1/3 1st & 2nd August (Jousting Weekend)
The first weekend of the iconic 40th Robin Hood Festival finally arrived, and I was completely set, packed, and ready to go!
The British summer had been relentless. It felt like it hasn't rained for years, leaving the Sherwood Forest grass completely brown after heatwave after heatwave. Every single time the wind caught a breeze, it churns up a thick layer of fine, grey Sherwood dust. Before the show even opened, my main worry was how much of this dust was going to bake itself into the waterproofing of the beautiful, borrowed medieval canvas tent!
A Wild West in Nottinghamshire
As the gates opened, it was immediately clear that this was a completely different crowd compared to my last festival. The entire site was alive, buzzing, and so was my stall!
The dust kept churning all weekend. Combined with the heat, it felt less like Sherwood Forest - the scene was almost like being on a Wild West movie set, especially with the spectacular Knights of Nottingham jousting just beyond my canvas tent.
Precious Feedback and Endless Workshops
The response to my business was incredibly encouraging. I hosted what felt like an endless stream of workshops, one after another, watching so many excited first-timers try their hand at leathercraft.
Running these workshops also gave me a rare opportunity to get direct feedback on my work, both the pros and the cons. Without a permanent high street shopfront, these face-to-face interactions with customers are absolutely precious for shaping my future designs. Almost everyone had a go at saddle stitching, stamping, decorating, and attaching hardware like snaps and rivets!
It was an exhausting, exhilarating, and dusty success. I already know for certain that Monday is going to be a well-deserved day of total hibernation and rest at home!
