Manitoba Goes Medieval In Cooks Creek

Manitoba Goes Medieval In Cooks Creek

It only comes once every two years, but this is the weekend the Medieval Festival comes to Cooks Creek!

The Basics

Where: Cooks Creek Manitoba (about 20 mins NE of Winnipeg)

When: Satuday July 16, Noon-6:00 p.m.

What to bring: Your friends, family, and a costume if you want!

Why: Because this only happens once every two years and it is AMAZING

The Activities

If you come to the festival this weekend here is a list of just some of the things you’ll experience:

-Live jousting (people in suits of armour trying to knock each other off their horses using long wooden weapons)

-Heavy armour combat (people in suits of armour swinging medieval weapons at each other)

-Petting zoo

-Animal ambassadors (A Great Horned Owl and others) from Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre (click here to learn about this owl)

-Archery (test it out for yourself)

-Live music (Harps, choirs, and more in the church)

-Garden of Ale (because everyone needs a cool wobbly pop on a hot medieval day)

-Live chess tournament (people dressed as chess pieces play an actual chess match)

The Setting

This is one of the COOLEST events that happens in Manitoba. I don’t have any particular affinity for Medieval stuff, but I had heard about the festival and then got a small preview of it for work by visiting the site the week before the event. If you’ve never been to Cooks Creek before there is a BEAUTIFUL church there. It’s this amazing cathedral sitting kinda in the middle of nowhere (Cooks Creek is a tiny community about 20 mins NE of Lagimodiere and the Perimeter). Right next to the church is this structure that looks like an ancient castle, but in fact, is a grotto constructed at the request of one of the church’s former ministers. The place is the perfect setting for the festival.

Should You Go?

The reason I am so excited to share the news about this event is because it is an incredibly cool experience that happens right in our back yard, yet not enough people know about this! They have a great turnout every year, but this is just SO cool for the whole family to experience, more people deserve to check this out. If you come you’ll see people wandering the crowd in homemade suits of metal and leather armour. You’ll see knights riding horses at FULL SPEED as they joust! When the jousters unseat their foe the lances explode into kindling and you’re watching this match from atop a castle! There are people wandering around with birds of prey (hawks, owls, and more) perched on their arms. Roving musicians serenade you. There’s an artisan market with stuff you just won’t find anywhere else (really…ever wanted your own sword and shield?)!

Do not miss out on this very cool event!