Viking Fest draws crowds despite soggy start

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Historical warriors mingled with guests at the 12th annual Ashville Viking Festival this weekend. (Photos by Trish Bennett)

Reenactors set up camp to teach visitors about life in historical times.

Warriors join together for an informative presentation about weapons used throughout history.

Presentations included discussions of primitive firearms used by warriors throughout the centuries.

A vendor makes bubbles the old-fashioned way.

The horses used in the weekend jousts take a breather between shows.

Children were invited to test their jousting skills with small lances and stick ponies.

Turkey legs are a popular feature at the Ashville Viking Festival.

Members of the Ashville Community Men’s Club prepare food for the event.

Community club members spent the weekend serving up popular favorites for guests of the Viking Festival.

Smoking the turkey legs is a big job for the Ashville Community Men’s Club.

The turkey legs are ready for smoking.

Reenactors and enthusiasts in all sizes, shapes and colors adorned the field of Ashville Village Park this weekend.

A shopper browses for wares in the merchant area of the festival.

A blacksmith shows off his skills to visitors at the 12th annual Viking Fest.

Fencing was just one of the exhibitions presented this weekend in Ashville park.

ASHVILLE – Despite a soggy start, the Ashville Viking Festival logged another successful year this weekend, drawing its average crowd into the village park with food, vendors and live entertainment.

“Saturday was kind of slow with the weather,” said Dave Rainey, member of the Ashville Community Men’s Club that provides food throughout the event. “We tend to average 4,000 to 6,000 people, and we saw about the same number of people this year. If one day is bad, people come the next day. You tend to do the same kind of business.”

Sunday, he said, was a perfect day for the festival that is hosted by Ashville’s own Lost Vikings Hoard.

“The activity was great,” Rainey said. “There were a lot of kids, the merchants were happy, the reenactors had a good time. It was a perfect day.”

Rainey said the local food pantry also fared well in the 12th year of the festival through donations of non-perishable food items accepted as admission to the event.

“We took a huge truckload of food over to the food pantry,” Rainey said. “Thats always one of my favorite things, and it’s a nice touch for what we do. Now we’re just looking forward to number 13.”