This weekend, take a break from the Twitter taunts and the ratcheting fear of nuclear war and harken back to a simpler time when all we had to worry about was the plague. Music, morsels and merriment await you in the fields of Blue Lake at the Medieval Festival of Courage Oct. 7-8, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Christie's Ranch and Pumpkin Patch ($6, $3 for kids 12 and under).
The frolicking family fundraiser is a benefit for Coastal Grove Charter School Parent Organization and other local schools, and is not your typical day in the fields. Here, there be dragons. And knights. And ladies. And faeries, elves, ogres and minstrels. Attendees can try their hands at any number of feats of strength to test their medieval mettle. Or stand back and watch those already skilled demonstrate how things were done back in the day.
On Saturday, meet the characters of the village court at the Enchanted Village Tour from 10 a.m. to noon (the first 200 children will receive a special gift from each of the characters). Then catch the Blue Lake Mounted Archers — horseback riding archers — as they take aim and shoot at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. (watch them again at the same times on Sunday). The Knights of Mayhem Full Contact Tournament Jousting kicks up a fair amount of dust at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m both days. Bring some coins, as there's a plethora of vendor booths, tents, food, drink and more at the harvest market. And feel free to come in costume (for those of you for whom Halloween is still too far away) but please leave dogs (and other dragon snacks) at home.