VILNIUS - If you have ever had the urge to build a time machine to go back to the Middle Ages, don't bother.
The Trakai Medieval festival 's due to start on June 7 's will showcase a massive range of medieval events. Sword fights with armor-clad knights, arch-ery, pottery, medieval food and a whole lot more will animate the former capital and take it back to its glory days.
Public Relations Adviser Egle Senapediene said she is excited about the festival. "Witches walking over hot coals, [and knights] shooting arrows and having sword fights will all be on display for guests," Senapediene said.
This will be the 10th festival to date, but will be the first that is held all over town instead of just in the castle.
According to Juras Visockis, vice president of the Lithuanian Archery Association, there will be lots of see and to learn at the events.
"There are many different things, educational, you can find artisans of ceramics and lots more," he said.
Visockis will be at the festival along with mock knights from all over the world 's with enthusiasts hailing from the United States, Italy, Poland and Lithuania. The knights will put on an impressive flaming arrow display at night.
The event will also have a pottery demonstration. Potters will make fresh pots at the kiln. "This is a very exciting thing to watch for people because you can see [the pottery] glowing in the night," Visockis said.
The public can enter two competitions. On June 7, the "I Draw Medieval Ages" competition takes places and on June 8 entrants will pit against each other to see who can work the wheel and make the best piece of pottery.
Senapediene said the "I Draw Middle Ages" is something for the kids to do.
"The children draw the medieval ages as they understand [the period]. At the end there will be a winner and they will be awarded [a prize]," Senapediene said.
The festival takes place on the Trakai Peninsula castle, not the island castle that people normally associate with Trakai. Duke Kestutis built the peninsula castle in the 14th century.
One of the exhibitions that will be put on is a mock siege of the castle on Friday at 9:30 p.m. Senapediene said there would be a big show for the siege.
"First the knights will attack the castle and then there will be a big fight between the knights. There will be flaming arrows 's this has become a tradition of the festival because it is so spectacular and popular with visitors," Senapediene said.
There will be food tasting for guests with medieval dishes. There were no potatoes in Europe in the Middle Ages so most of the food will be meat.
"Soups and meat dishes were normal at the time. Our culinary experts have been studying recipe books and have come up with some dishes," Senapediene said.
Trakai was the capital of Lithuania for a short time during the 14th century. Although the exact date cannot be ascertained, historians believe it was between 1321 and 1322.
The festival will take place in the former capital from noon on June 7 to 6:00 p.m. on June 8 at Peninsula castle, Trakai. Information available at +370 5285 3941.
