Thursday 04 April 2019
Discover games, hobbies and amusements from history at this year's HistoryFest: Past Times.
The annual weekend event at Castle Cornet is taking place on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 April. A combination of historical pastimes will be on show, with plenty of games available for visitors to play themselves.
Characters from history will challenge members of the public to play them at their favourite games - which could include medieval backgammon, Tudor Nine Men's Morris or the 17th century 'stick game'.
Members of the Guernsey Military History Company will be showcasing the 'downtime' of garrison life in the Castle. From listening to gramophone records to playing card games, visitors will have an insight into what Castle soldiers would have done in their leisure time. For the first time at HistoryFest, there will be displays relating to the life of Victorian soldiers, as well as First and Second World War servicemen and women.
In addition, visitors will find magic and facepainting on offer during the weekend, plus showcases of live music and dancing with a 'vintage' or 'traditional' theme. There will also be presentations from the Guernsey History in Action Company.
The theme of 'pastimes' was inspired by a display at Guernsey Museum, as Jo Dowding, Access & Learning Manager explains:
'Our current Timewarp of Bakers Bazaar toy shop gave us the idea to focus on toys this year. The wonderful thing about games is that they are universal and enduring; playing games can connect us with people who lived long ago'.
HistoryFest takes place at Castle Cornet on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 April. Activities are 10.00-16.00 on both days. Normal admission charges applies, so it's FREE with your Discovery Pass.
