Medieval Festival at Fort Tryon Park

Life was tough in the Middle Ages, what with feudalism, the Crusades and that whole plague business. But it did have some cool aspects to commend it—like castles, Chaucer and pointy hats—which are celebrated at this annual throwback fair. Explore an anachronistic village in the area around the Cloisters, where you can listen to bards and minstrels, wash down a fire-roasted turkey leg with mead and watch riders unseat each other in a jousting tourney.