Knights, falconry and donkey rides return to Dinton Pastures on 12 and 13 September. Adult tickets £8.50, family £25, under-2s free, advance parking £6.

The Medieval Jousting Weekend is coming back to Dinton Pastures Country Park on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September, Wokingham Borough Council announced on Monday, with tickets now on sale for both days. The event runs from 10am to 4pm each day at the 350-acre country park off Davis Street in Hurst, and a day ticket lets you leave and re-enter, so you can mix the arena shows with the park’s lakes, walks and play park (Wokingham Borough Council, 10 August 2026; Dinton Pastures event page).

The event was held for the first time last year, and the 2026 line-up brings back its three headline acts. The Knights of Middle England, the Warwickshire stunt-riding troupe who perform regularly at Warwick Castle, return to stage the jousting tournament in the main arena. The Exiles set up their medieval camp again, with martial arts demonstrations and tales of how people survived the period. And Berkshire Birds of Prey, a family-run business from Bracknell, bring the flying displays: the birds taking part include Lightning McQueen, a Harris hawk, Bella, a barn owl, Apollo, a peregrine, and Noddy, a kestrel, though the council notes the display flight will not go ahead if the wind is too strong (council announcement).

What a ticket costs

Daily tickets, bought in advance on the Dinton Pastures website, are priced as follows, with tickets bought on the day charged at a higher rate (council announcement):

  • Adult: £8.50
  • Child: £4.50
  • Family (two adults and three children): £25
  • Carers: £7.20
  • Children aged two and under: free

The family ticket is the stand-out value: two adults and three children paying individually would spend £30.50, so the £25 family rate saves £5.50. A discounted car parking ticket costs £6 if bought in advance on the Dinton Pastures website, and the park warns that all event tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable.

Ticket prices for the Dinton Pastures Medieval Jousting Weekend, 12 and 13 September 2026: adult £8.50, carer £7.20, child £4.50, family of two adults and three children £25, children two and under free; advance parking £6; on-the-day tickets cost more
Graphic by Wokingham Online

Beyond the jousting

Alongside the arena programme there are free have-a-go archery sessions run by the Dinton Activity Team, subject to availability, and donkey rides from Kellys Donkeys, whose animals are mainly rescues; rides are for children aged 10 and under, carry a 38kg weight limit, and are paid for on the day with no pre-booking. Arrow break sessions, a guided 30-minute experience for ages 13 and over that ends with breaking a wooden arrow against the hollow of the throat, are booked and charged separately. A funfair from JB Events sells ride tokens on the day, and the entertainment village has a barbecue by JL Catering, drinks from The Happy Bee Coffee Truck and The Rollin’ Inn Bar, local crafts and live music (Dinton Pastures event page).

For anyone who wants to make a weekend of it, the park’s Maple Grove glamping village offers bell tents at £85 a night, sleeping up to two adults and two children with two single beds and pop-up children’s beds. It is an off-grid site with no power, though running water is available and the toilets in the adjacent Coffee House stay open through the evening (Dinton Pastures event page).

Cllr Mark Ashwell, the council’s executive member for economic development, sport, leisure and the arts, said: “After such a successful debut, it’s fantastic to welcome the Medieval Jousting Weekend back to Dinton Pastures. With thrilling displays, immersive entertainment and plenty to see and do, it’s set to be an unforgettable weekend for visitors of all ages and a great day out for the whole family” (council announcement).

What it means for you

If you are planning to go, booking in advance is the cheaper route twice over: entry tickets cost more on the gate, and the £6 parking rate is advance-only. Saturday and Sunday are ticketed separately, so a family doing both days pays for each. The park entrance is on Davis Street, Hurst, RG10 0TH; for anything affecting the roads out that way nearer the time, check our roadworks and travel roundup. Booking links for both days are on the Dinton Pastures Medieval Weekend page, and the rest of the area’s days out are in our things to do in Wokingham round-up.

Sources

Prices and event details verified against the council announcement and the Dinton Pastures booking page on 11 August 2026.