Gourt > Recreation > Living History > By Historical Region > Europe > Renaissance > Renaissance Faires (8)
A Renaissance Fair or Renaissance Festival is an outdoor weekend gathering ostensibly focused on recreating life as it was during the Renaissance. In fact, these events create a fantasy inspired, in most cases, by both historical references (most often England in the time of Henry VIII or Elizabeth I) and by perceptions of the Middle Ages and Renaissance obtained from movies, games, books, comics, and television shows.
Variations on the name include:
- Renaissance Faire
- Elizabethan Faire
- Renaissance Festival
- Ren Fest
- Medieval Fair
- Ren Faire
While historical reenactments are by no means exclusive to the United States, the Renaissance Fair is, arguably, a uniquely American variation on the theme, having as much the flavor of an amusement park or mall as of a historical reenactment. Since the mid-nineties, however, their popularity has slowly been spreading into western Canada. The people acting the roles ('participants' or 'actors'), frequently young volunteers, often attempt to recreate swashbuckling movies, The Lord of the Rings, Monty Python, etc. as fervently as other participants attempt to be 'historically accurate', while guests ('patrons') may be more interested in drinking, eating, shopping, and watching farce than in some sort of educational experience. Experienced fairgoers often admit that attempts at re-enactment vary in their degree of success, being heavily dependent upon the ethos of faire management/direction, the culture and precedent of the specific fair, and the demographics of its audience. Some fairs endeavor to limit their scope to a comparatively narrow slice of history, while others may attempt to cram approximately six hundred years of history from the High Medieval period to the High Renaissance into one place, juxtaposed with recognizable fictional characters and events (Three Musketeers, Dragonslayers, etc.). Although religion was a very important part of life in the renaissance era, this aspect is often downplayed, so as to not tramp on anyone's beliefs, whether Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim, or other. There is just no desire to see a re-enactment of the Inquisition or a "heretic" burned at the stake!
More on [ Renaissance Fair ]
Early Music :: E
Wardrobe and Costume :: Theatre
Props and Costuming :: Live Action
Antiques
Medieval and Renaissance :: Historical
Living History :: Recreation
Renaissance :: Europe
Ancient :: By Time Period
Middle Ages :: By Time Period
I spent most of the day hanging out at the Las Cruces Renaissance Arts Faire. It was quite fun, one of the better Ren Faires I've seen.
GroundedControl (Louis Mendez) Sun, 08 Nov 2009 03:09:17 -0000
I spent most of the day hanging out at the Las Cruces Renaissance Arts Faire. It was quite fun, one of the better Ren Faires I've seen.
@reevesforreal There might be some renaissance faires out there this time of year...the small ones, those are really fun to attend
smutqueen (Heather Wood) Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:18:31 -0000
@reevesforreal There might be some renaissance faires out there this time of year...the small ones, those are really fun to attend
Renaissance Faires Renaissance Faire video reportNC: When we have the rare day off, The Gay Blades (a rock band.. http://bit.ly/1cOTOD
Gruntuski (Grant Skoog) Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:23:15 -0000
Renaissance Faires Renaissance Faire video reportNC: When we have the rare day off, The Gay Blades (a rock band.. http://bit.ly/1cOTOD
The Journal of Death! -: I need to go to more renaissance faires. 24. have you ever been in love? if so, how ma.. http://bit.ly/3aprpf
Gruntuski (Grant Skoog) Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:23:09 -0000
The Journal of Death! -: I need to go to more renaissance faires. 24. have you ever been in love? if so, how ma.. http://bit.ly/3aprpf
Renaissance Faires Escondido Renaissance FaireCA: Dressed in a costume from the early 1500s, Bill Armstrong des.. http://bit.ly/Qduqg
Gruntuski (Grant Skoog) Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:23:17 -0000
Renaissance Faires Escondido Renaissance FaireCA: Dressed in a costume from the early 1500s, Bill Armstrong des.. http://bit.ly/Qduqg
Renaissance Faires Lady of the Lakes Renaissance FaireFL: "It's the only place to experience a histori.. http://bit.ly/2w6G2k
Gruntuski (Grant Skoog) Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:52:47 -0000
Renaissance Faires Lady of the Lakes Renaissance FaireFL: "It's the only place to experience a histori.. http://bit.ly/2w6G2k
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Annual Medieval Fair - Faire of the University of Oklahoma, College of Continuing Education, Norman, Oklahoma.
Arizona Renaissance Festival - Travel back in time to revel in the atmosphere of a 16th-century European Country Faire and artisan marketplace. Ticket information, event schedule, map, and directions included.
Meta Description: [ The Arizona Renaissance Festival is a 30-acre village with the King & his court, castles & cottages, kitchens, pubs, and artisans hawking their wares. It's hijinks meets history with costumed characters, comedy, music, the new Fairhaven Feast Hall and jousting knights., The Arizona Renaissance F... ]
Carolina Renaissance Festival and Artisan Marketplace - Annual event in Charlotte, North Carolina. Includes events schedule, ticket information, map, accommodations, and contact information.
Meta Description: [ The Carolina Renaissance Festival is a medieval amusement park, an 9-stage theater, and 20-acre circus, an arts and crafts fair, a jousting tournament and a feast -- all rolled into one non-stop, day-long family adventure!, The Arizona Renaissance Festival is a medieval amusement park, an 9-stage... ]
Colorado Renaissance Festival - Prepare thyself to revel with master revelers at the Colorado Renaissance Festival, where pleasures reign and merrymaking is the rule.
Florida Renaissance Festival - Step back 500 years to the days of yore.
Greater Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival - Take a walk back in time to the Sixteenth Century in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area.
Meta Description: [ Greater Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival. Take a walk back in time to the sixteenth century. Ticket sales online. ]
Heart of the Forest Renaissance Faire - Elizabethan festival at two locations in California - Camp Richardson, Lake Tahoe, and Stafford Lake Park, Marin County. Schedule, locations, costume and language guides, and origins of the faire.
Meta Description: [ The Heart of the Forest Renaissance Faire, located in Lake Tahoe, and Novato CA, is produced by Red Barn Productions and the Patterson family, originators of the Renaissance Faire concept in America in 1963. ]
King Richards Faire - 16th Century festival in Carver, Massachusetts. Typically runs August through mid October.
Meta Description: [ King Richard's Faire is a vivid recreation of a 16th century English marketplace at festival time. Actors, dancers, puppeteers, minsterels, mimes, jugglers, magicians and musicians perform each weekend for the favor of his Royal Highness King Richard and his Queen Katherine. Royalty and beggars, ... ]
Medieval World, USA - Theme park scheduled to open in July, 2005. Overview, photos, maps, sponsors, and project information.
Meta Description: [ Medieval World, USA focuses on the Middle Ages on over 600 acres. 12th century castle, village and marketplace are authentic historical replicas, the grounds and entertainments on 7 stages, arts and crafts, delicious foods, fine ales, games and more. ]
Michigan Renaissance Festival - The official site of Michigan's annual renaissance festival.
Moscow Renaissance Fair - A celebration of spring with food, crafts, and live entertainment for kids and adults of all ages in Moscow, Idaho
New Jersey Renaissance Kingdom - The Kingdom of Somerset, a Tudor Village.
Meta Description: [ Welcome to the Home Page of Dunn-Ley Productions, LLC, sponsors of educational and cultural events that have entertained over a hundred thousand spectators and donated over $56,000 to worthy charities over the past eleven years. Over 300 volunteers contribute their time year-round to creating suc... ]
New York Renaissance Faire - Offers continuous performances by jugglers, jesters, minstrels and magicians, as well as jousts by knights in armor on charging horses located in Sterling Forest, near Tuxedo, NY.
Ohio Renaissance Festival - Located in Harveysburg, OH. Visit the 16th Century and see Jousting , Robin Hood, and Queen Elizabeth I.
Oklahoma Renaissance Faire - Experience the delights of Castleton; jousting, live chess matches, a masked ball, and the King's feast. Join King Henry VIII the first three weekends of May.
Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire - A 16th Century country festival celebrating a visit by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth I.
Renaissance St. Louis, Inc. - The Greater St. Louis Renaissance Faire at Wentzville.
Scarborough Faire Renaissance Festival - Tudor/fantasy festival in Dallas/Fort Worth.
Meta Description: [ The main page for Scarborough Renaissance Festival ]
Shakespeare Renaissance Faire - Elizabethan festival produced by Alabama Shakespeare Festival. Located in Montgomery, Alabama.
Shrewsbury Renaissance Faire - Shop and Play in the 16th Century English and Welsh Village of Shrewsbury.
Meta Description: [ Shrewsbury Renaissance Faire,
Second weekend in September, Kings Valley Oregon.
We bid you join us for two days of Revelry and Entertainment! Shop and Play
in the 16th Century English and Welsh Village of Shrewsbury as you Enjoy
Foods and Crafts from around the Known World. ]
Silver Leaf Renaissance Faire - An annual event held over weekends in July outside of Kalamazoo, Michigan. Dates, entertainment and vendors.
Sterling Renaissance Festival - Renaissance festival and summer marketplace in Sterling, New York near Oswego.
Texas Renaissance Festival - Texas Renaissance Festival runs October and November at Plantersville, Texas.
The Medieval Week on Gotland - Annual event in Gotland, Sweden at the beginning of August. Reenactment of 1361 at Visby, a mighty Hanseatic city, including historical plays, music, markets, tournaments.
Vermont Renaissance Festival - A historical event which recreates an English village in the 1580's during the celebration of a visit from Queen Elizabeth and her court.
Washington Renaissance Fantasy Faire in Gig Harbor - Scottish setting with a fantasy overtone. More than 350 actors and players in August at Gig Harbor, Washington.
Meta Description: [ Renaissance Fantasy Faire in Gig Harbor, Washington, featuring medieval jousting, sword fighting, equestrian events, living chess match, gothic period dancing, games, music, magicians, puppets, caber toss, and more! ]
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