Discover historical battles, artisan crafts, and immersive experiences at these upcoming events.
Please note: Dates, locations, and ticket details are subject to change. Always verify information via official sources before travelling.
UK Medieval Fayres and Re-enactment Events 2026
Locations, Tickets, and Official Sites
Early Season Events
Artisan and Reenactors Market
Location: Warwickshire Exhibition Centre, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
Dates: 13 to 15 March 2026
Tickets: Paid entry, usually day and weekend passes. Discounts often available for reenactors and traders.
Website: https://www.armarket.uk
A practical opening to the season, focused less on spectacle and more on the material culture of the medieval world. Expect armourers, textile specialists, leatherworkers, and toolmakers rather than staged battles.
Glastonbury Abbey Medieval Fayre
Location: Glastonbury Abbey, Somerset
Dates: 25 and 26 April 2026
Tickets: Paid entry. Abbey admission included. Advance booking recommended.
Website: https://www.glastonburyabbey.com
Set within the abbey ruins, this fayre leans into atmosphere. Jousting, archery, and living history camps sit alongside a strong trader presence. The setting alone makes this one memorable.
Avoncroft Living History Festival
Location: Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire
Dates: 25 and 26 April 2026
Tickets: Paid entry. Museum ticket covers the festival.
Website: https://avoncroft.org.uk
One of the better events for understanding medieval daily life rather than warfare alone. Multiple periods are represented, which allows for useful comparison rather than confusion.
Spring and Early Summer
Ormskirk Medieval Festival
Location: Coronation Park, Ormskirk, Lancashire
Dates: 9 and 10 May 2026
Tickets: Free entry
Website: https://www.westlancs.gov.uk
A well-run community festival with a genuine medieval core. Combat displays are accessible without being cartoonish, which is harder to pull off than it looks.
Muncaster Medieval Festival
Location: Muncaster Castle, Ravenglass, Cumbria
Dates: 23 to 31 May 2026
Tickets: Paid entry. Included with castle admission.
Website: https://www.muncaster.co.uk
Extended over several days, this is designed for families and holiday visitors. Historically lighter in tone, but still anchored in recognisable medieval themes.
Roman and Medieval Festival
Location: Castle Park, Colchester, Essex
Dates: 6 and 7 June 2026
Tickets: Paid entry. Advance booking expected via ticketing platforms.
Website: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk
A mixed-period event that reflects Colchester’s layered history. The medieval element is solid, though it shares space with Roman reenactment and interpretation.
Barnet Medieval Festival
Location: King George’s Fields, Monken Hadley, Hertfordshire
Dates: 7 and 8 June 2026
Tickets: Free entry
Website: https://www.barnetmedievalfestival.org
Centred on the Battle of Barnet, this is one of the more historically focused free events in southern England. Volunteer-led and rooted in local memory.
High Summer Re-enactments
Tewkesbury Medieval Festival
Location: Tewkesbury Battlefield and Vineyards, Gloucestershire
Dates: 11 and 12 July 2026
Tickets: Free entry
Website: https://www.tewkesburymedievalfestival.co.uk
One of Europe’s largest medieval re-enactments. The scale is impressive, but what keeps it relevant is the care taken with interpretation of the Wars of the Roses rather than treating it as background noise.
Battle of Shrewsbury Medieval Festival
Location: Shrewsbury Town Centre and Quarry Park, Shropshire
Date: 25 July 2026
Tickets: Free entry
Website: https://www.myshrewsbury.co.uk
More compact than Tewkesbury, but strong on craft, cookery, and arms displays. A good example of how a one-day event can still feel substantial.
Skipton Castle Medieval Events
Location: Skipton Castle, North Yorkshire
Dates: Selected weekends, July and August 2026
Tickets: Paid entry. Included with castle admission.
Website: https://www.skiptoncastle.co.uk
Rather than one large festival, Skipton offers focused themed weekends. These are often quieter, which makes them better for conversation and close-up demonstrations.
Battle of Evesham Festival
Location: Crown Meadow and Evesham Town Centre, Worcestershire
Dates: 1 and 2 August 2026
Tickets: Free entry
Website: https://www.battleofevesham.co.uk
Centred on the 1265 battle, this festival balances large combat reenactment with town-based living history. It remains one of the better free medieval events in the Midlands.
Robin Hood Festival
Location: Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre, Nottinghamshire
Dates: 1 and 2 August, 8 and 9 August 2026
Tickets: Free entry
Website: https://visitsherwood.co.uk
More legend than document, but unapologetically so. Jousting, storytelling, and performance dominate, and it works because it never pretends to be something else.
England’s Medieval Festival
Location: The King’s Wood, near Rochester, Kent
Dates: Late August Bank Holiday Weekend 2026
Tickets: Paid entry. Advance booking strongly advised.
Website: https://www.englandsmedievalfestival.com
Large, noisy, and ambitious. Not academically pure, but undeniably effective as a mass medieval spectacle. Falconry, artillery, jousts, and sprawling markets define the experience.
Late Summer and Autumn
The Kingdom of Loxwood Joust
Location: Loxwood Meadow, West Sussex
Dates: 1, 2, 8, 9, 15 and 16 August 2026
Tickets: Paid entry. Timed sessions common.
Website: https://loxwoodjoust.co.uk
Focused almost entirely on jousting. If mounted combat is your interest, this is one of the clearest expressions of it on the calendar.
Dinton Pastures Medieval Weekend
Location: Dinton Pastures Country Park, Wokingham, Berkshire
Dates: 12 and 13 September 2026
Tickets: Paid entry
Website: https://www.wokinghamcountryside.co.uk
A compact event with strong arena programming. Birds of prey, mounted displays, and combat demos make it more kinetic than most late-season festivals.
Renaissance Faire UK: The Crossing of Worlds
Location: Quex Park, Birchington, Kent
Dates: 11 to 13 September 2026
Tickets: Paid entry. Weekend passes available.
Website: https://www.renaissancefaireuk.co.uk
Leans toward fantasy, but still relevant for visitors interested in arms, costume, and performance inspired by medieval Europe rather than strict reenactment.
Takeaway
What stands out in 2026 is range. Some events aim for fidelity, others for accessibility, and a few simply want to entertain. The strongest festivals understand their lane and stay in it. Whether you are drawn to battlefield accuracy or the broader cultural afterlife of the Middle Ages, this year offers plenty of chances to step into the past without pretending it was simple or tidy.
