Photos Montague, MA

Every summer, late in June, there is a one-weekend Mutton + Mead Festival in the town of Montague, MA. Don and I have gone every year since 2012 — well, we missed 2013 when I booked shows with a friend at Jacob’s Pillow for that entire weekend.

I always take most of my photos during the Joust performance. The Joust at Mutton + Mead is the best Joust around. We have been to a few other Renaissance Style Festivals and I can say with some authority that Mutton + Mead beats them all.

This year’s festival is June 24 and 25, rain or shine.

In 2012, the first year we attended this, when we were leaving for the day, near the entrance gate, a guy saw my camera and asked if I’d gotten some good shots. He was also a photographer. We talked for a minute or two, and then he asked where we came from. When we told him Berkshire County, he said, “Wow, thanks for coming to our town!”

: Dame Christianne is introduced at the start of the 2014 Joust Performance at Mutton & Mead in Montague, MA.

: Mutton + Mead 2012

: They were soaked with sweat with all that armor on! 2012

: The Oracle introduces the Jousters. 2014

: During Mutton + Mead, you can take a break from the midday sun by venturing into the woods, and every year, you see something different! 2015

: Sir Orek in full regalia before the official joust.

: See how animated this horse is? 2015

: Again, just look how expressive this beautiful horse is. 2015

: Before we left Mutton + Mead in 2015 Don said, hey get a photo of me with this monster! After we finished he went to shake the monster’s hand, a tiny squeaky feminine voice said, “no problem!”

: Mutton + Mead 2016, some vendors spotted on the way in.

: A view inside a vendor’s easy up at Mutton + Mead 2016.

: Three costumed attendees at Mutton + Mead 2016.

: An audience member hams it up as Juliet during the Vixen’s stage performance.

: The friendly monster in 2016 chatting up some attendees.

: Sir Orek is still flying high.

: She told us in 2015 that the horses for this performance were all rescue horses. In 2015 she was horseless. But 2016 brought her this gorgeous ride.