2008 Woodie Awards
Renaissance Festival changes location
Maintains high entertainment standard
Cliff Allred
Issue date: 4/21/06 Section: Entertainment
- Page 1 of 1
The 2006 Renaissance Festival, held east of Chandler, Ariz., opened its doors for the final time this year on April 1st and 2nd. The fair drew hundreds of people, many of whom dressed up for the occasion. The weather was sunny but not excessively warm, although attendees still sought out shady areas and carried water bottles and sunscreen with them.
The fair included numerous attractions, such as jousting, juggling displays, presentations on falconry and glass blowing, and dozens of booths for merchandise and games. The glass blowing presentation was popular, both for the shady viewing area and the chance to see the process of creating art out of raw, molten glass.
The falconry presentation was also popular, featuring a display of speed from a Peregrine falcon, and a display of intelligence from an American vulture, as well as appearances by various other hawks, owls, and buzzards.
The jousting event included displays of accuracy, where the "knights" caught rings with their lance, as well as mock battles involving wooden swords and shields. The mock battles seemed lackluster, due to reluctance on the part of the actors to fully engage because of the high risk of injury. However, the event also included melodrama concerning villainous knights from France and Spain, which proved to be enjoyable.
Another popular attraction was a game in which a man hung his head and hands through holes in a wall, while people threw tomatoes at him. The target kept up a running stream of clever insults while he was being pelted, inciting laughter from the crowd and encouraging passers-by to try their throwing skill.
The costumes, worn by attendees as well as employees of the fair, ranged from pirates to Renaissance-era lords and ladies, to Viking and anime-based costumes. Belly-dancer costumes were also popular among the women in the crowd. Perhaps the most notable costume was the Green Man costume, in which a man wearing stilts on both arms and legs was covered with a mossy-textured rubber fabric with a crown of leaves and wooden mask.
The range of merchandise on display ranged from pickled garlic to massive turkey legs to fully-functioning medieval weaponry. Numerous T-shirts for the various performers were also on display, and performers were out in full force attempting to lure people into their shops. One pirate claimed that all of his merchandise was slave-made, but that "they're all wee little Communist children, so it's not as bad."
Overall, the Renaissance Festival made for a Saturday well-spent, providing a range of sights, sounds, and activities not commonly seen in modern life. For those looking for a change from the usual trips to the theatre and days at the park, the loud, colorful, and over-the-top entertainment at the Renaissance Festival should not be missed.
The fair included numerous attractions, such as jousting, juggling displays, presentations on falconry and glass blowing, and dozens of booths for merchandise and games. The glass blowing presentation was popular, both for the shady viewing area and the chance to see the process of creating art out of raw, molten glass.
The falconry presentation was also popular, featuring a display of speed from a Peregrine falcon, and a display of intelligence from an American vulture, as well as appearances by various other hawks, owls, and buzzards.
The jousting event included displays of accuracy, where the "knights" caught rings with their lance, as well as mock battles involving wooden swords and shields. The mock battles seemed lackluster, due to reluctance on the part of the actors to fully engage because of the high risk of injury. However, the event also included melodrama concerning villainous knights from France and Spain, which proved to be enjoyable.
Another popular attraction was a game in which a man hung his head and hands through holes in a wall, while people threw tomatoes at him. The target kept up a running stream of clever insults while he was being pelted, inciting laughter from the crowd and encouraging passers-by to try their throwing skill.
The costumes, worn by attendees as well as employees of the fair, ranged from pirates to Renaissance-era lords and ladies, to Viking and anime-based costumes. Belly-dancer costumes were also popular among the women in the crowd. Perhaps the most notable costume was the Green Man costume, in which a man wearing stilts on both arms and legs was covered with a mossy-textured rubber fabric with a crown of leaves and wooden mask.
The range of merchandise on display ranged from pickled garlic to massive turkey legs to fully-functioning medieval weaponry. Numerous T-shirts for the various performers were also on display, and performers were out in full force attempting to lure people into their shops. One pirate claimed that all of his merchandise was slave-made, but that "they're all wee little Communist children, so it's not as bad."
Overall, the Renaissance Festival made for a Saturday well-spent, providing a range of sights, sounds, and activities not commonly seen in modern life. For those looking for a change from the usual trips to the theatre and days at the park, the loud, colorful, and over-the-top entertainment at the Renaissance Festival should not be missed.
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