Inside the Geelong Medieval Festival: Fire, Fantasy & A Little Bit of Mud

If you spent last weekend dodging puddles at the Geelong Showgrounds, you might’ve spotted us, slightly soggy, fully excited, and living our best medieval fantasy. The Geelong Medieval Festival made its debut, and despite the rain (and the mud… and the frizz), it turned out to be one of the most charming weekend events we’ve been to in a while.

The event was smaller than we initially expected, but honestly? It felt like a promising first chapter for what we’re confident will become a staple in Victoria’s festival calendar. For anyone searching for medieval events near Melbourne, this one is absolutely worth keeping on your radar.

One of the festival’s biggest strengths was the atmosphere. Rows of stalls were decorated like they had been teleported straight from a bustling medieval market, think brightly coloured tents, fluttering banners, wooden props, hand-crafted goods, and vendors fully leaning into character. It created a surprisingly immersive world that made wandering the muddy paths feel like a choose-your-own-adventure game.

And yes, we absolutely attempted to channel our inner tavern girls. Half bar-maid, half “don’t slip in the mud,” but we made it work.

A highlight? The crowd. So many attendees dressed in medieval-inspired outfits, from knights and princesses to witches, fae, and rogue-adjacent fits. Even in the rain, people showed up committed to the bit, and honestly, that kind of enthusiasm fuels an event like this.

Bards and musicians were scattered throughout the grounds, and every time we stumbled across a pocket of live medieval music, the immersion level spiked. It really showed how much ambience performers can bring to a festival like this.

Then there were the main shows:

  • Medieval combat demonstrations

  • Steel-clashing battles

  • A fire performance so good we audibly gasped

  • A proper joust, mud flying, horses thundering, crowd cheering

It was the exact right mix of chaotic and iconic.

Because we are who we are (read: detail-oriented maximalists), there were a few things we hope to see as the Geelong Medieval Festival grows:

  • More roaming performers to keep the magic alive between the main attractions

  • More food options, especially themed food. The offerings were pretty limited unless you're passionate about ice cream and fairy floss. And let's be honest… a medieval festival without turkey legs feels illegal

With just a few tweaks, this could become one of the best medieval festivals in Victoria.

Final Verdict: A Muddy, Magical Weekend

Despite the soggy conditions, the Geelong Medieval Festival delivered a fun, family-friendly, cosplay-friendly day out. It’s the kind of event you can wander for hours, discover little gems, take fun photos, and fully lean into your fantasy era.

We’re already excited to see how it grows next year.
And next time? We’re manifesting sunshine, more performers, and yes, turkey legs.

More weekend adventures? Check out our Australian Convention Calendar

Images taken by Heart.seeed and Casteforge Photography

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