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Feasting

What happens at a feast?

We decorate a hall with banners, light it with candles, serve anywhere between nine and twelve courses of food based on mediaeval recipes, and entertain you with music and storytelling. Many people choose to wear mediaeval-themed garb for feasts – more about this later!

What do I need to bring?

You will need to bring your feast ticket, a bowl, a spoon, a knife, a drinking receptacle of some kind, and something to put in said receptacle. While we provide jugs of water, many people bring something a little more exciting to drink. This runs the gamut, from orange juice to wine, beer to cider, or even home brew. It's entirely up to you. If you bring bottles/cans, please take them away again at the end of the feast, as we have limited facilities for disposing of these.
Please note that it is illegal to drink alcohol in the street, so if you go outside for a smoke or a gossip, you may have to leave your drink indoors.

I'm vegetarian/vegan/coeliac/have a nut allergy/don't eat fish etc. Can I still enjoy the feast?

Absolutely! We make sure that for every meat- or fish-based dish, there is a vegetarian alternative, and we can cater for vegans too. If you have any special dietary requirements, let us know about them when you book or buy your feast ticket. We can then make adjustments as necessary. We also keep a list of the ingredients used in each dish in the kitchen, so we can refer to them in case of queries.

I don't know anybody. Help!

This is normal. Unless you've come with a friend, it's easy to feel as if you don't know anybody. The good news is that we all love to make new friends, and there are even some other people wandering around who are as new to feasting as you are. Your best bet is to introduce yourself to the nearest person – it could be the start of a long friendship, and even if it isn't, you now have somebody to talk to.

I can see the tables and chairs we're meant to be sitting at – but where should I sit? Some of the places have bowls at them already.

Anywhere you like. Just wander up and claim a seat, any seat. If there are people sat near there, introduce yourself: these are your dinner companions for the night, after all. If you've already introduced yourself to some of the people wandering around the hall, you may get invited to sit with them. Failing that, claim a seat, lay your bowl etc. out on the table, and wait to see who else comes to sit near you.

What should I wear? You mentioned mediaeval garb earlier, but I don't have anything like that.

As long as you're not going to be arrested for public indecency, and you don't smell, we're happy. Garb is fun to wear, but not obligatory. We do have a small quantity of garb to lend out, but it's very much first come, first served, and it's not terribly exciting. A few tunics, some tabards, a couple of cloaks, a couple of dresses, and that's it.
Boys: a plain shirt and trousers does the job nicely. If you intend to borrow something from the garb box, it helps to bring a spare belt. This can hold a tabard in place, or stop a tunic from looking like a shapeless sack: most garb is designed to be worn belted at the waist, and it can look a bit odd if it isn't.
Girls: a long dress, or a nice top and a long skirt have the appropriate 'feel' to them. If you're feeling creative, a piece of fabric or a light blanket wrapped around your body with straps made from ribbons over the shoulder makes something very similar to a hangeroc (Viking tube dress). Do wear a t-shirt or long-sleeved top under it, though, or you can get very cold very quickly. Doing something fancy with your hair can help you feel a bit more mediaeval too – the perfect excuse to play with ribbons, flowers, and pretty hairclips!
If you see somebody wearing something you really like, ask them about it. Most people will be more than happy to talk about where they got their garb or how they made it.

What's all this stuff on the tables?

On the tables, there will generally be the following:

• Candles – these are for lighting the tables, so we can see what we're doing. Please DO NOT play with the candles. Not only is it a fire risk if you do, but if you get wax on the tables or floors, the owners of the hall will be very, VERY unhappy with us, and we may lose the use of the hall. Nobody wants that to happen.
• Bread – useful for sopping up gravy and wiping your bowl clean.
• Cheese/fruit – nibbles for cleaning the palate between courses.
• Oranges with cloves stuck in them – a way of meeting people. More about this at the feast....
• A menu – so you have a rough idea of what's coming up next. Don't worry if you're not sure what some of it is, as we use the mediaeval terms for things where we can, and the mediaeval attitude to spelling where we can't use the terms. The courses will be announced in plain Modern English, so all will be clear in time.

How is the food served?

Servers will come round the tables with the food. Please hand your bowl up to them, as it's very difficult to serve food in a crowded hall if the bowls are still sitting on the tables.

Who serves the food?

The food is served by members of the committee in rotation, or by people who have volunteered to serve every course in exchange for free entry to the feast (they do get fed, just like everybody else). We are always glad to see volunteers!

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