Year 4: April 13th, 2019: Viking Fest 2019

While Benaiah wrote his ACT test (and later told us it didn't go so well), and then went on to work a full shift in the evening, the rest of us spent over 4 hrs in Whitestown, IN, just northwest of Indianapolis at the 2nd Annual Viking Fest!  We (or at least I) had so much fun! So cheap to get in, but the entertainers/reenactors were excellent!  They were enthusiastic and willing to let people, even kids, touch their homemade costumes and props.  They really were about education more than anything.  We watched a series of skits that told of Viking courts, scuffles, victories, etc.  We watched a series of fighters show of the different kinds of fighting Viking could have done.  And we finished the day with an amazing older gentleman who educated us on everything falconry.  He was engaging, funny, educational, and you could tell you absolutely loved his job and his 4 birds of prey he had with him.  He's been doing it for 30 years.  He's the kind of older gentleman that could easily play Santa Claus.  There were Viking encampments, a wolfdog, make your own sword and shield, rock climbing wall, a variety of food vendors, and tons and tons of handmade goods (no DS companies allowed).  One vendor was selling handmade full length cloaks valued at $400!  And, because Vikings follow Norse and other pagan religions, there was an actual Wicca booth and Wicca 101 class.  I didn't feel ill, but we didn't visit the booth obviously.  Wicca is witchcraft and is a real cult.  There was also a psychic, but that also didn't bother me given the nature of the event.  It wasn't obvious to children, thank goodness.  The actors (as you'll see below, especially in the videos) were really into their characters and had a ton of fun doing what they do.  The schedule was well run, everything was spread out, the price was right, and there were just enough people to make it a successful event.  Sure the grounds were a bit muddy, but we had a huge rain the day before.  The only improvement I would like to see for next year is some kind of map of where the main areas are and then have those areas clearly marked.  They had an awesome schedule put up on signs, complete with color coded locations, but nothing indicated where on the grounds those locations where compared to other things.  Oh well, it was easy to walk around and we double backed quite a few times.  I got in almost 6,000 steps!  And the weather was prefect! 65 degrees and sunny!

So, it was a pretty exciting day, check it out below!

Viking Fest 2019 Playlist

Justin reminds me of King Alfred from a TV series I watched recently.  The skinniness, paleness, dark hair, and chain mail.  Hm,....

Our admission included two all day passes to the climbing wall, and since Keturah didn't want to do it (I think she's afraid of heights) Jared went in her place. Justin was about halfway up the wall before Jared started and Jared was able to catch up with him, but Jared let Justin win.

What fun!

You'll have to watch all the video clips, but these actors were very, very good!  Their accents were decent, they were loud (even the women!), and rough just like we imagine the real Vikings to be.  And just like today, there's a lot of ruffling feathers and verbal vomiting on each other.  And they only way to resolve it is to fight!  Thus the sign reads "the show contains violence, families with young children be warned" (or something like that). 

Woman viking warrior taking down the cook.  There was also a berserker, a seer, the king, court, etc.

Viking raiders!

Fried dough! And it isn't fair season?! Yum! (not for me, only at the fair, and only sometimes.)

Abishai found some firefighters that were on site because there were real campfires and a huge bonfire. The event did go until 10pm with music and things like barrel throwing.

I loved this falconer! He has shared his loves of all things falconry for years and years.  In fact, one of his birds retired recently (one eyed Jack) and the bird is 32 years old!  This one is 2 yrs old and her name is Rose. Most of his birds were rescues.  He taught about the differences in falcons and hawks, explained about sharp their claws are and how they would hurt more than a peck from their beak, which is used for tearing food.

He also had Rose show us how she eats a mouse!  Of course it had been a frozen mouse, but she did rip the head off and tear about the body, and finished with the tail in about 3 bites.  Also, the females are bigger than the males.

Gorgeous brooches and hair pins!

These gentlemen answered all of Jared's questions about their forge and their handmade tools.

Handspun yarn and further down there were booths with   I was going to go back through the village in the woods but didn't get around to it.

They had some signs explaining the different booths and jobs in the Viking village.

Handmade tools for sale, including hooks, cooking utensils, hairpins, cuffs, etc.

Justin wouldn't stop smiling!  I think we need to toughen him up.  He makes a scrawny Viking!  Although, the Viking farmer said that a lot of Vikings were scrawnier than they are depicted because of the scarcity of the food.

EEEEEE!!!!!!!  A Viking helmet just like the ones you seen the books!  And real leather shoes!  And weapons galore of course!  Awesome!  And all of that is HEAVY!

Typical meals include bread, root vegetables, fish, eggs, etc.

Falcon rested as we walked by.

Trying out a sword!

Imagine that Viking kids his age might actually have to go into battle!  Oh, the shield was wood, with linen stretched out on it and then painted to make it waterproof.  And the middle was cut out and then the metal piece was put in, as well as a bracket for your hand.  And then you could use that knob to push against other people.  Neat!

Viking raiders encampment, including the traditional looking Viking crisscross of the beams holding up the tents.

A little friendly sword fighting.

Lots and lots of variety in dress and fighting technique.  Some even looked a bit more like Englishmen than Vikings.  I loved how all around the town you saw different flags and shield representing different Viking families.

Huge malamute dog.  Gorgeous!

Trash can lids used as shield, inventive!

Some food vendors: ice cream, fried foods/corn dogs, huge leg of ham, and a beer tent as well.   You have to have mead around when you have Vikings around!

Lots of space for growth.

$30 for a small drinking horn, but how cool!  Justin wanted one.

"May I hit you with my duck?"  We walked up to the skit area while they were in the middle of some duel thing.  You were supposed to be blindfolded and then hit each other with ducks.  But they look the blindfold off the girl so she could hit him better, and the guy didn't know.  I don't know what the meaning of it was, but they used rubber ducks.  It was pretty funny!   And that's the "King" in the furs right there.

They sang a nice warrior song to get things officially started.  And the Viking "band" would drum at the height of each wrestling match. 

Gregor? Soothsayer? Visionary, predict the future, pagan, yup.

Even two girls got in on the fight!  And man were they impressive!

So many fights!  Just watch the videos!

Uh oh, looks like trouble!

They showed us different combat styles.

And a woman won!  They had rules about how you pretended to be dead, like kneeling or putting your shield on top of yourself.

Someone from the village, but she did a great job with her hair!

Cutest firefighter taking in all the action, ready to unleash it when we got home after a nap.

Special animal encounter! A wolf dog!  7/8 parts wolf and 1/8 part dog.  You had to sign a waiver to even pet it.  Yellow eyes and everything.

Coloring shields!  Keturah was in her element and took her time.

Daddy helped with Abishai's shield.  Two sword/shield combos were part of the family pass.  The swords blow up which were quite cool.

Abishai was the only one who wanted to pet the wolf!  Sweet!

My little Viking warriors!

Sorry, but I got some great ones.  And I don't remember all the details, but it was very educational.

Hawks glide, falcons are smaller and dive.

This falcon was the only one he let loose, warning us that she might not come right back.  He almost lost her once, but she made a huge effort to get back to him.

Whoops!  She ran into some branches, and stunned, fell to the ground almost and was upside down for a few seconds.  I've never seen a bird that stunned and falling on it's back before.

Lunch in the car!

Exhausted!  He walked most of the time today, and I clocked nearly 5,000 steps, so that was a lot.  It made for a very late 10pm bedtime though.

Naps after a big day.

I'll never get tired of seeing my babies sleep.

We finished the day with a classic.  Robin Hood: Men In Tights.  We skipped the overtly adult humor stuff.  So many 90's references! (Movie was released in 1993).  And it all went right over Keturah's and Justin's heads!  Meanwhile Jared and I are guffawing! I don't think we've ever watched it together before.  I know we've seen Princess Bride together at least once. (Same genre, a spoof, and made in 1987, with the same lead actor.  Therefore I get the two movies confused all the time.

After carefully observing the fighting all day, Abishai picked up some new skills!  He put out his shield and then drew it back as he jabed with the sword.  He watched the fighting sequences longer than the other two did.  As a vlogger says about one of her sons, "He's my Viking child."  meaning strong willed, do what he wants to do, crazier, a little rough around the edges but a barrel of fun.

That's it! We had a great day and I'm glad we made the effort to go.  And I'm glad it was on a Saturday so that my husband could go with us.  I don't know if  we'll make it every year, but this year we did and it was a great! Way to go Whitestown for putting on such a great event!

The End