By KATH GANNAWAY
YELLINGBO CFA and Camelot Castle are pulling up the drawbridges for the first ever Camelot Castle Medieval Village Fair on Sunday 27 October.
The event is aimed at getting the Yellingbo and surrounding communities together for a day of community-driven fun and festivities.
The family-oriented fair will take place in the iconic Camelot Castle gardens and include a children’s themed entertainment area run by Yellingbo Primary School, about 30 cottage industry stalls from the Upper Yarra Valley, fantastic food by Hoddles Creek and Yellingbo CFAs, music and more.
Children’s activities will include pony rides, medieval-themed games, including jousting, a Punch and Judy Show, face painting, a story-teller and bouncing castle.
A gold-coin donation provides access to the children’s entertainment area all day.
On-site parking is also by gold-coin donation with proceeds going towards next year’s festival – so be generous going in… and perhaps dig in again on the way out.
Yellingbo CFA member Claire George said the fair was aimed at being low cost so everyone can enjoy what’s on offer and if they choose to, spend some money at the medieval market place.
She said the brigade and Camelot Castle had had great support from Yellingbo Primary School, Woori Yallock and District Community Bank, Yarra Ranges Council, WHYLD community group and Woori Community House, making it a truly inclusive community event.
“We would really like to make this a self-sustaining, yearly event for the community, so we’re hoping everyone really gets behind this first one and give us the encouragement we need to continue doing it,” she said.
“As volunteers we’re out there in the community but this is just a very different way of doing something that is fun and showing it’s not all hard work.”
Any local businesses wishing to have a stall should contact Camelot Castle on 0488 998 390.
The Camelot Castle Medieval Village Fair is on 27 October from 10am to 4pm at 2605 Healesville Kooweerup Road, Yellingbo.
