
Especially welcome are
purveyors of crafts that are specifically medieval, such as
pilgrim badge makers, potters making authentic medieval
pottery, costumers in the style of the period, armourers,
and so on.
The Abbey Medieval
Festival Committee reserves the right to discourage an
uneven number of merchants, craftspersons or food vendors
demonstrating the same craft or art.
Demonstrators of crafts
need to use materials of the period; for instance,
card-weaving displays should have cards of appropriate
materials, such as leather, bone or wood. Modern
playing cards used in tablet weaving displays are not in
keeping with our medieval theme and are not acceptable.
We accept that some
crafts may need to use some modern tools and materials;
however, these should be kept to a minimum and if possible
out of sight of the public. Blatantly modern items are
not in keeping with our medieval theme and should be hidden
or eliminated.
Please note, if it is
your intention to sell your wares, you will also need to
apply for a Merchant's Licence.
The Abbey Medieval
Festival Committee provides more detailed guidelines for
vendors wishing to become traders at the Festival and
Tournament on request. If you have previously attended
this event you will be familiar with the standards we
expect. However, each year we ask traders to work a
little harder to become an authentic participant.
Please be patient with us as we move to our new site.
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