Roz Benson took the self expression and leadership programme, and created a festival of fun in Western Austrailia: The Balingup Medeival Festival. Featured in stories in the Donnybrook Bridgetown Mail, the festival began as an event just for locals in Balingrup, and has become an attraction for visitors from everywhere.

Swords drawn in Balingup

Balingup was the centre of the medieval universe at the weekend as an estimated 7000 people flocked to the Medieval Festival. Lords, ladies, magicians, knights, damsels, sprats, warriors and tribespeople appeared in the town to sample the wares, enjoy the entertainment and march in the parade.

The immensely-popular parade began with a propitious blessing from Warwick the Wizard, who rode atop the conquered dragon while the Festival King and Queen led the parade from the primary school through to the fair grounds.

The parade drew in all the colour and spectacle of the day, with appearances from big and colourful chickens, knights in shining armour, belly dancers, medieval drummers and a colourful dragon courtesy of students from Balingup Primary School, to name just a few.

After moving through the festival grounds, the parade drew to a halt at the thrones of the King and Queen, where King Chulain welcomed the assembled mass and declared the festival open.

Rumours that there had been a bloodless coup were dispelled as King Chulain declared that Duke Michael of the Strong Arms had abdicated and placed the new King and Queen on the throne in his stead.

King Chulain then solemnly swore to loyally serve and protect the people of the shire and to promote the Medieval Festival and more things of its kind.

Warwick the Wizard then told the crowd of how he had brought Bonecrusher the Dragon under control after a rampage through Balingup.

In a festival highlight, Rick Armstead proposed to Sharon Hall before the assembled crowd, after which Queen Alazais decreed that everybody should go and have fun.

The carnival atmosphere continued into Saturday night as people gathered for the burning of Bonecrusher the Dragon.

Tension mounted towards 7pm as Warwick the Wizard stirred up the crowd before finally setting the dragon alight to the tune of medieval drumming.

As the flames rose high to warm the cold Balingup night, fire twirlers came out to entertain a crowd that numbered in the hundreds.

The festival continued unabated as Saturday’s warm and sunny weather turned cool and cloudy on Sunday.

The medieval jousting and tournaments proved to be one of the most popular highlights of the event.

Go here to read the

Knights in armour, both shining and rusty, re-enacted historical events and fighting forms, with the words ‘The dead may now arise!’ heard as a frequent refrain.

Rumours abounded that history was being re-written in the fighting arena, with a victory for the Saxons in the re-enacted Battle of Hastings.

The day turned cool as Sunday drew to a close.

As the weather that had held off over the two days threatened to break, the crowd dispersed and stallholders packed up after a successful weekend.

Go here to read the Donnybrook Bridgetown Mail story. Also, read a Landmark Education News story about Roz Benson and the festival.