Joust Kidding!
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by Linda Della Donna
The Royal Joust is one of the biggest attractions at the Renaissance Faire.
If you happen to be visiting Upstate New York area late this summer, be sure to check out the New York Renaissance Faire. One step inside the gate is one giant leap back in time. Now in its 30th year, the Faire presents swashbuckling swordsmen, maypole dances, and minstrels and jugglers to thrill all ages–with continuous entertainment on more than 20 stages by over 300 performers dressed in period costumes.
Highlights of this year’s entertainment include Tales of Honor, Treachery, and Intrigue, Queen Elizabeth I and members of her royal Court, Earthquest’s Birds of Prey, Royal Joust, and Robin Hood and his merry band. Laughs will be provided by Danny Lord, Silent Comic, and on the Sherwood Forest Stage, an Elizabethan production of a Midsummer Night’s Dream.
The Faire also features human-powered rides–the Bedlam Barrel, The Dragon Swing and the Carousel. Here, humans hoist the ropes, push the wheels and operate the pulleys that rock, swing and spin children safely.
The Faire is part entertainment and part crafts. With more than 100 craft ‘shoppes’ selling fine art and unique treasures, visitors can locate everything from hand-tooled leather belts, boots and wristbands, to candles shaped into tall tapers, wee houses and vintage villages. Craftspeople line the Shire, selling and demonstrating their wares.
A petting zoo with sheep, goats, geese, chickens and ducks will appeal to children who like animals up close and personal. Pony and camel rides will also be available.
No Faire would be complete without something special to eat or drink. This writer recommends steak-on-a-stake or a jumbo turkey leg, fit for a king or queen. Attendees can quench their thirst with an assortment of soft drinks and juices as well as ales and wines.
Though not required, visitors may opt to arrive in costume or rent or purchase one inside the gate. “A lot of people do come dressed in costume,” says Jeanne Patrick, director of marketing and communications. “They feel it makes them more a part of the event.”
Where: 600 Route 17A, Sterling Forest, Tuxedo, NY
When: Saturdays, Sundays and Labor Day Monday, August 4-September 23, 10am-7pm
How Much: Adults $16.75, ages 5-12 $8, children under 5 FREE.
For more info: (845) 351-5174; http://www.renfair.com/
Notes: Seeing-eye dogs only. Faire is stroller-friendly, wheelchair-accessible. Changing tables available at flush toilets located inside gate.
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Linda Della Donna is a freelance writer. To learn more about her writing, click on her name at the top of this page.
Topics: Renaissance Faire, article writing, Linda Della Donna |