We’d never been to the Abbey Medieval Festival before this year. Knew nothing really, just “medieval costumes, out near Caboolture.”
Don’t do what we almost did. This thing sells out every single year, general entry and the Friday Family Fun Day both, and 2026’s tickets were gone completely before the festival even happened. Early bird tickets open months in advance and are a fair bit cheaper than paying at the door (adult tickets are near $60 full price), but they don’t hang around. If there’s any chance you’re going, get on their mailing list or follow them on social now, not in June.
You can’t camp there, even though it looks like you could
Walking past the encampments, the pewter dishes, the fur-lined beds, we genuinely thought we might be able to just pitch a tent and join in. Nope. Those are the re-enactors’ own camps — they set up days early and live in them for the whole event as part of the show. There’s no public camping at the festival grounds. If you want to stay nearby, you’re booking something in Caboolture or over on Bribie Island.
Wear something, even a rough attempt
You don’t need it to be accurate, but go in costume if you can manage it. Everyone else has made an effort and turning up in your normal clothes feels a bit like crashing someone else’s party. We saw a plague doctor in full black cloak and beaked mask who properly stopped us in our tracks, and a stall selling fox pelts for around $250 — that one made us think about how recent all our modern comforts actually are. If you’re into Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, just wandering around feels like you’ve wandered onto a film set. We went in our own traditional dress and had so many people stop us for photos and compliments, which was really nice, though it also made us realise how rarely that gets seen around here.
Leave room for the food
There’s a whole pig turning over an open fire that’s worth queuing for, herbalists selling their own dried spice blends next to big pots of soup, and we somehow ended up at a monk’s table with a cup of home-brewed mead we hadn’t planned on drinking. The turkey legs are the obvious choice and they earn the hype. If it’s rained recently, the ground turns to mud fast, so don’t wear anything precious on your feet.
There’s more than food and costumes
It’s easy to get stuck doing photos and eating, but there’s a set of medieval stocks that doubles as a free photo booth (great if you’ve got a kid, or a partner who’s a good sport), and a castle siege board game with proper attacker-and-defender sides that plays like a real strategy game. Worth setting aside time for once you’ve eaten your fill.
Would we go again
Yes. It’s a proper day out, not a quick stop, and the crowds and weather matter more than they would at your average family outing, but get your tickets early and it’s a great one to build a July trip around. We’re already checking QLD school holidays for next year so we can plan around it properly, and if you’re after another Brisbane festival to pair with it, the Ekka is worth knowing about too.
FAQs
When is the Abbey Medieval Festival? Every July, usually a weekend plus a Friday Family Fun Day, around the start of Queensland school holidays. Exact dates shift each year — check the official site.
Can you camp at the Abbey Medieval Festival? Not as a member of the public. The tents you see belong to re-enactors camping onsite as part of their display. Book accommodation in Caboolture or Bribie Island instead if you want to stay nearby.
Do tickets sell out? Most years, yes — general entry and the Friday Family Fun Day both. Early bird tickets go on sale months ahead at a lower price and can sell out well before the event.
Do you have to wear a costume? No, but most people do, and it adds a lot to the atmosphere. Any historical costume is welcome, not just medieval European styles.