A Renaissance Festival (medieval fair or ren faire) is an outdoor gathering that aims to entertain its guests by recreating a historical setting, most often the English Renaissance.
Renaissance festivals generally include costumed entertainers or fair-goers, musical and theatrical acts, art and handicrafts for sale, and festival food. These fairs are open to the public and typically commercial. Some are permanent theme parks, while others are short-term events in a fairground, winery, or other large spaces.[1] Some Renaissance fairs offer campgrounds for those who wish to stay more than one day.[2]
Many Renaissance fairs are set during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England. Some are set earlier, during the reign of Henry VIII, or in other countries, such as France. Others are set outside the era of the Renaissance; these may include earlier medieval periods such as the Viking Age or later periods such as the Golden Age of Piracy. Some engage in deliberate 'time travel' by encouraging participants to wear costumes representing several eras in a broad time period. Renaissance fairs encourage visitors to engage with costumes and audience participation, often renting outfits to fairgoers. Many welcome fantasy elements like wizards and elves.[3]
- ^ "State fairgrounds could benefit from fuller calendar", Battle Creek Enquirer, 2007-09-05.
- ^ "Louisiana", Renaissance Festival, archived from the original on 2007-06-08.
- ^ de Groot, Jerome (2009). Consuming History: Historians and Heritage in Contemporary Popular Culture. Routledge. p. 120. ISBN 978-0203889008.