Town Herald Features

Renaissance Festivals
By:[ irulan ]

Master insulters, jumbo turkey legs, dueling swordsmen, and fine handcrafted wares – all of these wonders can be found at a Renaissance Festival or Faire near you. Where else can you see plays such as Dante performed hilariously in a pit of mud? And where else can you or your child enjoy rides that are not powered by complicated machines, but by pure human sweat and muscle? Nowhere but a Renaissance Festival (affectionately called a Renfest).

Renfests take you back in time, sometimes to early England and sometimes to France. You will eat food from the time as well as watch entertainers that were common for the day. This can include jesters, jugglers, acrobats, and play actors. And don't fear – there are plenty of unique shopping opportunities. Vendors usually have strict rules to follow before they can sell at the fair. The items being sold must be handmade and can be made using only materials that would have been available during the time period in which the festival is set.

Though the primary purpose of most faires is entertainment, they are also very educational. They provide an excellent opportunity to mix fun and information for the kids - a chance to present the past and history in a novel, exciting way. Depending on the length of the festival, several will offer a few student days during the week. Local schools can make arrangements to take whole classes to the faire, typically at a discount. On these student days, special educational and hands-on workshops are normally offered. (Please check your local Renfest schedule for availability of these programs).

So why do people go to these things anyway? Here's the simple two word answer – they're fun! Didn't you read the first paragraph? One can lose himself/herself in a completely different world and era even, for a day or a weekend. There are no TVs, no video games, and no radios. It truly is a temporary escape. Attending in costume furthers the illusion and really makes one feel a part of the action and time period. Several faires have vendors that offer costume rentals at reasonable rates. Let's talk about the food – jumbo turkey legs are found at nearly every festival, other items just depend on the time period the festival is set in. A sampling from the Renfest in my area includes: steak on a stake, bread bowls, apple dumplings, and of course mead. All of which is delicious. Then there is the endless entertainment. One will be able to find anything from comedy to music to acrobatics to swordplay. Many performers you see do their act for a living, traveling from festival to festival.  Therefore they are talented professionals and good at what they do.

I look forward to my local Renaissance Festival every year. Please check out the links included at the bottom of the page to see if there is a Renfest near you!

Insider Tips
- Wear a costume or rent one. For a peasant costume the rate is usually around $20/day. Purchasing costumes can be a bit costly but in my opinion a worthwhile investment, particularly if you will be attending faires regularly. You can also make one!
- Take one dollar bills to tip the performers
- Wear COMFORTABLE shoes

Useful Websites
www.renaissancefestivals.com
www.renfaires.com
Ren-fair