| At various parts of the year a number of towns | | | | and tarot cards; you can get a scroll with your |
| and cities will have a small medieval market. In | | | | family name and its history, or buy a hand-crafted |
| late November the city of Nuremberg has the | | | | bow or a blacksmith forged sword. A stall selling |
| 'Historischer Katharinenmarkt'. Like all these affairs | | | | armour is often present at these fairs as are |
| this particular medieval market is great fun. All the | | | | stalls selling medieval costumes and woolen cloaks. |
| stall holders are in medieval dress which is usually | | | | There are herb and spice stalls, a bakery selling |
| brown and beige woolen clothing often with a | | | | freshly baked bread from an on site wood stoked |
| hooded cloak and a rope like belt, the recreation | | | | oven and a stall selling drinking horns. |
| society members are all in military attire from the | | | | Children are also catered for with one or two |
| middles ages, chainmail and skirts with swords or | | | | stalls selling toy wooden swords, bows and shields |
| spears, they tend to congregate around a | | | | and even knight helmets. At this particular market |
| wooden fire sitting on crudely made wooden | | | | there was a large pavilion set up in the Turkish |
| chairs and talking and laughing in a way | | | | style in which you can drink beer or tea and |
| reminiscent of what it must have been like many | | | | smoke on water pipes all whilst sat on large |
| centuries ago for the local lord's retainers to be | | | | cushions at a low set Arabic metal filigreed coffee |
| overseeing a market of the day. | | | | table. Of course bars abound, what would a |
| There is usually entertainment at these events, in | | | | medieval market be without stalls to purchase a |
| this case a juggler dressed as a jester and a | | | | flagon of ale (some even serve drinks in pewter |
| band, in troubadour outfits, playing lively renditions | | | | mugs) or have something to eat. At many of |
| of medieval tunes on medieval instruments - the | | | | these occasions they roast an entire ox or goat |
| drum and bag pipe. Such markets usually have | | | | on a spit and slice the meat directly from the |
| stalls selling mead, monastery brewed ales and | | | | roasting beast. |
| berry wines, tipples not often found at beer | | | | During the market a parade takes place in which |
| festivals the rest of the year. | | | | the recreation medieval society marches with |
| The stalls are also an interesting feature of these | | | | banners fluttering in the wind, weapons held high, |
| markets, although some are the familiar wooden | | | | and musicians playing marching music. |
| huts of the more common beer fests, most are | | | | Medieval markets have been part of the annual |
| colourful tents, more like pavilions, in fact, of the | | | | festivities in many German towns for many years |
| type we are used to seeing in Robin Hood movies | | | | and are only recently starting to be held in other |
| of the 1960s from America, with pointed tops | | | | countries.The whole thing is an entertaining day |
| and flowing sides. Many of the wares on offer at | | | | out for the whole family and if you get the |
| these stalls are also surprising. There is usually a | | | | opportunity I would highly recommend you go to |
| fortune teller at the market who does palmistry | | | | see one. |