Photo Credit to Matt Benson on Unsplash
As a fantasy reader, an artist, and a history girl, it was a dream come true for me to attend the Renaissance Faire last weekend.
Now, as I think that you, dear reader, may also be a lover of fantasy, art, and history, I wanted to share my exciting day with you. From watching fire-juggling, to trying knife-throwing, I had quite an unforgettable time.
I am going to share both some things I really liked about the Faire, as well as some things I didn’t like as much. By doing so, I hope to give you a realistic perspective of my experience.
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What I liked about the Renaissance Faire.
There are so many things I enjoyed.
1. The Costumes.
As it was my very first time attending a Renaissance Faire, and I hadn’t done any research beforehand of what it was going to be like, it was an amazing surprise to see all the visitors in their fancy costumes. I saw men in shining armor, little girls dressed as fairies, and women with gowns and flowers twined in their hair. There were boys dressed as assassins, with black masks and hoods and long swords in their sheathes. Quite a few people were cosplaying as elves. Some families wore pirate hats and eye patches. One man was even dressed up as a faun, with hairy legs and hooves. It was really wonderful to see all the varieties of people and their extraordinary clothes – even though I did feel a bit out of place in my plain T-shirt.
2, The Performances & Activities.
Man, some of the performances were very impressive! Fire-whipping, sword-swallowing, live music, and acrobatics – what more can I say? These performances were fantastic, and some actually gave me a glimpse into worlds now only in history, stories, and songs. A lot of fun activities were also at the Faire, including rides, archery, and knife-throwing. I tried the knife-throwing. . . I never got any of my knives to stick in the target, but it was fun all the same!
3. Jousting!
My all-time favorite thing about the Faire was the jousting tournaments. They had horses and banners and armored men with bright helms and plumes and lances. This exhilarating show was by far the one that made me feel most like I was actually living in a time centuries ago. When the horses charged toward their opponents, kicking up dust in their wake, and the men on their steeds leveled their lances, my heart pounded in my chest as everything else in the modern world seemed to fade away. . .
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What I DIDN'T like about the Renaissance Faire.
Now, there were also some parts of the Faire I personally didn’t enjoy quite as much, and I wanted to share these, too.
1. The Shops.
This may shock some people but: I didn’t actually like looking at the shops. A lot of little shops were around, and some mildly interesting medieval-looking products were on sale, but the shops were all jam packed with very loud shoppers, and everything was ridiculously expensive, so I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as I wanted to.
2. The Crowds.
I don’t like large crowds. Thousands of people were there. And to be completely honest, I would say that a good half of the adults were a little drunk by the end of the afternoon. At some performances, the crowds were very rowdy, and were cheering ecstatically at (what I thought) unimpressive parts of some of the shows. I would think they would be more civil.
3. The Cringy Performances.
Even though some of the performances were awesome, some weren’t as good. These were filled with lame jokes, lots of dry talking, and no interesting skills or talents to my disappointment.
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All in all, however, attending the Renaissance Faire was a dream come true for me. It blended my love for fantasy, art, and history into a single unforgettable experience. It was a day where I felt immersed in a time when knights jousted for honor, performers dazzled with their daring skills, and every corner held a small glimpse of an era long gone.
As I reflect on this adventure, I hope that my enthusiasm has sparked your curiosity about the Renaissance Faire. It's more than just an event; it's a journey into a place where imagination and history intertwine, leaving you with memories almost as vivid as the stories themselves.
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