Lonnie crosses lances with Raven Eastwood during the afternoon jousting demonstration, © Winston Henvey 2022.
I was invited by Steve Hemphill to join the a'Plaisance, Ltd., team in a jousting demonstration at the 19th annual PumpkinFest held on Saturday, Oct. 15 from noon to 5 p.m. at Paschall Park, 1001 New Market Road in Mesquite, Texas. It is a family-friendly event that features a community stage with performances, kids’ activity area, Birds of Prey shows, vendor booths, contests, carnival food, trick-or-treating, and, best of all, the public jousting demonstration.
Skills at Arms
The demonstration opened with a friendly skills at arms competition in full armour. Each rider took a turn at throwing a javelin at a small circle on a hay bale. They then tried their hand at cutting apples in half that were mounted on posts.
Joust a'Plaisance
The jousting demonstration was in the form of a Joust a'Plaisance, or "joust of peace", which is the form of jousting most recognized by modern audiences. The three competitors each took several passes against one another.
Next Year
In case you missed it this year, PumpkinFest will return in 2023. Costumes are encouraged and children ages 2-13 years old can participate in a costume contest scheduled at 4 pm. Winners will be selected from three different age groups based on: Most Original; Funniest; and Best All-Around costume. Winners will receive a $100 Visa gift card sponsored by Community Life.
Sociable dogs are also welcome to participate in the fun and have a chance to win some great prizes in their very own costume contest sponsored by PetSmart. Parking and admission to the event is free. Food, games, and other activities will have a small fee.
For more information about PumpkinFest or the contests please visit www.cityofmesquite.com/PumpkinFest or call Mesquite Parks and Recreation at 972-216-6260.
