The European Medieval Festival (Middelalderens Marked) is held in Horsens for several days in late August and is one of the largest medieval markets in northern Europe. The prison grounds and surrounding streets are transformed into a medieval market town, with around 1,500 costumed participants — craftspeople, merchants, knights, and performers — recreating life in the 13th–15th centuries. The programme includes jousting tournaments, falconry displays, fire eating, archery, period music, and a large market selling handmade goods and medieval-style food and drink.
The festival draws around 50,000 visitors over the weekend and is consistently one of the best-attended events in Jutland. It is particularly well done by the standards of this type of event — the craft stalls lean toward genuine artisanship rather than kitsch, and the jousting arena produces properly dramatic contests. Book accommodation in Horsens months in advance if visiting during festival weekend.