Blades of Glory was first conceived in 1994. We prepared for a year before we started the 1st annual Campbellford Scottish & Medieval Festival. That festival lasted 2 years 1995 & 1996 and was held on Labour Day weekend.
Even though the festival did not survive past 2 years, it did take us other directions. We started our Medieval fighting show that performed at various festivals across Ontario, such as Ontario Place, Royal Ontario Museum and many fairs & festivals across Ontario. We also created a travelling Medieval Feast.
In 1998, we created an elementary history educational school presentation that went into schools across Ontario. The concept was to bring artefacts into schools so that students could touch them and then talk about curriculum related topics. At one point we taught History for: Grade 3 (Pioneers), Grade 4 (Medieval), Grade 5 (Ancient Civilizations), Grade 6 (Canadian up to 1620), Grade 7 (Canadian up to 1843) plus we ran a hands-on workshop on how to make chainmail, with all students creating a bracelet or necklace for themselves. The curriculum changed and currently, we teach Grade 4 (Ancient Civilizations, including Medieval) & Grade 5 (Canadian History up to 1713).
In 2003, we opened our Educational Interactive Medieval Theme Park for End of Year school trips for Grade 4 students. In 2006 we opened our Educational Interactive Ancient Civilizations Theme Park for Grade 5 students. The curriculum changed and we combined both of those educational interactive theme parks into our Ancient World Theme Park and then opened an Educational Interactive Canadian History Theme Park.
Canadian History park closed in 2019, but we still teach the subject in schools.
In 2010 and for about 4 years, we had a Medieval Day Camp in the summer at our facility in Hastings.
In 2012, we opened our Medieval Theme Park in the summer for the general public to attend. We called it Spectator Sundays and then changed the name to Warrior Weekends.
In 2014 we opened our Axe Throwing area for people to try and we also would set up axe throwing at special events.
In 2016, we started the Hastings Medieval Festival, celebrating the sword fighter in all the different sword styles. In the sword fighting world there was (is) an animosity between the different styles. The concept was to break down barriers between the styles and show that all sword fighters had the same passion for the sword/medieval era in common. It was a great success and this past year we had 8 sword fighting styles with 13 different groups participating.
In 2018, we tested out a new archery game, called Battle Bows, at our facility in Hastings. Two teams compete against each other, very similar to Dodge Ball. Each 4 person team consists of 3 archers and 1 shield warrior. The game ends when all members of one team have been eliminated by getting hit by an arrow or the time limit expires. There is also an individual competition similar to Renaissance pistol duelling, except with bow & arrow.
In 2019, we started Battle Knights, a sword fighting Tournament held in a Gladiator-style event hall in Peterborough, where the sword fighters compete in a sunken dance floor as people get to watch from 2 levels. This is an offshoot from the Hastings Medieval Festival where four different sword fighting styles compete in their form of sword fighting. So far we have had SCA, Fencing, HEMA, Vikings and then MACE system ends the evening.
In 2019 we opened our facility to our new medieval game called: Thrones Game, where the general public could attend our park and also participate in an exciting game against an opposition team using their intellectual & physical skills to win the Thrones for their Nobles.
In 2019, we tested out our Dungeons & Dragons day events at our Medieval Theme park in Hastings. Both days went exceptional with the participants not only playing D&D in a medieval tent but also participating in Axe Throwing, throwing a bowling ball at our wall by releasing the 20’ Trebuchet siege weapon, and trying on various armours and holding many of the weapons that are in the 5th edition.
2020 brings us to expanding the D&D event, turning it into a festival at the indoor soccer fields in the town of Hastings in addition to opening our park in the summer for D&D days & weekends. We also are working on the 5th annual Hastings Medieval Festival, organizing more Battle Knights events in Peterborough.
