Draw your sword and ready your coin purse, Adventurer - Ren Faire season is upon us! In this week’s edition of Rediscovered Realms, we’re celebrating the playful chaos, medieval cosplay, and turkey leg-fueled revelry of summer renaissance festivals. Whether you’re a seasoned knight or faire-curious peasant, there’s no better time to step back in time.
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How I Always Plan for 4 Visits (and End Up with 1)
Unlike some other year-round-warm parts of the country, out where I live, Ren Fairs are a summer affair only. And it’s that time, once again.
Every year, I have the highest hopes of attending at least 4 times (as I proudly announce to my friends months leading up to it) but the inevitable crunch of summertime activities seems to reduce my ambitious hopes and dreams to just about once, if at all.
There’s just too darn much to do (and fix) in the summer anymore.! And the crazy heat! No one wants to willingly swelter when there’s AC to be had elsewhere.
But . . .
There’s just something rawly playful about attending these fetes.
Silly at times, Bohemian at others, it’s the type of place that reignites imagination and lets you turn back the clock to become a big carefree kid again while escaping burden-laden adulthood for a spell.
Where else can you go and be called “My Lord” and “My Lady” while wearing shorts, flip-flops and a torn-up T-shirt?
Or play dress up in all sorts of outrageous styles? (Ok, that’s everywhere else in the world we live in, so bad example!)
Bill and Marissa at the Colorado Renaissance Festival. Photo by: Kastle Waserman
My favorite foodie things I just HAVE to do every time are the gigantor turkey legs and the frozen cheesecake-on-a-stick.
If you’ve heard, like me, that turkey legs are actually Emu, you can find out the truth in this fun article: “The Untold Truth of Turkey Legs”
Picture from an Ohio Renaissance Festival
Then there’s the music, games, street performers, and shows - jousting, comedy (with many, surprisingly adult-themed!), belly dancing, and more.
I have literally experienced some of the funniest comedians in my entire life at some of these Ren Faires.
Family Comedy Sword Swallower, Dan Meyer, Nebraska State Fair 2017
I posted this in another Rediscovered Realms edition, but thought it perfect to include here: “Sword swallowing and its side effects” - an actual medical study with fascinating findings!
The artisan shoppes contain some of the coolest stuff any fantasy fan could dream of - swords, armour, tankards, cloaks, jeweled treasures - and you often get to meet the artisans that create these marvels or see them fashion their wares live.
Blacksmith at work - King Richard’s Faire in Carver, MA by Wolfrage (2009)
There’s just sooooo much to do for kids & adults.
Knight Riding into Joust Renaissance Faire 2011 | Chris Favero
I’m always amazed at how busy they get anymore. Some days it feels like THOUSANDS of attendees. As much as I am thrilled how mainstream they’ve become, as an introvert, I kinda wish they could be a little more cozy as I remember them from a few decades past.
I see there are some ren faires in Texas and other place that are open for business in the Fall. I think I would like to experience one of those in the cooler weather.
A Ren Fair King’s Fall from the Throne:
If you didn’t hear, the owner and Game-of-Thrones-like-string-puller of the largest/oldest Ren Fair in the country is no longer with us. Steeped in controversy, George Coulam was the central character/King in HBO’s fascinating documentary, “Ren Faire”.
When I watched this, it was as others described - like Tiger King meets GoT!
To get you in the mood for your own personal summer crusade, here’s an energetic 3-minute video compilation from the 2019 Colorado Renaissance Festival full of music, maidens, knights, fairies & fun:
If you’ve been feeling the weight of grown-up obligations and deadlines, maybe it’s time to trade them (briefly) for a foam sword, a wooden mug, and a poorly accented “Huzzah!”
Ren Faires aren’t just a day out - they’re a doorway into an imaginative, fun, and more spellbinding world.
So, whether you show up in full plate or a plain tee, there’s still something special waiting for you beyond the faire gates. Wander the dusty lanes, grab a turkey leg, exchange a few of your gold coins for some wonder & excitement. Let yourself believe, just for a day, that you really are a knight, a rogue, or a wizard on an epic quest.
Your realms of adventure await, Brave Traveler.
What about you?
Are you planning to visit a Ren Faire this year?
Have you had any unforgettable (or hilarious) faire moments in the past?
Share your tales below – I’d love to hear them!
photo by: Craig Hlavaty, Houston Chronicle
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Summer Revelry [Verse] Sunlit meadows call our name Golden fields ignite the flame Dancing feet on cobbled ground Summer’s joy is all around [Chorus] Raise your glass and shout with cheer Summer’s warmth is finally here Tambourines and laughter play Let’s revel in this golden day [Verse 2] Bards are singing tales so sweet Drums and flutes keep time’s heartbeat Children chase the fireflies’ glow Underneath the twilight’s show [Chorus] Raise your glass and shout with cheer Summer’s warmth is finally here Tambourines and laughter play Let’s revel in this golden day [Bridge] Garlands crown the midnight air Lanterns swing without a care Hear the fiddle’s lively tune Dancing under summer’s moon [Chorus] Raise your glass and shout with cheer Summer’s warmth is finally here Tambourines and laughter play Let’s revel in this golden day
You should absolutely check out the Texas Renaissance Festival (or TRF as we call it down here) in the fall! It's supposedly the largest one in the country! I haven't been in a few years because it's almost a 5 hour drive from DFW where I live, so I don't know how it is under the new ownership (the Ren Fair documentary on MAX is about the sale of TRF), but it was awesome last time I went. One of my favorite parts is that is stays open past dark which really adds a new layer to your emersion!
My first Ren Faire was about 25 years ago and it was really cool but so hot! I didn’t go again until this year. My daughter wanted to go and dress up as pirates. Now I’m 25 years older but what the heck. We went, horrible heat in costumes, and stayed all day. Still had a great time but the next day I was wiped out! lol
You should absolutely check out the Texas Renaissance Festival (or TRF as we call it down here) in the fall! It's supposedly the largest one in the country! I haven't been in a few years because it's almost a 5 hour drive from DFW where I live, so I don't know how it is under the new ownership (the Ren Fair documentary on MAX is about the sale of TRF), but it was awesome last time I went. One of my favorite parts is that is stays open past dark which really adds a new layer to your emersion!
My first Ren Faire was about 25 years ago and it was really cool but so hot! I didn’t go again until this year. My daughter wanted to go and dress up as pirates. Now I’m 25 years older but what the heck. We went, horrible heat in costumes, and stayed all day. Still had a great time but the next day I was wiped out! lol