Castle Ward, the 18th century castle that is the real-life filming site for Game of Thrones in Ireland, is throwing a Game of ThronesWinterfell Festival on September 24, 2017.
Winterfell is a one-day festival in which fans of Games of Thrones can discover the Stark family home while seeing first-hand theatrical reenactments of scenes from the show that were filmed on site (including a special celebrity guest appearance from GoT actors). Set within an 820-acre historic demesne on the shores of Strangford Lough, George R. R. Martin’s mythical world of Westeros unfolds in the beautiful landscape of Northern Ireland, as the festival offers ample opportunity to explore the surrounding nature while enjoying local food, live music, festival games, and more.
Screenshot: Courtesy of HBO
A scene from Game of Thrones filmed at Castle Ward.
Festival gates will open at 11 AM on September 24. Northern Trust writes of the proceedings thereafter:
“At 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. Castle Ward’s iconic Winterfell Tower House will be open throughout the day, and travelers 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.
Tickets are £22.50 per person (about $29 USD), and Translink is offering a return service from Belfast for a full day at the festival, which concludes at 6 PM.
Castle Ward is located in an 820 acre historic demesne in the village of Strangford, in County Down, Northern Ireland.
