A+E

For those of us who wished we had lived in the land of Ladyhawke, made magic with Merlin and shared ale with Arthur 'round the table, there is a Festivus for the rest of us and its name is the Medieval Festival of Courage. Taking place Saturday, Oct. 3 and Sunday, Oct. 4 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Christie's Pumpkin Patch in Blue Lake ($5, $3 for kids 12 and under), this living history fundraiser for Coastal Grove Charter School offers a taste of daily life in a medieval village during harvest. Festival goers can enjoy two days of romping through fields among ladies and knights, jesters and ogres, fairies and farmers. There are booths galore where one might sample the wares of the villagers, taste morsels of deliciousness and try his or her luck at various skills. (Participating vendors and performers will teach you how to knight-up for tournament Sunday and show off what you've learned.)

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On Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon, there's the Enchanted Village Tour where youngsters can meet the characters of the village court and the first 200 kids receive a special gift from each of them. Perhaps the most popular attraction, the Knights of Mayhem, perform full-contact jousting twice per day at 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., putting their bravery on display. And new this year are the Rogue Mounted Archers slinging arrows on horseback at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Catch Humboldt Aerial Collective performances at 1:45 p.m. on both days. Sunday's judged Children's Medieval Costume Contest is at 11:30 a.m. following student performances at 11 a.m.

Come out to the fields for a magical time, but please leave your dogs at home. Here there be dragons and they get hungry, too.