Medieval Festival at Fort Tryon Park - 2007

Camelot Returns to Manhattan!

Take a look at the Video New Yorkled shot at the 2005 Festival: Fort Tryon Park Medieval Festival 2005 VIDEO

Rub the rust off thy armor, iron thy chain mail and polish up on ye chivalry because the 2007 Medieval Festival at Fort Tryon Park will be held on Sunday, September 30th, from NOON - 6PM!

The annual event is sponsored by the City of New York Parks and Recreation and the Washington Heights and Inwood Development Corporation (a not-for-profit organization). This is the festival’s 22nd year!

Admission is free.
Expected Attendance: 40,000+

The festival is a unique chance to experience the medieval period in the most authentic setting this side of Europe. The area around the Cloisters Museum in Fort Tryon Park is transformed into a medieval market village where knights in armor, jugglers, jesters, magicians, musicians, storytellers, and puppeteers will perform. A blacksmith, manuscript illuminator, pottery decorator, wood carver and other artisans will demonstrate their crafts. Performers and fairgoers dress in historical costumes. Medieval food is available and craft items will be sold. The afternoon culminates with a jousting event between knights on horseback!

Fairegoers young and old are promised a lot of fun and a chance to learn what life was like in the Middle Ages. Special activities for children make up an important part of the festival, including a variety of puppet theater, music, dance and storytelling activities. The faire is also a chance to discover the beauty of Fort Tryon Park with its stunning views of the Hudson River, the Palisades, and the Cloisters Museum. Parks’s staff will conduct a hawk watch from the park’s heather gardens.

Medieval Festival Highlights:

• The Grand Tilts and a Joust between knights in armor on horseback
• Acclaimed ensembles and individuals presenting a variety of medieval music, dance and song.
• A living chess match featuring medieval combat
• Merlin-like magicians will cast spells on youngsters of all ages.
• Demonstrations on medieval life and fashions as well as one-on-one and group combat.
• Medieval Craft Demonstrations and Sales
• Medieval style food and drink.

HOW TO GET THERE: Visitors are urged to take public transportation. By subway, take the IND “A” train to the 190th street station. Take the elevator up to the park and festival entrance. By bus, take the “M4” to the last stop at Margaret Corbin Circle/190th Street and Fort Tryon Park. Visitors can also take either the M100 or BX7 bus along Broadway to 190th Street, then walk a block west to the IND Subway entrance on Bennett Avenue and take the elevator up to the park entrance. For the athletically inclined, one may also take the M100 or BX7 to Dyckman Street and walk through the park and up the steep hill until you reach the Cloisters.

For those driving, parking will be available at the Presbyterian Hospital parking garage located at 165th Street on Fort Washington Avenue, from which visitors can take public transportation to the park. A special parking rate of $10 is available for festival visitors—visitors must tell attendant they are there for festival and show a copy of the festival program (free) when they return to their car.

For more information, the public can call (212) 795-1600.