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Friday, September 4, 2009
Renaissance Fest: How to go
Got an e-mail from a friend asking if we’d like to “share in the adventure” of the Ohio Renaissance Festival with her family again this year. We’ve met up with them at Renfest the past two years, so I see no reason to break the lively tradition now.
Renaissance Festival: Where to begin?
If you’ve never been, I highly recommend it. It’s definitely a unique way to spend a lovely autumn afternoon with the fam. My kids absolutely love it and look forward to it every year.
It’s set in a permanent 30-acre English village in Harveysburg, Ohio, near Waynesville. (See below for directions.)
Renfest happens on Saturdays and Sundays starting Sept. 5 and running through Oct. 25, with a bonus day of Sept. 7 (Labor Day) thrown in for good measure. Festival hours are 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., rain or shine.
The weather for opening weekend looks pleasant enough, so we are planning to join the Lords and Ladies for some 16th century fun.
Many visitors dress in costume, donning a persona from 16th century England and staying in character the whole day. A pirate here, a washwoman there, knights in shining armor, ladies-in-waiting, strolling minstrels, even monks and nuns — you get the picture. An opportunity to completely reinvent yourself. I can totally see why this culture appeals to so many young folk. The people-watching is very entertaining: That alone is worth the price of admission!
When we go this weekend, my 11-year-old daughter will be wearing a velvety period gown that her Grandma P. recently found at a yard sale, and her head will be festooned with a silk flower garland we bought at last year’s fest (there are so many to choose from on various carts that we spent 30 minutes picking just the right one). She’s so excited!
Our 13-year-old son will most likely be wearing one of the jester hats from his Crazy Hat Collection that I’ve written about before, and he’ll have a sword slung over his shoulder — “peace tied,” of course (which means that they are secured at the entrance to ensure a bloodless day at the faire).
Our littlest knight? Well, you can see for yourself in the accompanying photo. If I remember correctly, his decorated wooden sword cost about $15 at the festival. We found the rest of his costume at the Dollar Tree — helmet and shield were packaged together for the low, low price of $1. Underneath, he’ll have a tunic that Grandma H. sewed for big brother a decade ago.
Hubby will once again break out the realistic-looking elf ears that he bought at last year’s Renfest. How often do you get to live your LOTR fantasy?
Dozens of artisans and craftsmen will be working it just like back in olden times, creating beautiful candles, carvings, clothing, jewelry and the like.
One caution: The outing can get rather pricey. I suggest looking for a package deal on tickets. One offer includes admission for 4, 4 entrees, 4 drinks, 4 desserts, plus souvenir discounts — all for about $100. And that’s not too bad for a memorable day in an Old English Village.
Tickets can be purchased and printed from the Web site at a discount price: Adult admission is $16.99 (a savings of $3); youth tickets (ages 5-12) are $8.99 (a savings of $1). Children younger than 5 enter free.
The festival also features several theme weekends, such as a Swashbucklers Weekend, Octoberfest and Romance Weekend (several couples stage their weddings here).
A merry band of performers puts on about 100 shows daily. The Mud Show is bawdy — well, isn’t everything about 16th century England? — but it’s a big hit. Get there early for a good seat — the closer, the dirtier. The jousts and sword-fighting displays are pretty cool, too.
Knife, stars and ax throwing games are available for an extra fee. These are real live weapons, folks. This is not for the faint of heart. After a particularly skillful turn, Hubby was awarded a certificate of merit for his throwing prowess. We were all quite proud. (I can’t believe I let my older kids do this, but I did. Inhibitions seem to go out the window at Renfest!)
Parched from the dusty village trail? Mom and Dad can quaff a Woodchuck Draft Cider (Granny Smith is my favorite flavor). Woodchuck happens to be the sponsor of opening weekend’s “Family and Friends” discount Sept. 5, 6 and 7 — buy an adult ticket, get one free, with children younger than 12 admitted free (yippee!).
Old-fashioned grub for sale includes giant roasted turkey legs, fish and chips, ye olde chicken tenders, and ice cream treats.
To get there from Dayton: Take I-75 south to Exit 38 (Springboro/Franklin), then 15 miles east on Ohio 73 to the festival entrance; or, take Ohio 48 south to Ohio 73, then east on Ohio 73. The GPS coordinates are Latitude: 39.500023, Longitude: -83.997704. (OK, so I didn’t know that off the top of my head. It’s conveniently displayed on the festival Web site.)
Give this amusing outing a go; you likely won’t be disappointed.
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