Renaissance Festival

The Ohio Renaissance Festival, located between Harveysburg, OH and I70,  is the  30 acre site of a permanent village of over 100 shops and 12 outdoor stages.  The festival is set in the fictional 16th century English village of Willy Ninny-on-the-Wash during the reign of Elizabeth I.  Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir Francis Drake, Sir John Hawkins and John Dee are a few historical figures that reside in Willy Nilly, along with some not so historical but very entertaining residents.  The festival features costumed performers on stages and in the streets, craft shops selling and demonstrating period themed handcrafted goods and artwork, Renaissance themed food, and regularly scheduled comedy, music, and acrobatic shows.  Featured performers include jouster Shane Adams, the host of Full Metal Jousting, and the Kamikaze Fireflies, a duo that were featured on America’s Got Talent.  The performing cast, including the Queen and her entourage, along with representatives from each festival shop, make a parade circuit through the fairgrounds once a day.

Also included are a couple of kiddie rides like the one here which is  wound up by pushing the chains around the post,

and a few games.

Eight Hands round dance

That’s not his nose.  For him to juggle, the audience picked a knife, a rubber chicken, and half a plastic egg.  The imbalance of objects made it very difficult.

Jousting, of course

At the Muditorium we watched the story of Beowulf.  The audience provided sound effects, and cheered and booed.  Here the hero Beowulf battles the monster Grendel (standing).

Beowulf prevails; Grendel lies dead.

Beowulf presents Grendel’s arm to the King, who refuses the reward of his daughter’s hand in marriage.

The audience voted to have him tossed in the pit.

Human combat chess match. Before the start of the game, everyone bows to the Queen.

Two players opposite each other on elevated daises shout out moves.  When there is a ‘check’, two pieces use a humerous battle of wits to determine a winner.  Here the guy plays Lets Make A Deal.  Do you want to keep the ring or trade it for what’s under my hat?  She picks the hat and receives a sash that makes her Lady Mayor—the winner.

We met up with the Latimers before we left.   The boys were proud owners of wooden swords and shields.  Maddy was busy with her cheesy potato soup in a bread bowl and hadn’t picked her item to buy yet.

The Queen and her entourage.

Members of the court enjoying the festival.

Some of the “not so historical but very entertaining” village residents.

Can you guess what this fairy is doing?   (See below)

In the 5 or so hours we spent here we saw three of the 38 shows and sampled a bare fraction of the food dishes.  We had fun just walking around watching at the demonstrators, talking to the shopkeepers, and listening to the idlers chatting to each other and heckling the passersby with puns and jokes. The festival is well worth the $22 entry fee, but today was bogo day with children under 12 free.  This year the festival is open every weekend from today to Oct 29.

Tomorrow we celebrate a birthday.

Louise and Duane

The fairy above is telling a fairy tale, of course!