If you enjoy your Medieval and magical fantasies with a queer edge, step right this way. This day to night Medieval faire is serving up wandering bairds, blacksmith demos, jousting and swordplay with a side of debaucherous queer performers and drag artists, and something they’re calling the “Shreksy Dungeon”. That sounds like something we’d welcome in our swamp.
The inaugural Queer Medieval Faire is taking over a secret Inner West location on Gadigal Land this Saturday, April 30. The location will be revealed to revellers upon purchase of their ticket. It’s a carnival of delights inspired by Medieval art, fantasy, and mythos beyond the Anglo-sphere “made by queers for queers” and spearheaded by Marlena Dali, drag king extraordinare and self styled elvish immigrant carnie of your darkest and wettest dreams.
Kicking off with a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony, the event also features market stalls, live music, food and beverages, SFX makeup and cosplay demos, dogs in costumes, tarot readings, and a queer dance party that will linger on well into the night. After dark, you can also toss a coin to your witcher with the “Sit on the Witcher Photo Booth”, explore a Trans Fairyland curated by Chloe London and Shell Lucky Ocean, and get interactive with jousting thanks to theatre collective Deep Sea Astronauts.
There will also be DJ Yolanda slaying on the decks, shibari performances, and mainstage acts including Mama Medusa, Dyan Tai, Eva Devore, Sarah Moany, and more LGBTQIA+ performers taking a walk on the Medieval side. There will be an Auslan interpreter for night performances, and audio describer available.
If you find The Lord of the Rings to be too much of a boys club, or wish the lesbian subtext of Xena: Warrior Princess was a bit less subtextual, this sounds like exactly where you oughta be.
You can purchase afternoon only tickets for $35 or an all-day pass for $55 here. Find out more on the Facebook event page. The location will be revealed to ticket buyers before the event, and there's wet weather contingency plans.