Our Middle Ages Co-op Day – Part I

Here at last I’m getting to the pictures of our co-op day.  How fun it was!

The day started out beautifully and the framework for our marketplace was started.

But then it started to rain and it rained off and on for several hours.

We couldn’t put the sheets on the “roof” of the marketplace because of the rain.  What to do?  Our whole event was planned for the outdoors.  A last minute decision was made to move into the racquetball court.  Off to the store some of the men went to buy some plywood and such for a platform and straw for the floor.  A racquetball court is very echoey so you have to do something to absorb sound.

Meanwhile, much preparation was also being done inside the house.  Zachary made iced mint tea from his garden to sell at the marketplace.

“Money” was being put into coin bags to give to our guests.  They then used the “money” to buy goods at the marketplace.

Beautiful long hair was being braided in medieval hair styles.

At last it was time to begin.  To start, we had all our guests go to our front yard.  We then would take 13 at a time and have them enter the time machine.  The time machine that a few of the mom’s worked on turned out to be just great.

All the windows in the dining room were covered with black plastic .  Around the door you can see where the sign reads “Time Portal – Destination”.  Around the edges of the door which you cannot see, it read “Middle Ages”.

The light bulbs in the dining room were changed to colored ones.  These were blinked on and off during our journey back in time.  To complete the effect and make it totally dark a black piece of plastic was pulled across the opening once everyone entered the time machine.  Noises were made resembling space ship sounds using a karaoke machine,

All the participants went through first.

A poem from the middle ages was read while “time” rolled backwards on this big time wheel.

Then a soft voice spoke saying “You have now reached the middle ages.  You may exit to the right.”  They were now back in time.

Ready for adventure!

Off the participants went to the marketplace to await our guests.

Lots more pictures to follow but that’s all for today! 🙂

Updated to add:  Part II is up.  Click here.