Organisers all set for annual event honouring historic 13th century Worcestershire battle
The Battle of Evesham took place in 1265, with a festival being held annually for it since 2018
A two-day event dedicated to a 13th century Worcestershire conflict gets underway today (1 August).
The Battle of Evesham took place on the 4 August 1265 between two sides, the royal army, which was led by Prince Edward, who was representing his father King Henry III, and the other being Simon de Montfort's army of rebels.
Montfort had captured both the King and Prince Edward at the Battle of Lewes the year earlier, leading to him effectively running the country.
Edward managed to escape, which resulted in the battle eventually taking place in Greenhill, where Montfort was killed and power was restored to the King.
Founder Mick Hurst started the festival in 2018 as he felt "nobody was really telling the story" of what happened all those hundreds of years ago, and it has been "humbling" seeing how it has grown from the first event.
"Our first festival in 2018 attracted about 10,000 people, which we thought was fantastic," he said.
"That had 125 re-enactors come and a few traders, it was brilliant, but we never imagined that it would grow into the festival it has turned into now.
"We've got over 1,000 re-enactors, we've got 150 trade stalls, and last year we attracted an estimated 60,000 people over the weekend, so with the weather forecast being brilliant for this one coming we may attract even more this time."
The event, which marked the conflict's 760th anniversary last year, sees re-enactors travel from across Europe to re-create the battle, with the Battle of Evesham Grand Parade officially marking the start of proceedings.
Mr Hurst also won this year's VisitEngland's 2026 Tourism Superstar title for all his work around keeping the battle's story going and said it is a real team effort to get everything sorted for the festival and the various other events they run throughout the year.
"None of this would happen without our fantastic set of volunteers," he said.
"We've got over 80, mainly local residents, but some come down from places like Liverpool to help out, we've got a committee of 15, all unpaid like myself, and we just do it for the love of Evesham.
"I personally spend all year organising this and all the other events we do, it takes up a lot of my time, but I'm prepared to dedicate a lot of my life to do this for the good of the town and the effect it has on the local population."
Various other activities take place alongside battle re-enactments which happen on both days at Crown Meadow, with craftsmen demonstrations, medieval cookery and equestrian displays also included.