The Delaware County District Library (DCDL) will present its annual Medieval Faire at the Ostrander Branch Library, located at 75 N. Fourth St., on Saturday, June 17. The annual community festival returns to the Ostrander community with jousting games, musical performances, traditional craftsmen, and more.

The faire is open for attendees of all ages from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Costumes and traditional dress reminiscent of the Renaissance age are encouraged. This year’s Medieval Faire will pay special tribute to the 11th-century reign of the Vikings and the 13th-century writing of the Canterbury Tales.

Stop by the Canterbury Tales station to accept the quest to discover all that the faire has to offer. Tales of Vikings will yield shields and face paint. The performance stage will resound with medieval songs performed by bagpipes and strings of all kinds. A journey to Sherwood Forest will certainly promise an interesting encounter between Robin Hood and Little John. Test defense skills by launching the trebuchet at Nottingham Castle.

Special guests this year include an introduction on bagpipes at 11 a.m. from George Morrison. Michael Allen and Bonny Lynne will duet on guitar and violin at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Quintessence Strings of Marion returns this year with performances at 12:30 and 2:30 p.m.

A Delaware Library Medieval Faire would not be the same without a performance by the Knights of the Rose Jousting Troupe, Ohio’s own all-female jousting troupe. The women and their horses, along with the help of squires, will perform traditional jousting games on the Ostrander Branch Library lawn. Jousts are planned for noon and 2 p.m. Blankets and lawn chairs may be brought to comfortably view the games.

The Medieval Marketplace will be a bustling hub of demonstrations of the arts and wares of the times. They include a blacksmith, cloth weaver, wool spinner, leather worker, and woodworker. Students from Columbus State Community College will showcase the medicine and arts of the times. Local artist Jeffrey Stemen will draw caricatures of attendees on a first-come, first-served basis. Hair braiding will also be provided in the order of those who request it.

Should attendees require food on the journey to yesterday, Dan’s Deli food truck and the Ciao Café gelato cart will be available on-site with food and refreshment available for purchase.

For more information, visit www.delawarelibrary.org/event and visit the Medieval Faire page on June 17. Maps and performance schedules can be downloaded and will also be made available on the day of the event.

Parking will be located in the field adjacent to the Ostrander Branch Library. Special thanks to the Kiwanis Club of Delaware County and the Friends of the Delaware County District Library for their support of the event as volunteers and parking attendants.

Submitted by the Delaware County District Library.