Castle Ward to host Winterfell Festival 2017!
The National Trust invites you to step into the world of the Stark family at Castle Ward on Sunday 24 September 2017 for Northern Ireland’s very own Winterfell Festival.
This one day festival is not to be missed! It’s an opportunity to discover the setting of the Stark family home, see first-hand theatrical re-enactments from the fantasy TV series, meet an actor from the show, watch spectacular games unfold in a mystical landscape and enjoy lively music, local food and much more.
Winterfell Festival promises to fully immerse Game of Thrones fans into George R. R. Martin’s mythical world of Westeros. Set within an 820 acre historic demesne on the shores of Strangford Lough - Westeros and Winterfell Festival await you.
Festival gates will open at 11am on 24 September and at 12 noon a fanfare will herald the arrival of the King’s procession as he visits House Stark at Winterfell for The King’s Tournament Games. Irish Arms, a historical reproduction company, will perform a series of medieval jousting shows on horseback throughout the day. Sword sparring, archery demonstrations, jesters and falcon flights will add to the atmosphere in the tournament ring where visitors will be able to feast on roast hog washed down with local cider.
Amongst the medieval themed stalls, armourer Boyd Rankin, who starred as Mikken in Game of Thrones will showcase a selection of the weapons he forged for the world famous TV series. Special guests will also include two of the original Stark family Direwolf dogs.
The iconic Winterfell Tower House will be open throughout the day and fans can join Winterfell Tours on a skirmish to Audley’s Castle before having their very own Green Screen photo taken in the Winterfell Courtyard where the Stark family famously lined up for the King’s arrival. An interactive show and workshop with Shadow Puppets themed on Game of Thrones will take place in the historic courtyard and can be enjoyed by all.
Travellers will also be encouraged to walk down the Kingsroad to the Inn at the Crossroads where they can pull up a pew and listen to stories from A Song of Ice and Fire Series One being performed by Footsteps theatrical company, while dining on venison pie and ale.
Winterfell Festival is a ticketed event only; tickets are expected to sell out fast, so make sure to get the date in your diary!
Tickets are £22.50 and can be purchased from by visiting www.nationaltrust.org.uk/winterfell
Full event details can be found at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/castle-ward
Access to Castle Ward on 24 September will be exclusively for Winterfell Festival ticket holders only. Castle Ward will be closed to non-ticket holders, including National Trust members, from 9am-6pm on 24 September. However, other National Trust places such as Rowallane Garden and Mount Stewart can be enjoyed nearby.
