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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 In fact, these events create a fantasy inspired, in most cases, by both historical references (most often England in the time of Henry VIII or Elizabeth I ) and by perceptions of the Middle Ages and Renaissance obtained from movies, games, books,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:
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.). Spinoffs of Renaissance Fairs include fairs set in other time periods, such as Christmas fairs set in Charles Dickens ' London . ENVIRONMENT is a staple activity at most fairs.]] ing Knight s on Horse back perform 3 shows daily at ''The Carolina Renaissance Festival''.]] Most Renaissance Fairs are arranged to represent an imagined village in England during the reign of Elizabeth I , as this period is generally considered to correspond to the flowering of the English Renaissance (most especially because this was the time of Shakespeare ). There are stages or performance areas set up for scheduled shows such as plays in Shakespearean or Commedia Dell' Arte tradition, or (frequently Anachronistic ) audience participation comedy routines. Other performances include dancers, musicians, jugglers, and singers. Between the stages the "streets" are lined with stores ('shoppes') where independent vendors sell their wares, alongside food and beer vendors, as well as game and ride areas. Fairs will also often include a Joust as a main attraction. Meanwhile, strolling Minstrel s, Mime s, Fool s, Juggler s and Jester s mingle with the fairgoers. Actors (often called participants) portray historical figures and common people, from Royalty and Nobility to Merchant s and Peasant s, and are often organized into thematic " Guild s" (such as the peasant guild, Scottish guild, or Parade guild). Actors wear period Costume s, some meticulously researched recreations and others more generic impressions, and speak using an approximation of the vocabulary and accents of the time. The accompanying Bazaar features traditional crafts, from Jewelry and Stained Glass to Metal and Woodwork , as well as traditional English foods like Bangers And Mash . For a time in the Eighties the Renaissance Pleasure Faire in Agoura, CA held the '' Guinness Book Of Records '' record for most Beer sold at a single venue. HISTORY OF THE FAIRS IN AMERICA In May 1963 schoolteacher Phyllis Patterson and her husband Ron put on the first Renaissance Pleasure Faire, an outgrowth of school projects. The Faire was held in North Hollywood , CA and drew some 8000 people for the one-weekend event. Some claim that this event was based on an even earlier event held in Santa Barbara . Since that time many unrelated Renaissance Faires have sprung up all over North America . Examples include large gatherings in Texas , Minnesota , Arizona , New York and Florida . Often drawing people with Nomad ic lifestyles, other events such as the Oregon Country Faire and Burning Man festivals are frequently staffed by the same crew and performers that have worked at Pleasure Faires in the same year, and vendors and participants often work 'the circuit', going from event to event as one fair's season ends and another begins. For decades the Renaissance Pleasure Faire held an annual spring gathering in Agoura, CA and a fall event in Novato, CA. The event was run by a large ensemble of performers, fine arts and craftspeople and crew. These yearly events drew on the rich Variety Arts movement in Los Angeles, and the explosion of outdoor public events. Interactive Environmental Theatre and stage shows were overlaid with large scale processions featuring giant puppets and courtly displays. The London -based Reduced Shakespeare Company , San Francisco's ''i Fratelli Bologna'', Tutti Frutti , St Stupid and the Los Angeles Fools Guild all developed from Improvisation ally-focused ensembles that initially worked together at the Pleasure Faire. In the late nineties the original ''Renaissance Pleasure Faire'' was sold to Renaissance Entertainment Corporation, a company already operating the Bristol (Illinois/Wisconsin) and Colorado faires. Several years later Kevin Patterson (the son of Phyllis and Ron Patterson) incorporated with his wife Leslie Patterson as "As You Like It Productions" -- since re-organized as "Red Barn Productions". Many of those involved with the seemingly idyllic nature of the earlier fairs (especially those fairs operating with a Non-profit spirit) lament the growth of the fairs as Business es. Yet new generations of "Rennies" still find the same sort of joy in their work at the still-popular modern fairs. Notable fairs The ''Renaissance Pleasure Faire of Southern California'' is hosted by Renaissance Entertainment Corporation, which purchased the Pleasure Faire from the Living History Center. The annual event, now in Irwindale (formerly Devore , originating in Agoura), is currently the largest event of its kind in the United States . It is usually held in late spring for 6 weekends. While the Devore location was often hot, dry and dusty, the new Irwindale location is green and pleasant. However, is sometimes very warm, so cool beverages and shady spots in which to relax a moment are very popular features at 'Faire'. In 2006 its weekends are April 8 to May 21. The ''Arizona Renaissance Festival'', located just east of Phoenix , Arizona , has rapidly become one of the largest Renaissance events in the country with over 250,000 patrons visiting over 8 weekends February - April. Its sister production, ''The Carolina Renaissance Festival'', is located just north of Charlotte , North Carolina . The charming Southern fair has been growing and expanding annually and boast an attendance nearing 140,000 over 7 weekends, October - November. More info can be found by clicking at: http://www.royalfaires.com/ The ''Maryland Renaissance Festival'', located near Annapolis , Maryland , is considered the second-largest event of its kind in the United States, serving an average of 12,000 customers daily as of 2004. The Maryland Renaissance Festival has been in continuous operation since opening 1977 and runs 9 weekends every fall. Its 2006 weekends are August 26-October 22. More information may be found by visiting the official Maryland Rennaissance Festival website The ''Bristol Renaissance Faire'' of Kenosha, Wisconsin has been around for more than thirty years. It started in 1973 as King Richards Faire and reopened in 1988 as the Bristol Renaissance Faire offering fine arts & crafts with food and entertainment of 16th century England. Bristol Academy of Performing Arts auditions are held late spring. It runs for 9 weekends during the summer, starting in early July and ending on Labor Day. The ''Minnesota Renaissance Festival'', located just outside Shakopee, Minnesota , is in its thirty-fifth year. It started in 1970 and is among the oldest continuously operating Renaissance Festivals/Faires in existence. It runs weekends and Labor Day during August and September. The Minnesota Renaissance Festival is owned and operated by Mid-America Festivals, Inc., which also manages the Michigan Renaissance Festival , which currently boasts the highest seasonal attendance of all the festivals in the Midwest besides Bristol Renaissance Festival. {Link without Title} Hundreds of other smaller festivals continually spring up (and go under) on a regular basis across America, with attendance from a few hundred to tens of thousands. There is often a split between those who enjoy the larger, corporate theme park events versus the smaller, more intimate independent offerings. MYTHS There are several common myths and stereotypes about Renaissance Faires. One such misconception is they intentionally cater to patrons who associate themselves with Witchcraft and other Wicca -like ideals, since those who follow Wicca or Paganism are attracted to the culture of Renaissance or Medieval festivals; further confusion may lie in the fact that many fairs do have actors playing witch-type characters. However, no fairs deliberately and explicitly cater to pagan or Wiccan patrons. Mud Wrestling might be expected at a Renaissance Faire; however, this is not always the case. There are however certain guilds and groups hired to do such as entertainment, sometimes the faire itself uses its own actors. Modern insurance liabilty sometimes prohibits this type of interaction. It is a common misconception that Renaissance Faires are run by the Society For Creative Anachronism . The SCA is a non-profit group of medieval re-creationists, while the (generally) professional for-profit Renaissance Faires are more oriented towards providing spectacle for their audiences. While some Renaissance Faires will display Stocks and Pillories , those journeying to a Renaissance Faire to witness actual Torture (trapped within the stocks) would be in for a disappointment. For safety reasons, visitors to Renaissance Faires cannot be forcibly locked into stocks or pillories, and most displays provided by the faires are large enough that a "victim" can easily escape if the experience becomes uncomfortable and are used mainly for photographic opportunities. Further lending to the confusion, several faires have "Trial and Punishment acts" that include Dunking . There are professional acting troupes that skillfully portray public punishment for entertainment purposes within their larger act, and are hired by professional Renaissance faires for their stunt abilities and highly trained realism. Much like the jousters and swordsmen, these players do not actually harm each other. Because of the seeming reality of the event, some visitors actually believe that Joust ing and Swordplay are real, happening on an impromptu basis between actors. While the weapons are real, it is a performance by specially trained Actors and stuntmen with years of practice behind them. All acts (mentioned here) at a Renaissance fair usually have years of skill behind them and are highly choreographed, taking weeks of classes and, in some respects, years of practice in order to make it appear as Authentic as possible. ENTERTAINERS
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