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You would be forgiven for thinking that there is more than enough magic in the Gloucestershire countryside for any one place; rolling hills, hobbit-like villages and beautiful castles full of history cover the landscape but, in the grounds of one of those castles, magic comes to visit every summer. In the historic grounds of Sudeley Castle, a festival like no other fills the air with a celebration of arts, crafts, music and magic, encouraging thousands of people each year to show their love of all things costume and creation to the world. Welcome to Fantasy Forest.
What is Fantasy Forest?
Set up in 2019, Fantasy Forest Festival has grown from an idea of being “The UK’s first Renaissance Faire” to being its own unique blend of historic reenactment, arts faire and folk festival, championing creatives from Steampunks, to LARPers (Live Action Roleplayers), to cosplayers as part of their mission to showcase the breadth of creativity in the UK and Europe. Boasting multiple stages filled with pirate rock bands, fairy folk music and racing teapots, you’d think you had walked into an artistic wonderland, but it’s more than that. Fantasy Forest is a reality where people can share their passion for making and learn new skills all while partying the night away.
With a dedicated following, and now in its seventh year, Fantasy Forest has become a staple of the alternative arts scene in the UK. It is an imaginative space where attendees can express not only their need to create but also engage with like-minded individuals.
If you’ve never encountered costume events before, it’s easy to see them as all the same. The magic of Fantasy Forest Festival, however, comes in the way they have balanced the different elements, drawing from artistic traditions and costuming hobbies that normally cross like ships in the night. For those who might look in at comic-con, alternative music festivals and immersive gaming and see them as one and the sam, it may be a surprise to know these events and groups often keep to themselves. Fantasy Forest has done what few events have done before in the UK, and forcibly smushed everyone together… it’s caused a sensation.
A real fantasy
The crossover has encouraged those in the alternative fashion and costuming spaces to open up to what they can learn from each other, as well as what it really means to be a crafter. And that’s not to mention the amazing music, which certainly helps the creative juices flow. It’s a crafter’s dream, full of some of the most imaginative people in their most outlandish outfits – and it’s all for the love of collaborative, artistic and crafting expression.
There’s something special about entering a space that has no boundaries on what you wear, how you present yourself and who you want to be in that moment.
Welcoming everyone
While, for many crafters, it might seem a little too alternative, the team behind Fantasy Forest have gone out of their way to be inclusive of all who want to be involved. Having guests like renowned costume and armour maker Terry English – known for his work on Gladiator, Alien, and Clash of the Titans – and immersive theatre company Abacus Theatre – creators of huge, moving sculptural pieces of set and costume – it’s easy to see why people come for inspiration.
So many workshops
One of the joys of Fantasy Forest is its interest in craft education. Various workshops run across the event all weekend, with “The Cosplay Court” being a focal point. These are run by crafters from across the UK, including costume makers working at national theatres, Pinewood Studios and from the sets of Game of Thrones and The Rings of Power.
Fantasy Forest’s workshops have no shortage of expertise when it comes to learning a new craft. Leatherwork, chainmail making, flower crown and fairy-wing building, 3D printing, embroidery workshops and even more are available for those curious to start their craft journey. It’s incredible to see the demand for spaces in the workshops going up every year, with the queues for sign-ups stretching out of the gardens. It’s a certain sign that the popularity of craft is far from over.
Great for all ages
Children as young as six are allowed to take part in many of the workshops, while all are accessible for teens. But beyond the youngsters having a crack at making their own wings, plenty of older attendees have scooped up the places, wanting to add to their own bank of skills. For a lot of them, this is their first chance to learn hands-on since they were at school.
Crafts coming together
Having grown from a catwalk to four separate shows across the weekend, both the costume show, a non-competitive costume showcase, and the much-loved costume competition bring the love for crafting to a wide audience.
Seeing how people use both traditional craft skills and modern technology to transform themselves into beloved characters is one of the best ways to demonstrate the power of learning a craft. Whether they’re walking the catwalk or performing a skit, these makers show what is possible when creativity and skill come together. Because the costumes are handmade by the people wearing them, they feel achievable, inspiring others to think, “I could do that too.”
Fantasy Forest is a place where knowledge, creativity, and a love of craft are shared freely, and that’s where its real magic lies. Beyond the dragons, fairies, and wizards, the festival shows what magic can look like in the real world: people coming together in a collaborative creative space where everyone is welcome to take part. From handmade trinkets exchanged between traders and visitors to the spectacular winged creatures roaming the site and battling the occasional Dalek, the joy of making is woven into every part of this celebration of imagination.
