THIS IS THE SATURDAY “KNIGHT” YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR

We cheered for our knight as his horse galloped full speed towards the enemy in the jousting tournament. A clashing of weapons was heard and the opponent flew off of his horse. We had won the joust! This was not a dream; this was Medieval Times; North America’s most popular dinner attraction. A 4-course dinner show consisting of jousting, horsemanship & falconry served in a castle-like space.

We had traveled through the mists of time to a forgotten age and a tale of devotion, courage and love. Upon arrival we were crowned and greeted by surfs that ran the castle. As a guest of the king, we were filled with pageantry and excitement exploring a setting mimicking ten centuries ago. The main hall of the castle was filled with our fellow guests, all equally thrilled to be in the presence of the king. Royal banners hung from the cathedral ceilings as we headed to the bar to order drinks (obviously, necessary when at a jousting tournament).

To our surprise, the cocktails were under $10, something I’m not used to in NY nor at regal experiences such as this. However the beer, when ordered in a massive kings cup, was pricey. We did not know that ordering it in this cup meant you also purchase the cup. Nonetheless, a souvenir is always a good thing! As an “authentic” medieval Queen would do, I ordered the strawberry slushy and had our surf add rum in the drink. It tamed my sweet tooth for the time being and we were ready to enter the main arena.
 
With our drinks in hand and crowns on our heads, we were finally ready to be in the presence of the King. As we walked into the jousting arena, we passed shining armor suits displayed decoratively along the halls. The arena was massive. In the center was a freshly raked dirt battlefield itching to be played with. We were representing the Red Knight and sat in the red section, right next to the King. What an honor!

At our seats, we found a flag to cheer for our knight with, medieval metal plate ware and no utensils. After all, utensils were not used ten centuries ago. To begin the feast, we were greeted by the king and were served tomato bisque with toasted garlic bread. Next came, roast chicken and potatoes. Finally, we were served lemon loaf dessert bread. The feast was average yet filling, however, we were most excited for the joust and swordplay.

To begin the games, the king ordered the “flight of the royal falcon”. It was a majestic experience for everyone as the beautiful bird soared throughout the arena in figure eight patterns. How else could one start a tournament?

Suddenly, all six heroic knights on spirited horses galloped out from the stables. The games had begun! Over the two-hour dinner show we saw astounding athletic feats and thrilling swordplay. We cheered and waved our flag high whenever our knight competed in a game.

 
When a knight was knocked off their horse, the champion would jump from his horse and continue to battle on foot. The sword fighting was captivating and seamless. With each defeated knight came a new victor. Finally, there were only two; our knight and the green knight. Sadly our knight was not the champion of the final battle, however, he will always be in our hearts.
 
We left Medieval Times absolutely thrilled. It was a spellbinding experience that blurred the boundary between fairy tale and spectacle. It’s great for birthdays, parties, or simply a fun “knight” out. 

This experience was a small piece of our Game of Thrones themed weekend. To read more about that click here.