Shakespeare fest coming to Ardenwood farm - Inside Bay Area

Shakespeare fest coming to Ardenwood farm - Inside Bay Area.

FREMONT — In some respect, William Shakespeare's spirit always has been present at Ardenwood Historic Farm, which George Washington Patterson named after the Forest of Arden in Shakespeare's play "As You Like It." Now, more than 150 years later, the Fremont park will be home to the first Ardenwood Shakespeare and Renaissance Faire. On Sept. 12 and 13, Ardenwood will be transformed into an Elizabethan town fair full of archers, jousting knights, fire eaters and characters from Shakespeare's many plays. There will be three stages with music, dancing and a Shakespearean theater company performing vignettes. There also will be storytellers, archery tournaments and merchants selling a wide array of arts and craft, including one-of-a-kind jewelry, woodcraft, artwork, ceramics, clothing, hats and historic weapons. "The Ardenwood Historic Farm is perfectly suited to bring this show to fruition," said Marti Miernik, the festival's producer and co-owner of Renaissance Productions, who has been working for several years to hold a renaissance festival at Ardenwood. After plans for a similar festival fell through in San Francisco, she was able to secured a slot at the farm, she said. "It just worked out perfect that Ardenwood was open," she said. Miernik has been putting on renaissance festivals for nearly a decade, and recently has added ones with a special focus on Shakespeare.