The Upper Canada Village Medieval Festival is a festival celebrating medieval times at Upper Canada Village in Morrisburg, about an hour south of Ottawa.

The festival takes place early in the summer on exhibition grounds at the back of the Upper Canada Village. Admission is $25 for adults and $17 for youth, so a family of four can expect to spend about $80 to get in, however that includes access to Upper Canada Village should you want to explore it on your way to or from the Medieval Festival itself. It also includes access to (almost) everything. Food, should you decide to purchase any, horse rides and souveniers are the only things that are an additional cost.

Medieval Jousting

One of the main attractions of the festival is the authentic medieval jousting that takes place. The jousting is done by professionals, and takes place in the form of a tournament, with two different rounds being performed during the day. The jousting is done by the Knights of Valour who travel North America performing tournaments at various events and have over 25 years of experience.

After the tournament you're able to get a photograph with your favourite knight, or buy a wooden sword made from the pieces of lances that have been broken in prior tournaments. If you're concerned about the horses, not only are they well cared for, but they're all rescues, giving them a renewed purpose and possibly saving them from euthanization.

Weapons of War

There is a considerable amount of other activities and demonstrations to see and do, making it fairly easy to fill up the better part of a day. There is a weapons of war demonstration, where catapults and trebuchets are used to hurl rocks as if they were sieging a castle. The techniques of medieval combat and archery can be seen demonstrated throughout the day. There are also several small games that simulate things like using a battering ram to break down the castle gates.

For those less inclined toward the violence that was a part of much of medieval life, there are numerous activities that provide opportunity for fun and learning. Demonstrations of Blacksmithing, Chainmaille making, pottery or period jewellery are available. There are wandering magicians and jesters, dancers and other buskers that can be found throughout the festival. One popular and boisterous vendor that can be found wandering sells pickles. While it may sound a little strange, it's something that should (and probably can't) be missed.

A day at the medieval festival is easily within reach of Ottawa or surrounding towns, however it also pairs well with a weekend camping on the Long Sault Parkway due to it's proximty. Even if you're not interested in camping, your admission to Upper Canada Village includes a day pass to the beaches or Fort Henry, giving you an additional incentive to explore other attractions in the area.

For more information about the Medieval Festival and Upper Canada Village, please visit their website.