The Boar's Head Festival

A dazzling pageant that brings to life stories and traditions originating in medieval times, the Boar’s Head and Yule Log Festival is a Christmas celebration that weaves both religious and secular narratives into a radiant tapestry celebrating the birth of the Christ Child. The festival began with an English legend about an Oxford student slaying a wild boar with a volume of Aristotle’s works—a story adopted by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) to symbolize evil overcome by good. The angelic message to the shepherds, the visit of the Magi, the tradition of the Yule Log, the legend of good King Wenceslas, and more are woven into a delightful spectacle that culminates in the birth of the Christ Child himself.

The Boar’s Head and Yule Log Festival, presented annually during Epiphany at University Christian Church in Fort Worth, is the basis for this volume, which includes lavish color illustrations revealing the extraordinary costumes and accoutrements created for the pageant.