Renaissance fair
renaissance festival medieval fair ren faire outdoor gathering aim entertain guest recreating historical setting often english renaissance renaissance festival generally include costumed entertainer fairgoers musical theatrical act art handicraft sale festival food fair open public typically commercial permanent theme park others shortterm event fairground winery large space renaissance fair offer campground wish stay one day many renaissance fair set reign queen elizabeth england set earlier reign henry viii country france others set outside era renaissance may include earlier medieval period viking age later period golden age piracy engage deliberate time travel encouraging participant wear costume representing several era broad time period renaissance fair encourage visitor engage costume audience participation often renting outfit fairgoers many welcome fantasy element like wizard elf renaissance fair arranged represent imagined english village reign elizabeth often thought height english renaissance within modern renaissance festival stage performance area set scheduled show play shakespearean commedia dellarte tradition well anachronistic audience participation comedy routine performance include dancer magician musician juggler singer stage street lane lined store shoppes stall independent vendor sell themed handcraft clothing book artwork renaissance fair typically feature wide variety food inspired medieval cuisine typical american fair food like corn dog food like turkey leg steak stick bread bowl become iconic renaissance festival beer mead wine also common game include typical fair event archery axethrowing dunk tank ride typically machinepowered various animal ride humanpowered swing common live animal display falconry exhibition larger renaissance fair often include joust main attraction peta born free usa protested use elephant camel maryland renaissance festival arizona renaissance festival addition staged performance major attraction renaissance fair professional amateur crowd actor play historical figure roaming fairground interacting visitor allow visitor bring peacebonded weapon others allow fair employee wear renaissance fair subculture word costumed guest playtrons portmanteau word player patron add enjoyment guest experience getting act renaissance lord lady peasant pirate belly dancer fantasy character however many renaissance fair discourage interaction official cast socalled playtrons fair endoftheday ritual parade dance concert employee gather bid farewell patron renaissance fair staged around world different time year fair vendor actor crew often work going event event one fair end another begin postworld war ii america resurgence interest medieval renaissance culture folk musician traditionalist john langstaff gained popularity part early music revival trend langstaff hosted christmas masque traditional revel new york city another following year washington dc televised version broadcast hallmark hall fame included dustin hoffman playing part dragon slain saint george langstaff established permanent christmas revel cambridge massachusetts los angeles schoolteacher phyllis patterson held small renaissance fair class activity using backyard laurel canyon home hollywood hill fairground may year patterson husband ron patterson presented first renaissance pleasure faire oneweekend fundraiser radio station kpfk drawing eight thousand people living history center designed fair resemble springtime market fair period many original booth freeofcharge reenactment historical activity including printing press blacksmith first commercial vendor artisan food merchant demonstrate historical accuracy plausibility ware volunteer organized guild focus specific reenactment role musician military celtic clan peasant etc actor vendor required stay character working speaking period language accent mannerism original renaissance pleasure faire southern california rpfs held spring paramount ranch located agoura california focusing practice old english springtime market maying custom pattersons created fall renaissance fair harvest festival theme china camp state park san rafael california fall fair moved black point forest novato california fair developed local tradition began movement spread across country although historical reenactment exclusive united state renaissance fair largely american variation idea reenactment european historical fair held kentwell hall suffolk england operate living history museum model actual historic site staffed reenactor explain historical life modern visitor rather acting role recent year americanstyle renaissance fair made inroad country germany seen similar phenomenon since fair grown increasingly popular canada australia since mids spinoffs renaissance fair also include fair set time period christmas fair set charles dickens london renaissance fair several variant name many use oldfashioned spelling faire fayre spelling originate middle english feire variant spelling include feyre faire fayre come anglofrench word feire also referred elizabethan medieval tudor fair festival german mittelaltermarkt literally medieval market resembles renaissance fair many catalan town hold mercats medievals literally medieval market part annual festivity within renaissance fair community different opinion desirability authenticity festival believe fair authentic experience possible supplemented educational aspect similar european living history museum others believe entertainment primary goal richard shapiro founded later became bristol renaissance faire outside chicago favored entertainment saying authentic back almost painful festival organizer sometimes attempt balance authenticity entertainment phyllis patterson founder california renaissance pleasure faires also created living history centre californiabased educational cultural foundation foundation motto trick learning laugh reflects belief merging history entertainment list renaissance medieval fair medieval reenactment renaissance magazine society creative anachronism list upcoming renaissance fair u