I loved the way that the actors worked to make it really feel like a historic location and the food was tasty as well as believably from the period. The blacksmith was really fun to observe. Would go again. read more

We visited for the Yule feast and had a great time. The hosts were very welcoming and clearly passionate, particularly the musician who provided entertainment. The food was definitely different, some dishes were surprisingly good and some were not my favorite but it was very cool to try foods from another time. I appreciated the ambiance of the dining hall and the cozy fire. We had fun singing and eating. My 8 year old generally enjoyed it but as noted, young children would struggle to sit through the feast. We will be back during summer to visit the village. read more

A underrated little gem of a spot just 30-40 minutes outside of Seattle. If you love seeing how things were made in the 13th century medieval times, this spot is for you! I truly felt like I travelled back in time. Things to know: Check their website for hours/events. We went on a Sunday to one of their summer village days which take place from 12pm - 5pm. Bring cash!! They only take cash or check, this also applies to their dining establishment Bors Hede. Interact and ask questions! It's a living history museum and the villagers are both knowledgeable and so friendly! Village Summer Day entrance fee: $5 We came in a group of 4 around 3pm and wish we had slightly a bit more time because they closed the gift shop before we were able to visit it! :( That's ok though. Don't forget to say hi to Mabel the sheep! So cute! We made reservations for 5:30pm after our Village Day but if you can just make it at 5pm it's better because you won't have to awkwardly wait in the closed village waiting for your turn to be called. Overall, we really enjoyed our experience here! Sir Rodger was so friendly and such an adorable soul! He was the one to welcome us, host us at Bors hede and he also manages the phone calls for reservations. read more

Camlann Medieval Village - a stone oven with logs - Festivals Near Me - Carnation, Washington

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We had heard about the Camlann Village through friends. In short, it was a lot of fun and a good way to spend the afternoon. Some of what I remember; there were knights battling, a medieval music troupe, a puppeteer, a few period buildings that included a weaver (who sold medieval clothes), a blacksmith and a food vendor that sold plates of apples and cheese with a mug of juice. There was also a medieval inn where you could make reservations for a medieval feast in the evening. It is all volunteer so these are not professionals; they are however dedicated history buffs who dress in period costumes, speak with an accent and do their best to explain and demonstrate a living medieval world. The price was very cheap by today's standards where you can easily spend a hundred dollars going to a movie with your kids. read more

I came on a village day and it was definitely some abandoned creepy vibes. There was only another pair there at opening. We came right at noon and the illusion was already broken by a worker walking back and forth from their car getting ready. For $5/person, it's not bad but I wouldn't come again unless it was for a festival day. We first went to the inn to get food cause we were hungry. But, after standing there for 5 minutes listening to the sounds of them getting ready we decided to take a spin around. It's fairly small and there was only two people at their stations. One was the greeter who is the inn keeper, who told us about a typical cottage. Then we went to the carpenters hut where he tried to show us how to weave sticks but they kept falling apart. He didn't offer much information and when we asked questions, he answered pretty bluntly. We then went back to the inn where they were able to sit us to eat. Our server was pretty great at staying in character and it was a unique eating experience. My favorite was the cheese as a cheese fiend but everything else was just ok. My one real concern is that the table was definitely not wiped down before we sat down as there was a lot of crumbs everywhere. Then they put the bread slices ON the table. I did not eat the bread plates because of this. We also found a face mask under the table so slightly concerned about the health standards maintained. After our meal, we went back outside and a few more people showed up. The pottery lady was at her station so we listened to her talk, she was quite knowledgeable and entertaining. Then we went and pet the sheep Mable. She was the highlight of this place, so soft and friendly. They were setting up archery stuff but they said that we weren't allowed to try. We went to the gift shop and it was mainly books and some pottery. If you're not planning on eating, you don't need more than 30 minutes here on a village day. TLDR: Cool concept, cheap, an experience for sure, poorly organized/executed, food was ok but cleanliness made it concerning, Mable the sheep was the best thing there, and I wouldn't come back unless it was a festival day (maybe). read more

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Great experiential community that really looks to cultivate knowledge and fun! If you are looking for a renaissance faire turkey leg this isn't your place - if you're looking for roasted goose or meat pie with fruit from the harvest then this is your place! read more

A hidden place but great for those who love history, medieval times, or just plain fantasy! The workers here role play and play along with the time period they represent which is super fun. Learned so many nice facts for my fantasy books that I had to write down. The food was pretty good too and the cider was delicious read more

Camlann Medieval Village - Festivals Near Me - Carnation, Washington

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As a history buff, my girlfriend and I made a trip up from Portland, we did not schedule a Blacksmithing class as we figured we would just be able to watch with admission. The staff finagled us in (would recommend scheduling to help them out) and we already knew they were genuine. The blacksmith working the forge shows everyone how to craft a multitude of tools, knives and decorative pieces. He was awesome, very helpful and a master at his craft. I highly recommend making a visit and drinking in what life was like almost 1000 years ago and beyond. read more

This is a specific kind of enjoyment. It's a living history museum of a fascinating time period. The people who work there appear to live their job and the time period. They are true to that period in their entertainment and food presentation as much as possible. My granddaughter and I enjoyed a festival and feast. read more

Camlann Medieval Village - Beautiful flower wreath made in front of us and purchased there. Apple processing behind. - Festivals Near Me - Carnation, Washington

We came for the sainte James faire in July. We arrived a little late in the day so didn't get to go in the restaurant but luckily there was a little stand next to it where we could still get a meat pie. It was really good! We spent about 2 hours walking around with a 9 year old and he enjoyed talking with all of the volunteers/actors. They were really good about answering his questions about the time period and their answers seemed pretty realistic. We shot the bow and arrow, made candles, watched the magician, and a music duo. I think his favorite was the blacksmith though. I definitely want to go back for the feast! Unfortunately we didn't plan enough in advance and it was already sold out. Make sure to bring cash! read more

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Just took a quick tour through the Camlann Medieval Village. Quite enjoyed the ambience of the surroundings. The villagers/volunteers we encountered greeted us warmly and were very informative. We were pressed for time so didn't get to relax and enjoy the 14th century life as much as we would have liked to. Next visit we'll plan when we have more time to take it all in. read more

This is not exactly what is promised, or appears to be promised on the website. Pay attention to the "may include" in the description because it's exactly that. For our visit, only 5 out of the 11 village demonstrations were provided. I guess if you're one of the village presenters that works there, you don't really need to show up for work if you don't want to, and you have no backup. Also, it's pretty weird that for the archery demo, the archers, in front of a whole crowd, who are also the scribe and potter, don't know a thing about how to string a bow. A simple thing I learned when I was 12 in Boy Scouts. And if you make a suggestion, they get mad. Very embarrassing for the whole organization when their expert presenters make fools of themselves in front of their audience of about 50 visitors. It wasn't a bad time, and it's really not very expensive, but then it isn't what they say on the website. read more

Love the vibes and view, 'twas a wonder of a time! My favorite of the food was this bread bowl with poppyseeds and raisins AND DONT FORGET THE MEED!! read more

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Camlann is a living history museum. Lots to see & do. Entrance is $10 for adults. And you need to buy tokens (they have another name for them) in increments of $1, $5, and $10 for archery & other purchases. There is a blacksmith, musicians, puppet show, knights who joust (sp?), candle making, archery and more. The restaurant is a bit on the pricey side but amusing. Food was so-so. We had a ground beef dish with strawberries. Custard for dessert. Fruits & cheese for an app. Quite an entertaining medieval village! read more

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The perfect day trip away from the busy work week. Went with some friends and stayed for the Michelmasse Feast and it was a great time! Everyone was super knowledgeable about their crafts. Super welcoming, my wife and I never felt out of place or uncomfortable. We will definitely be back with friends in the future! read more

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Do you have a seven year old who is desperate to use a real quill thanks to Harry Potter? I did! And this place made his little heart sing. We came here on one of the last weekends of the season. Non-festival days. We had no expectations.... And it was fantastic. There wasn't a lot going on, but what we saw was a lot of fun. The restaurant, as others have said, had potage and bread - a stew of root vegetables and spiced with fennel. We enjoyed it - especially my seven year old - but if that's not your thing, you were out of luck. The volunteers were a lot of fun. This place isn't Disney land, but definitely worth a visit. read more

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We just attended the Yuletide feast. It was such a fun experience! I admit that I was a little leery of attending because of the negative yelp reviews but we had a totally different experience. First thing you need to order the tickets by mail (they do not take credit cards)- I recommend couple months ahead for Christmas Yuletide feast. They only have it on the weekends and the 45 seats fill up fast they say. We arrived at 5 pm to look around and rent medieval costumes for the ones that didn't have DIY costumes. $25 cash for adults/$10 for kids. Lots to choose from. Please dress up. The few that didn't stood out like sore thumbs. Roger the innkeeper and all of the servers were in character. So join the fun! Since we had to wait outside til the innkeeper called us in, we hung in the shop next door (unless you were dressed warmly). The innkeeper appeared promptly at 6pm-don't be late folks- and led us into the banquet hall which had a fire going. Got pretty toasty fast. We were seated at long tables, get friendly with your neighbors because it was a tight fit. After a few medieval Yuletide traditions and a toast of spiced wine, the feasting began. Our plates were large flat slices of bread (trenchers) and had a spoon and knife. Expect to use your hands. The "servants" brought out scented water to pour over our hands. We had 3 courses of 4 dishes each served family style so don't go pigging out if you're the first to be served cuz the people at the end won't be too happy if all they got was gravy! You won't go away hungry, really! Each course had a main dish- pork, salmon and roasted goose. And with every course, they served wine or spiced grape juice. And water. In between courses, we had medieval entertainment. The 3 hours passed by so quickly! However, I think it would be too long for young kids and babies. We were told we could take our trencher bread home but most of us were so full that we passed. We certainly didn't go home hungry. Some of guests were repeaters. Maybe we'll make it a tradition too. FYI- no cell phones or cameras in keeping with the medieval setting. We did take pictures outside and when the feast was over when people left. In all it was a fun nite- Roger and the serving maids were so charming. Only thing I'd suggest it that they light the entrance to the village more. It was so dark that lots of guests including us missed the entrance sign and had to turn around in the super dark 2 lane road. read more

Camlann Medieval Village - Snuck a photo when it was over- the serving maid was so nice - Festivals Near Me - Carnation, Washington

This is an awesome place, but you have to come at the right time and with the right attitude. Village days are cheap and happen most summer weekends. They are low-key with not a lot of volunteers, but they have the benefit of giving you lots of time to chat with everyone and have some great in-depth conversations, and even try your hand at many of the traditional crafts yourself! If you are the sort of visitor who likes to ask questions, engage and learn on a deeper, more personal level, it's a great choice. Festivals are more lively and tend to be on par with the average person's expectations. If you're just looking for ambiance and a generally entertaining time, this is a the way to go. Basically it's a matter of whether you'd rather visit a museum or a fair. I think a lot of critical reviews are written by people going to one and expecting the other. read more

Renaissance festivals in Texas. I liked... no... I LOVED them as a kid. Big sprawling affairs with jousts and those freakishly sized turkey legs and fried ice cream and flower tiaras! What wasn't to love? I grew a little older and there were still jousts and flower tiaras but now there was mead and dashing men in period costume flirting unabashedly with women who strolled by. I had such fond memories of driving out to Plantersville or Waxahachie with friends or family and spending all day having a blast. And then I attended one a few years ago which was so phenomenally distasteful with their Philly cheesesteaks and nachos that it put me off the concept for a while. It was so blatantly tacky that after being there for an hour or so, I was damned ready to go. That big preface aside, what is Camlann and why should you care? Camlann is a living history museum project portraying rural England in the 14th century. Operated by Roger Shell and his wife, they wish to enrich the quality of our lives today by rediscovering facets worth keeping in modern times. Camlann doesn't possess a WABAC Machine but you'd be hard pressed to find soda pop or cheesy fairy wings sold here. Instead you will find delectable items crafted from recipes of the period. There are festivals throughout the year, banquets on medieval holidays, and also the Camlann Medieval Festival. Food is served year round at the Bors Hede Inne (opened in 1993) and with your meal, you will be serenaded while you eat. Call ahead for reservations, if you wish to eat at the Inne and remember that Roger only accepts cash or check. There's plenty of free parking and the location is serenely quiet. The innkeeper (Roger) greets you when you enter. If the temperature is cold enough, the massive fireplace will be lit filling the dining room with warmth. Scented water and linens are brought for your hands as you hear "what food the cook has on the fire for the evening meal." Don't fret, folks. This ain't no Medieval Times! The food is prepared from authentic 14th century recipes and your drinking options are usually wine, mead, ale or juice is served in pitchers for your drinking mazer. No Coke or Pepsi will be found here. A bread trencher is brought to serve as your plate and along with your fingers, a knife and spoon are your only utensils. The serving platters, drinking mazers and earthen pitchers were handmade by the craftsmen at Camlann which adds to the ambiance. We've taken guests there several times who'd appreciate the experience and they definitely did! Ordering a few of the main dishes is the best way to share among the group. The food has always been amazing and if I could have the recipe for the rastons* that arrive before the meal, I'd be truly happy! *small round loaves made from sweetened bread dough with egg. After baking the top was cut off and the crumb removed; the hollow shell was filled with finely chopped crumb mixed with butter, the top replaced and served hot. The ones served at the Inne are buttery with an exquisite mixture of spices - truly addictive! read more

Camlann Medieval Village - L-R: Sanc Dragon, Fenberry Pye, Buttered Wortes, Saumon en tens de Nois + Sauce Madame. - Festivals Near Me - Carnation, Washington

I could put on a better show in my yard. We went to the Michael masse festival. There were about 10 costumed workers. Each demonstrating a trade (wool dying, candle dipping). There were no quality wares for sale. There were none of the traditional performers calling out in olde English. No roasted turkey legs. A number of the buildings were falling down. There was all of one sheep in the entire village. Save your $10 and watch a Monty Python movie at home - it will be a way better time. I believe the 5star reviews are written by staff of the festival. Seriously. read more

Camlann Medieval Village - Festivals Near Me - Carnation, Washington

Very underwhelming, absolutely nothing to see and worst part was the guy made us wear our masks even though state requirement was lifted we were vaccinated and there was no one else even there at noon. Only 4 stations represented from the time period and unless you were prepared to question each guide would have learned nothing except for the pottery person. No food service other than cottage cheese and fruit. Yuck! Our two teens were so bored and we must have spend not even 30 minutes because there was nothing to see, nothing to do. So if you like donating $5 per person for nothing to see here this is the place for you! Maybe it is better when a festival on but would never waste out time coming back. So disappointing. read more

Unique and fun place! Great to take kids to learn nerdy historical medieval activities. They really do explain how they do things like make yarn wool. Pretty forest setting. read more

We visited Camlann Village for their annual Yule Feast. You need to plan in advance to purchase tickets for the feasts because you can't purchase online with a credit card--you have to mail in a check and wait for them to confirm your reservation and mail your tickets. It was totally worth it though--great atmosphere, great food, wonderful entertainment, all representative of a 14th century English village. Do be aware that the parking lot is dark and muddy on a winter night. I gave them advance notice that I cannot have any gluten, and they did a wonderful job of accommodating me. Celiacs should be aware that meals are normally served on bread trenchers, and meals are served family style, so there's high risk of cross-contamination depending on where you're sitting and how careful your dining companions are. I didn't have any problems, and I enjoyed the experience enough to be willing to risk it again in the future! read more

Love this place. It is mellow. The food is actually excellent. Go on a festival day, rent a costume and have ye a good olde time, lords and ladies. read more

For starters the entry price was alright. However they didn't say that due to lack of staff , entertainment, dining was going to be very limited. On there advertisement they used the ad that was 3years old. When all was grand. Dining closed at 3pm. Everything was to be going till 5pm. All a big lie. They are willing to take your money and deliver nothing. No smiles from any staff members. Only one member said that maybe next season it might be better. The admission person didn't even offer a refund after I expressed my dissatisfaction. Wow. I will not ever recommend this place. So point being, don't go unless you are willing to waste a drive and money. read more

We were so excited to have a fun little family day as what is advertised as a "Medieval Festival"but we were so sadly disappointed. By no means is this a festival, I mean no jousting, no turkey legs, the place just felt very un-alive. After paying $27 to enter, we headed to the restaurant where this pushy old guy was trying to tell us we were not welcome to use the bathroom unless we were dining. Well of course we are trying to dine there, that's why we entered. The meal is never explained to you, you just blindly go in and hope for the best. Lunch was great for my husband and I but not very kid friendly. $45 later we had two full adults and two hungry kids. There is definitely some cool things to learn here but by no means would it qualify as a festival. read more

Like earlier reviewer Carmell N, I was pretty disappointed. We went during the Harvest Festival weekend. They are open 12-5 and we were there from about 1-3. The website mentions minstrels, dancers, puppetry, crafts and craft presentations, and several 'villagers'. What we saw: Master Payne doing some sleight of hand tricks; some teenage singers accompanied by two stringed instruments, a guy who had a huge pile of cut wood for a roof (?), 4-5 people in costume who shot arrows at some hay bales in the tourney field, a woman spinning yarn from wool, and a woman in a small house. The smith and pottery shed would have been interesting but nobody was there. The scribe was not there but her mother was, but she said she didn't know much and was sorry about that. The loom would have been interesting but nobody was there to demonstrate or talk about it. There was a villager woman by a shed (dyeing wool?) near the tourney field but she was over by a tree and didn't seem connected to the shed at all. There was a woman selling leather pouches and other small items (herbs?) Maybe some staff or volunteers had called out sick that day. We walked into the restaurant and were unclear what to do. There was no sign about waiting to be seated and nobody at the 'hostess stand'. We weren't sure it was the restaurant but then we smelled food. We went in and found an empty spot but the villager/host came and rather brusquely told us that we needed to be seated in the lobby and wait. We did so. Several other parties came in and had the same confusion and we told them we were waiting, or the host happened to be there and talked to them. Not very welcoming overall - I mean I know it's not Canlis but -- a little help for your guests? If you have younger kids, know that the vegetable stew is not super kid friendly unless your kid is definitely into vegetable stews. We asked for two servings and figured we would share with our almost 5 year old. When the food arrived, it was one small bowl of the stew. I asked if that was two portions, and it was ($18). I think my kid can eat more than that by himself at dinner. Fortunately it came with a good size loaf of bread. There were 4 small chunks of cheese and 4 small slices of fruit. So don't go in this place super hungry if you do, expect to order extra portions. We did not do the festival feast so I don't know what that is like. There were not enough things to see here to justify the trip, in my opinion. I understand it's designed to be a slice of life in 1376 but it just seemed rather empty to us. Not sure I can recommend this place, sadly. read more

This is not a renaissance fair but a reenactment village. I've been here twice for two completely different things. I was first invited by a friend who was having a birthday. She rented out the lower hall and invited everyone she knew to her birthday feast. At first I was bit worried because Roger made a comment about only taking a little, but out came multiple courses. There was a fruit and cheese course, a vegetable course, pork loin, roasted chicken and some type of meat pie that I will never forget. I loved the meat pie. And the best of all I tried mead for the first time! There were times during the meal that Roger got up and played for us and told us about the history of his village. There were times when we were free to chat with our table mates. It was late at night and in the middle of winters so I vowed to come check out the village in warmer weather. August came and I went to their harvest festival. I loved walking around the little displays. It wasn't crowded and I felt I have a more intimate time with the stall workers. I watched a young lade apprentice to and older one. The old lady was teaching her how to made the clay pots. We got in the line of archery and my boyfriend got to shoot arrows with a long bow. I was too shy. Got to watch a blacksmith show us the process of how they made nails. And later we ate lunch. The lunch was a pricey fare for the amount you got I will say that. But the food tasted good. I wouldn't really call it a lunch more that a "tasting" but once again I really loved their cup of mead. So I was a little embarrassed cause the guy I brought had a big appetite and I'm sure he was still hungry afterward but was too polite to tell me. I would still like to go to one of their dinner feasts read more

Terrible!!!! We bought the Feast tickets and ran late so take part in the Festival... so no review there. You are crammed on a wood picnic bench shoulder to shoulder with the people next to you. VERY UNCOMFORTABLE after approx. 2.5 hours! Then a strange man comes out and cuts rounds of bread for you to use as your plate. Were his hands clean? I don't want to know??!?!?! He warns you not to eat the said bread- as you will have no plate. The heat was going up in the room and thirst was needing to be quenched- yet NOTHING to drink. Approx 30 minutes later the 1st course arrives-- One Shrimp; Two slices of apple, A spoonful of some nutty chicken/pork thing, some nasty egg tart thing and an 11th (Yes-- an 11th) of a side of salmon (most likely chum) and a few leaves of salad...... This was all passed from one person- with not many utensils and people were using their hands to get their food! 10 minutes later you are offered 5oz of Hard Cider or Spiced Juice... that's it..... 5oz!!!! I would have paid for a full glass??? Soon three people are singing and playing a guitar? Not festive in any way shape or form. The serving vessels are then cleared and 5oz of water is then served-- however he used one pitcher to fill 45 people and had to leave to refill it 6-8 times.... only 5oz allowed each... Then the 2nd course arrived after people were eating their bread plates. Nothing more to wash your hands with that you have been eating with.... and to top it off ... now you are expected to carve a GOOSE and take your 15th portion and pass on to the next person!!! NEVER SHOULD HAVE BEEN THIS WAY!!! DISGUSTING!!!! 10 minutes into this course.. you are offer 5 oz of Ale (beer) or Spiced juice..... This course included brown creamy slop; cream creamy slop, 1 slice of pair and 2 cubes of cheese, 1 clove of boiled garlic and your bit of goose and a NASTY ball of gooey gingerbread!!! They then sang another song and dismissed us... I wanted to go hours ago..... We went home to have dinner... GROSS!!! Don't waste you time or money! read more

As a birthday present to my December-born son, he and I attended the Yule Feast on December 27. This was our first visit to the Village but it won't be the last. Well, for one, I'd like to see the Village in the light of day and observe the crafters at work. But back to the only part I can review, the Yule Feast. This is not inexpensive but it is an Event and should be enjoyed as one--and I believe it's a good value for what you get. First we stopped by the costumer and for $25 per person we were dressed in beautiful period clothing. It's not required but it was fun to be truly immersed in the 14th century. And really, if you're going to go, why be a stick in the mud and insist on your regular Metalica t-shirt? (Ya, I'm talking about the teenager sitting across from me, one of only three people not in costume.) After we were dressed we entered The Bors Hede Inne and were guided to the Undercroft. Regular lunches and dinners are served in the main restaurant year round but feasts are held in the muralled, fireplace-warmed Undercroft. The first thing I noticed was the wonderful smell. Seriously, I was there for the experience and didn't really expect the food to taste as good as it did! I won't give away the whole menu but the pork roast with wild boar sauce was a particular favorite, as was the "Egredouce" (Sour & sweet beef and onions). Really, every single thing they served was tasty. And there was a troubadour (magician) and singing by the staff. Diners are sat side by side at a long table with benches and food is served family-style, take some and pass it on. I'm not sure whether it's best to be at the beginning of the line or the end. I was the first person to begin the serving and I was worried the people at the end wouldn't get enough so I just took a little. Then I see the people at the end had a huge serving and food left on the platter! (Hey, pass it back here, why dontcha? I thought, but didn't say) However after three courses of four dishes each, plus wine, I was quite full, even with tiny portions. Three and a half hours, start to finish, and $42 per person covers the feast, gratuity and the entertainment. I have certainly spent more and gotten less in my lifetime of dining. My son is already talking of getting the whole family to attend next year. It's an experience I'd highly recommend. read more

I and a friend road tripped up to Carnation, land of dairy cows, hoping to find something to do. We happened upon Camlann (thanks Google). Unfortunately, you need an ahead of time appointment, and they're only open Tues-Sun, from 5-8. So, anyway, we got a reservation for a different time, and after a day of hiking headed into the village, ready for some Medieval English food, whatever that meant. LOVED it. We were greeted by "Roger" who had the perfect accent, and period responses ready from the get-go. It seem as though they do big festivals, and although their restaurant is regularly open, we were the only customers. We were seated next to a warm fireplace with a real fire, and spot-on decor. We decided later we wanted to come back and explore the grounds when we had more time. The meal was thematic, and consisted of courses. For the price (about $20 each), we received 3 courses, as well as entertainment (Yes, "Roger" played the lute and sang). Before they fed us, Roger brought out linens for our hands, and scented water to wash away the dirt from our horses (thematic, remember?). He brought us the most delicious beverages (extra, but worth it). Friend had the hard cider, I had the (virgin) spiced juice of the grapes. The first course was this amazing crusty bread that was filled with some sort of herb butter and currants. Then came the second course, a fruit, cheese, and herb platter. We had pear and apple, with a 2 hunks of Medieval English cheeses (which we'll go with, since I can't recall the names), and this almond fritter thingie that was to DIE for. Think almond butter rolled up with a bit of flour and cooked. The herbs and greens had a light vinaigrette that was delicious. Now I need to talk about the Trenchers. Rather than giving silverware and plates, we were given Trenchers to "eat upon." Thus, the trencher, a large round crust of bread, WAS oet plate. We were down with edible dinnerware. Next we had our main course. Friend got the fish and fruit pot pie (I was jealous, handmade crust looked perfect-can't eat figs which were in the pie, so stared longingly, and might have whimpered a bit). I got the salmon in hazelnut sauce. Truthfully, the salmon was a bit overdone for me, but combined with the buttered worst, was able to consume it. Dessert was extra and we were so full, we passed. Although the spiced plums in cloves did sound delectable. I'd say we'll go back this summer and check out a festival. Perhaps we'll find some sort of Lancelot to join us for the next meal. Oh, and take cash or a checkbook. Roger doesn't take credit cards. read more

I love this place! Everyone that works/volunteers here takes it really seriously. The grounds are nice and there is enough to check out for an hour or two during festivals. Archery was my favorite activity, the sheep love to get some attention from visitors, and the Fletcher (I don't think he is always there) had a cool walk through of the different types of arrowheads. The restaurant has decent food and service. Stay for the quips about your 'strange modern items' and a light education on how dining was during the era. With that, you shouldn't expect them to have the same style service as a modern restaurant - they are more interested in role playing to than catering to your every need. I would recommend they lighten up on their drinking restrictions - the inn keep told us that you had to eat in order to be served mead or wine; we were with a large group and some of us had already eaten pastis from the outdoor food stand but were only able to order juice inside. Seems an unusual restriction considering it is a medieval theme, where I image the goblets were larger and more free flowing ;) Overall its a gem and definitely worth a visit! read more

Visited their Festival and Feast today. Tickets were $45 and had to be mailed in by check... They haven't discovered computers yet (Square, Paypal, etc). Why mail tickets when they can just be "Will Call" since you can't just show up unannounced. Odd... I've nothing noteworthy to say about the festival except don't bother. The little festival was not worth the drive out from Seattle for less than the most forgiving, die hard renaissance fan. Also, bring cash. The entry fee is not all inclusive and you're given no activity tokens (as few activities as there are) as part of entry. As for the meal, the timing was off all the way. They don't serve water outright. The first liquid (wine or grape juice) came out a good while after the first six dishes were hand-me-down distributed down the table, and half consumed. Thank god nobody choked. It's not like there's water to save em. No complains per say about the food except I have an odd feeling about calling one shrimp a 'course' and other such tiny winy portion sizes. Granted, I was full at the end but that plate of bread is there to fill the gap in portion sizes. There was no background music during each of the 2 rounds of food. There was a short song trailing the first round of food (of 2 rounds) and at the end right before we're basically told to leave. Otherwise, it's a basement with no ambient sound. Our plates 1/2 cuts of round bread wedges. I didn't mind that. It's quirky. The fun I had came from the fine company of my friends. I would think a few tweaks to their dinning experience would make the place more enjoyable: 1. Serve water. Offer refills of said water. 2. Background music. It's OK if it's from a speaker due to lack of a lute player mid-meal. Even better, have someone play an old tavern tune during the meal. 3. Take paypal or something. Writing checks is so 20th century. 4. Big one here. DON'T LIST THE FEAST @ 6PM ON YOUR WEB SITE AND EXPECT PEOPLE TO BE THERE AT 5PM! Overall the web site needs work. As a non-profit they should be able to rangle up someone from a college or university to work on that thing for cheap/free as a school project. read more

Camlann Medieval Village is an interactive living history site about 45 minutes east of Seattle. It's located in a beautiful little spot in some woods tucked off the main road. One of the wonderful things about this place is that stepping onto the grounds you really do feel removed from the modern world. While there is room enough for maybe about a dozen crafters there the day I was there only a couple were their (it was the last day of their season and things were definitely winding down). Those who were there were very nice and approachable and knew their stuff about what they were doing. I also ate lunch at the 'inn' there. It was very simple but was very tasty. I was a bit disappointed that it was so quiet the day I went but I can't wait to go back sometime when they have a lot going on. Either way it was a nice place to get out of the city on a beautiful Sunday. read more

I went to Camlann Medieval Village yesterday (Sunday) with my 14 year old son. We spent about 1-1/2 hours walking around and talking with the villagers before our 5pm dinner at the Bors Hede Restaurant. We had a really delightful time. I am not a fan of crowds, so we chose to come to the village on just one of their regular "village days" and not a feast day. Not all of the villagers were present, but that was fine... just gives us another reason to go back another day. We were also only charged $5 each which is less than I was expecting, but I think that was because it was a lightly staffed day. But the ones who were there were delightful to talk with. They all know their craft very well and my son and I enjoyed being able to chat with them one-on-one. Here's who we chatted with: The woman at the wool shop - Everything was hands on and we were able to feel the different fleeces, fabrics, plus my son got to sit at the loom and press the foot pedals and see how it worked. The scribe - This shop was my favorite! The scribe showed us how she prepares goose feathers in to quills and also talked about how she makes different inks. She then showed us how to write with the quills and let us practice trying it out. She was a wealth of information and I could have stayed in her shop all day. She was also working on the most beautiful tiny calligraphy that she was writing with a quill made from a crow feather. The cook - She showed us the pottage (vegetable and grain stew) that she was cooking over an open fire in the kitchen. The basket maker - She was working on a reed basket and explained all about it, as well as a willow basket that she had sitting next to her that was already finished. The archer - This area was a little bit busier, so we didn't get to chat as much as we did with the others. But when it was my son's turn, the archery instructor showed him the proper way to use a long bow. There is a $2 charge, but because it was a slow day, she was letting people shoot 7 arrows. The blacksmith - another really nice villager and a great source of information. He was working on a knife, but also talked about everything from nails, to horseshoes, to weapons, to architecture. The indentured woman - Not a craftsperson, but she lives in a typical house as a contracted worker for an elderly man. She talked to us about the house, showed us the bed, and just talked about daily life. Roger the Hosteler - We then had dinner at the Bors Hede and Roger served us and entertained us with songs and music on his lute. He was very charming. We spent about 1-1/2 hours in the restaurant and had a very nice meal. We had a nice table to ourselves and shared an appetizer of Rastons (lovely warm bread dish with what I think were poppy seeds and currants). Then another small appetizer of cheese, fruit, greens and 2 little almond fritures. Then our main course where I had the fenberrie pie (yummy, but tart) and my son had the salmon with hazelnut sauce (he liked this a lot). There were also some buttered worts (sautéed greens) which were quite tasty. We each also had a big piece of trencher bread which was to be used as our plate. I also ordered some hard cider and my son had the muste (spiced juice). It was all quite tasty and very filling. They have dessert as well, but we were too full to order any. The bill for our food and drinks came to $52 and I thought that was quite reasonable for the amount of food we had, plus the nice entertainment with Roger's music. So all in all, we spent about 3 hours and had a very nice time. I definitely want to come back and would also like to try one of their festivals. My son also had a nice time and especially liked trying the long bow, writing with the goose quill, and pretty much all of the food! read more

My daughter loves all things English so I thought this would be a fun adventure. It was a beautiful day and she enjoyed renting a costume, but many people were not in costume. I went during a festival and there was entertainment but not much of a village left. Sounds like it used to be a lot bigger. Main host guy was a little rude to people, but everyone else was great. We paid $45 for the feast and I went away full but it certainly wasn't worth the money. It was a nice enough day but we won't be going back. read more

A step back in time and one of a kind experience. One must sloooooow down and spend a good bit of time here. Be prepared: credit cards are not accepted in medieval times. I brought two 9-year-olds and a 7-year-old. Where else could they participate in archery, fencing and lawn bowling? Fast food fair consisted of pasties, anise cookies , grape juice served in a bowl, and brown bread topped with a chunk of cheese, sausauge, grapes and celery. Master Payne entertained with tricks of ropes, rings, kerchiefs, swords....and a lot of humor. Reasonable pricing with some free offerings (i.e. fencing demonstrations/candle making.) A unique history lesson for young and old alike. read more

THE FEAST I bought several feast tickets for 2 monthly feasts and I was really looking forward to this. Haha, a feast. I ordered linen period clothing from Europe and I was set. I ordered vegan meals which Roger said was fine. What he meant to say was, I will do nothing, and you can eat a piece of bread and that is how I will accommodate you. I called again and he said it was fine again. The day I showed up, I reminded him and he said it was all taken care of. At the feast I again asked because the food was being served and he acted like he never talked with me, yet they would make something up, which they did about an hour and a half after everyone had been eating. No water pitchers, water is only served once in your 5 ounce cup. Bring your own water if you need it. Now the vegan meal was a bowl with about 10 ounces of rice and almonds, not really a $45 meal, unless you count the Robin Hood song as being worth $35. Also not very filing, unless you think one small shrimp in the shell is filling. Now there were lots of obese and aggressive people there armed with pitchforks and hatchets (not really weapons however they were still going to have their drama). So the long bench seat is not big enough for 45 people, you know how greedy fat people don't care about you, stick your elbow in your eye and eat all the pie. This group of people sat around various places and took most of the food. You are expected to share a plate with 12 people or more. So if you are at the beginning of the 4 serving spots, good for you, however they dump all the plates in front of you and the table is too narrow to hold them, so Roger helps you out by simply passing them down the line so you get none. If you are at the end of 12, expect nothing. The big family in front of me refused to send any of the meat dishes along and Roger did nothing except say, he would take care of it, more lip service, he just disappeared and comes back to sing 2 songs and kick you out conveyor belt style. I received one almond baked mound that I could close my hand around and make it disappear. I received 2 green salad leaves with a total size of 2 square inches. A cup and a half of runny plum sauce was plenty because no one else wanted it. Cheese is a few 1" cheapie squares, about 6 for 12+ people, grapes, you might get 4 if you divided them equally. The problem is the trenchers, bread plates, soak up any liquids and become instantly soggy, so they contact the table cloth. You can't put much on the bread trencher plate, so you pass the food and it is gone. So what you ultimately get depends on where you sit, and how much your trencher can hold, definitely not all the items served even in a very small quantity, and it depends on the benevolence of the people before you. Roger spends about $3.50 maximum on food, at the very most, while you pay $35 ($10 to get in). What is most frustrating is people who gobble up all the food and pass you an empty plate. This is Roger the Dodgers plan, give you very little and let you complain about your neighbors. If plates of food came back down the line with something on them, ok, we have a chance, however plates stay at the end and even if they came back, folks would gobble up everything, even that 1" square broccoli floret that you paid for. The second feast I attended had nicer people, however the fat greedy ones were still there and they oversold the tickets and my butt was half off the bench, one cheek on, one off and very uncomfortable. I asked for a chair and Roger said that would interfere with the serving, however that was really his "stage" it would interfere with. Same vegan problem only one month later, same lip service, no delivery. Same songs, same uncaring attitude. Same soggy bread which is brown wonder bread, not traditional, no seeds, just soft sponge that won't hold the food or liquids, so you get to eat the table cloth along with your food. The bread gets cut in half so if you get the "upper crust" it is even softer and smaller and the edges are very thin, so food falls off easily. Roger did recommend if a few people take all the food, you do have your steak knives to get even, however since he was standing in front of me, I simply felt like using mine close at hand. If you think 12 people are going to share an ant's sized portion of food, forget it! If you even believe Roger for one minute, then you will learn quickly. THE PLACE Got there early and realized the place has had nothing repaired in 30 years, and I mean nothing. The buildings are facades on paper with a thin layer of concrete over them. Roger the owner has spared no expense in zero upkeep, he just milks a wooden cow. It has a lot of potential to be a fun event, and probably the giant mosquitoes have the most fun. How about buying a propane skeeter eater and wipe out the population? Roger the skinflint likes lip service, no heat, no repairs and all the craftspeople have unkind words about the " read more

For anyone saying/giving negative feedback: while I understand and respect your opinions (it's Yelp after all) I don't think you really understand what Camlann is trying to accomplish with their village. I also don't think you would have done well living in that time period. read more

Not a Village like it was 13 years ago. Charged $42 to enter for a family of five. $1/3 archery shots. Watch a decent puppet show, a guy cutting wood, a blacksmith who likes to talk to his grown up friends instead of the kids and watch the fencing show. They also have one place for food that was minimal in portions, selections and overall appeal. No turkey legs or ANYTHING sold in carts like a traditional medieval faire. Minimal to no strolling people in character. The candler wasn't open at 12:30 on a Sunday with hours from noon-5pm. Goto to the Scottish Highland games up north. They respect the family and Childrens time and money. This place is NOTHING like it used to be. read more