The Concept

The key concept is to have a weekend event (with camping) that would feature "craft huts" where crafts from about 500-1000 CE could be demonstrated and "taught by doing" (no handouts powerpoints, or chairs in a classroom). I can imagine textile arts, smithing, glass beads, leather, small metals, pottery and so on. Since villages had people of all ages, the crafters should try to have some learning activities going on that would allow everyone to do something useful without being segregated by age. Even if some are too young or unsure to handle fire and steel, they could string beads or weave a little sample braid. The ideal site could have cabins or wedge tents set up like those open-sided sunken buildings so common in the era.

In addition, there would be fighting (oxhides, friendly melees between war bands, etc). Thrown weapons is a good fit for the theme era if the site allows. So is archery, but that is even more site-dependent. Merchants, as long as they came with their own longboats and stuck to appropriate goods. (I'm thinking Dorestad 750 or so as a reference point).

And come nightfall... the meadhall! with the big fire in the middle and tasty food that has been cooking all day on fires (making flatbread on stones sounds like a great learn-by-doing activity). And skalds/scops/bards, maybe even the slightly out of date minnesinger or trouvere cuz they're pretty. And mead. That last one is tough for most sites these days, but I'd like to make it work.