Renaissance Fairs

Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire - ABC News

Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire - ABC News.

Centuries ago, kings and queens ruled. It was a time when knights slayed dragons, and fair maidens welcomed their gallant men home. Share Renaissance fairs take visitors back to the 1500s for a day of food and fun. More Photos But those days are long gone ... except on the weekends at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire. The fair is held on the 35-acre Mount Hope Estate and Winery built by the Grubb family, which started an iron ore mining company in Lancaster County. Every weekend, beginning in early August, the fair holds 90 shows that are performed on 13 outside stages. When the gates open around 11 a.m., fair patrons enter the medieval times of 1569, a world full of "thees" and "thous," overrun by swashbuckling pirate and wine wenches, sword swallowers and fire eaters, and of course, pickles on a stick. Walking down the pathway of the estate, lively characters ask the patrons to take part in their all-day play. Merchants sell hand-crafted products and give live demonstrations such as blacksmiths making swords, stained glass window displays and historical glass blowing.

Alabama Renaissance Faire Oct. 24-25 in Florence

Alabama Renaissance Faire Oct. 24-25 in Florence.

Always the fourth weekend in October, downtown Florence recreates itself as a 1400s-era small medieval village where hundreds of people in authentic period costumes entertain more than 30,000 people each year. The 23rd annual Alabama Renaissance Faire is a celebration of the Renaissance Period featuring musical programs, theatrical performances, art exhibits, dance programs, and public lectures. The festival also includes handcrafts and wares typical of the Renaissance period available for purchase, entertainers performing with ancient instruments, sword fighters, and even trolls. This year’s event is scheduled for October 24, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and October 25, noon to 6 p.m., at the Fountain-On-The-Green (Wilson Park) in downtown Florence, Alabama. Admission is free. In addition to the festivities centered on Fountain-On-The-Green, a special exhibit by the Shoals Artists Guild will be on display at the Kennedy-Douglass Art Center located at 217 E Tuscaloosa Street. To add to the festivities, everyone is invited to come dressed in period attire. No costume to wear? A free costume-making workshop will be held on October 10 beginning at 9 a.m. at the Kennedy-Douglass Art Center. People of all ages are invited to bring fabric (three yards, sixty inches wide), and the measuring, cutting, and sewing will be handled by men and women connected with the Faire. The costume can be embellished with jewelry, belts, etc. and then worn to the Faire. A Renaissance Feast with authentic food and entertainment of the period and the selection of a new King and Queen is scheduled for October 17 at 7 p.m. at the Florence-Lauderdale Coliseum located at 702 East Veterans Drive. Cost is $25 per person and seating is limited to 200 people. Tickets may be purchased at the Kennedy-Douglass Art Center beginning October 1. For more information, visit the Alabama Renaissance Faire’s web site at www.alarenfaire.org or call 256.768.3031.

The Anchor - Five reasons why you should go to a Renaissance faire this year

The Anchor - Five reasons why you should go to a Renaissance faire this year.

You know how every popular band has those fans that have liked them before they became popular and so that makes them better fans? Well I have been going to Renaissance faires since before they were cool. My family has gone every year for as long as I can remember (which just so happens to be up to five minutes ago), and I have always had fun. Now you ask yourself, “Andrew, I have lived under a rock since I was born, what IS a Renaissance faire?” A Renaissance faire (or Ren faire) is a fair themed after the Renaissance. It is a difficult concept to grasp, but we will work it through. Of course, it is not strictly themed after the Renaissance; pretty much anything older than the 19th Century will work. There are even some faires with pirates in them. So here are my five reasons why you should go to a Ren faire: The fairgrounds. When you go to a Ren faire, the entire area becomes a stage. The various staff dress up in medieval garb and talk in accents. The staff interacts with each other making witty and entertaining remarks to each other. Some of it can be corny at times, but it is all well worth it. Weapons. This warrants its own section. The Ren faires will allow you to carry medieval weapons (swords, axes, etc,) on your person in the fair. No faire will allow you to draw these weapons, and some require you to peace tie them, but you can still carry them. Most faires also have a shooting range where you can fire bows and crossbows, as well as throw knives and axes. You can also purchase weapons both decorative and battle ready (though the latter costs significantly more). Entertainment. There are numerous shows that go on during a Ren faire. Most Ren faires have a joust which is the main event and is usually the climax of that faire’s ongoing story (yes, there is a story). Many faires have singing minstrels of all kinds, puppet shows, and even mud shows, which are exactly what they sound like (two people playing with mud and making jokes, you pervs). The King Richard’s Faire in Massachusetts even has a big cat show where they show off many different large cats, including a liger. Dressing up. The bigger Ren faire nerds (like me) can also dress up in medieval garb, just like the staff. Some even talk in accents, but I have been forbidden. The ranges of costumes available to you are solely based on either your wallet or your ability to sew. For the poorer among us, you can also rent a costume for a day. The running joke among any Ren faire is that those who do not dress up are “naked.” The Food. Since food is always a priority for me, I thought it deserved mentioning here. Most Ren faires do serve normal foods under fancy names (like Ye King’s Dogs) or fair food like kettle corn, but they also will have unique items for sale. My favorite item is the turkey leg. It is much like a normal chicken leg but it is about five times the size. They will also serve stew in a bread bowl, which works well considering most faires are in autumn. I hope this article has intrigued some of you to check out the local Renaissance faires. The most popular one is the King Richard’s Faire, but the Connecticut Renaissance Faire is cheaper and worth checking out. And if you do not go, well that means more turkey leg for me.

Renaissance Faire to showcase music, food and more - Farmington Daily Times

Renaissance Faire to showcase music, food and more - Farmington Daily Times.

FARMINGTON — Locals can celebrate the transition between med-ieval and modern times this weekend for the 10th consecutive year. Musicians will strum mandolins and play flutes and local medieval history enthusiasts will engage in mock battles at the Farmington Renaissance Faire by the Animas River. Artisans, magicians and equestrians along with the Albuquerque Vaulters will perform alongside jugglers, belly dancers and fortune tellers. Displays will explain renaissance arts and sciences and Greek food will be served. The Vivace Mandolin Consort, of Colorado, and Glastonbury Duo, of Utah, will play music. The festival serves to promote renaissance culture, said Debbie Doggett, collections manager for the Farmington Museum, which sponsors the event. "Part of it is a chance to celebrate a part of our culture that doesn't get celebrated in the Southwest," Doggett said. Around 30 vendors will sell their wares, including wood carvings, soaps, jewelry and clothing, she said. Society for Creative Anachronism members will wear armor and fight with bamboo swords and give guided tours of festival grounds. Krista Lewis, president of the local society, which re-enacts European history before the 17th century, will fight with a rapier. Society members will do archery demonstrations and allow people to shoot a crossbow, though with a plastic arrow and rubber tip, she said. "People can come and shoot an actual crossbow that's designed for combat," said

Renaissance Faire certainly has character(s) - ContraCostaTimes.com

Renaissance Faire certainly has character(s) - ContraCostaTimes.com.

IT IS RELATIVELY mild for a Saturday in September in Hollister, and that's a good thing considering what people wear at the Northern California Renaissance Faire being held here. Queen's guards don colorful, and weighty, leather pants as they patrol the dusty, shaded grounds. Knights wear real shining armor, the sun glinting off the heavy metal. And jesters pile on layers of velvet and top themselves with those silly and heavy hats with bells on the pointed ends. One of those jesters, Dave Gregory, relaxes with water in hand after his husband-wife performance on a small stage inside the fair grounds. Gregory, a Berkeley native, is in his 40s and has been attending the Renaissance Faire since he was 12. "When I first came to the fair," he says, "I said 'Oh, I am home.' It's like my people are here. This is where they converge." Gregory eventually learned how to perform and juggle, and he and his partner, Anita Gregory, are the Unruly Fools, a jester and juggling act with a bickering "The Honeymooners"-type feel. The Renaissance Faire, the largest on the West Coast, is a safe place for the Gregorys to play, they say. Dave Gregory, a usually quiet guy, kindly but loudly hassles passers-by. It's OK, he says, because his jester hat and fuzzy pants put him in character and fair visitors are tolerant, if not accepting, of his act.

Maryland Ren Faire Welcomes Jousting and Meat on a Stick || Jaunted

Maryland Ren Faire Welcomes Jousting and Meat on a Stick || Jaunted.

Hear ye, hear ye! Time to break out your floral headdress and blouson-sleeved coats, Jaunted readers; 'tis the season for Ren Faire. For a 33rd season, Crownsville, Maryland celebrates everything from jousting to archery at their annual Renaissance Festival. The merry event will be held every weekend, rain or shine, through October 25th, with a full scroll of activities that will take Renaissance enthusiasts back to a time when knights ruled the roost. Before you don an epic costume and get your Robin Hood on, the official website reminds patrons that no costume or real weapons are allowed by guests. 'Tis a family-friendly event, after all. At the gate, an adult ticket will run you 18 ducats—er, dollars*—while a two-day pass can be purchased for $28. Wee lads and lasses the age of six and under are admitted for free. You also have the option of purchasing a cleverly-titled "Fairever Pass," which is good for the entire festival, will include your photograph, and grants you access to a private entrance to Revel Grove, where the event is being held.

Ardenwood Historic Farm Festival

Tri-City Voice Newspaper - Whats Happening - Fremont, Union City, Newark, California.

The Queen is coming to Ardenwood Historic Farm, and all loyal subjects are invited to meet Her Majesty. The royal court will make a splendid entrance dressed in colorful garments of gold, silks, and velvet. Accompanied by appropriate music, passage of Her Majesty, nobles and ambassadors will be celebrated by a show of swashbuckling, chivalry, jousting and feasts. Ardenwood Farm will be transform on September 12 into a delightful Elizabethan town filled with myriad characters and vignettes. For two days - Saturday, September 12 and Sunday, September 13 - Shakespeare will dominate the landscape. Brave knights clad in shining armor will thunder down the list on spectacular horses at ferocious speeds as stilt walkers, jugglers, fire- eaters and jesters perform over-the-top stunts. Swordplay will be prevalent on the lawns of the stately Patterson House mansion. The Shakespeare Festival and Renaissance Faire is coming to Fremont. Knights of Mayhem, a full contact jousting troupe known for their unscripted, lance-splitting contests will amaze spectators. They guarantee a spectacle to be remembered. In addition, over 900 costumed entertainers and 100 shopkeepers and artisans will add to the ambience of the Faire. The festival is the ultimate Renaissance bash where guests enjoy turkey legs, exotic food, and drink as they banter with a myriad of performers filling the streets. One-of-a-kind shows, music, and comedy are the usual fare at the Shakespeare Festival and Renaissance Faire. This outdoor event is part festival, part fantasy and part live theater, a perfect day of fun for the whole family. Shakespeare Festival and Renaissance Faire Saturday and Sunday, September 12 - 13 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Ardenwood Historic Farm 34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont (888) 327-2757 www.ardenwoodfaire.com

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.

Silver Leaf Renaissance Faire ends another season - MLive.com

Silver Leaf Renaissance Faire ends another season - MLive.com.

BATTLE CREEK -- Sunday marked the last day of the Silver Leaf Renaissance Faire in Battle Creek. The event, which was held for five consecutive weekends, beginning July 11, at Kimball Pines Park, provided visitors with a variety of unique entertainment and food, among other things. Entertainment at the faire included jousting, sword fighting, a pyro juggler, medieval singers and jugglers. About 25,000 people attend the event each year and patrons can participate by dressing up in medieval garb.

The Riverdale Press: Medieval times

The Riverdale Press: Medieval times.

Experience what life was like in a bustling 16th-century European village by visiting Sterling Forest’s 32nd annual New York Renaissance Faire, located at 600 Route 17A, in Tuxedo Park, N.Y. This popular event will take place on Saturdays and Sundays (and Labor Day Monday), Aug. 1 through Sept. 20, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. There will be a wide variety of entertainment for all ages to enjoy, such as a royal joust with armored knights on horseback, acrobatic performances, an ongoing Robin Hood show, a living chess game and much more. Visitors can also interact with storytellers, pirates and magicians, browse through a crafts marketplace, go on human- powered rides and participate in several games, including archery, a beanbag toss and an axe throw. In addition, there will be all kinds of gourmet food, snacks, candy and beverages available for purchase throughout each day of the festival. For more details, go to www.renfair.com.