Learn Traditional Straw Braiding at Kings Landing, Prince William

In Prince William, New Brunswick, the Straw Braiding Workshop at Kings Landing offers a compact, hands-on window into a rural craft that once outfitted households across the province. For three hours, small groups gather in the Learning Centre where costumed interpreters Susie and Erin teach traditional hand-braiding techniques that result in a mat, hat, or gardening bonnet you take home. Check in at the Kings Landing Welcome Centre. Price includes admission to the historic village, supplies and light refreshments, and the intimacy of a six-person class lets instructors personalize guidance at every turn.

The scene is deliberately simple: bundles of straw, blunt needles, cotton ties and the patient rhythm of hands. Participants learn step-by-step braiding, joining, and finishing methods that are rooted in rural New Brunswick household practice—skills that once stretched family resources by turning crop byproducts into durable goods. That tangible connection to local agricultural history is what makes this workshop more than a craft lesson; it reads like a short field school in regional material culture.

The workshop sits just metres from the village entrance, inside a period-style Learning Centre where the absence of air conditioning keeps temperatures honest; bring layers. Susie and Erin teach in costume, blending demonstration with stories about daily life in earlier centuries so visitors not only copy technique but understand why these items mattered. The result is a finished object and a better sense of how people adapted simple materials to solve everyday needs.

Why book this trip? Beyond learning a new manual skill, you become part of Kings Landing’s mission to conserve living history. The workshop supports onsite interpretation and preserves the know-how that doesn’t often survive museum displays alone. It’s also a low-impact, family-friendly activity that pairs well with a day exploring restored homes, shops, and trails around the village.

Practical notes: the class runs three hours, accepts guests ages 16 and up, and caps at six participants. Bring comfortable clothing and patience; you’ll be working at a table for most of the session. If you have accessibility concerns, Kings Landing asks that you notify staff in advance. Expect a hands-on, tactile afternoon where a simple braid connects you to the rhythms of rural New Brunswick.

Plan to arrive with time to stroll through the village before or after the workshop; restored farmhouses, a blacksmith shop, and living-history interpreters create a looping, walkable route. The onsite admission included with the class makes it easy to extend your visit—bring cash or card for the museum shop where handmade goods and local books are offered. Travelers staying in Prince William will find the workshop an accessible half-day cultural activity that pairs well with a picnic or a drive through surrounding farmland and memories.