Renaissance Man

I was recently asked to blog about the Renaissance Festival, which I've attended every year for the last 25 or so. It is a recreation of a Medieval village, complete with costumed actors, performers, merchandise, food and drink. In order to convey what it is about RenFest that intrigues me, allow me to be your guide back in time. Sit back, relax and prepare to enter another place and time...

Approaching the village, you notice is the large, wooden stockade and entrance gate, and the surrounding wooden fence that keeps out intruders. A multitude of people mill about outside, including hoity-toity lords and ladies in their finery with their noses in the air, crass peasants covered in muck looking for that day's meal, well-built knights in not-so-shining armor, and of course the patrons, who are encouraged to dress in medieval garb (No real weapons, please). Adding to the authenticity, all characters speak the King's English, replete with "thees" and "thous"

Entering the village brings forth a multitude of sights and sounds. There are more of the aforementioned people, including the King and Queen of the village and their court. Music drifts on the breeze from the many stages offering performances from comedians to acrobats to minstrels. Brightly painted wooden stalls house the many merchants hawking their wares, including incense and soaps, jewelry, period clothing and weaponry, children's toys, and occult/pagan items. Ignore the occasional ATM or airplane flying overhead and you might just believe you have stepped back in time.

And who could miss the myriad aromas of food drifting through the air? It's all here, from traditional fare like hot, juicy turkey drumsticks, scones and fish and chips to more modern items like kennel corn, chicken wings and corn dogs. Don't forget to try the King's nuts; they're delicious and come in three varieties: cinnamon roasted almonds, cashews or pecans. I've heard the Queen loves them. Wash it down with your choice of a soft drink, a variety of beers and wines, mead or ale. Huzzah!

What's this? It look like a human-sized chessboard, and that's exactly what it is. What better place for the King and his rival to settle their differences with a friendly little game of live combat chess? Instead of pieces being removed from the board, people actually 'fight' with real weapons until there's a winner. Throw in some witty banter and one-liners and you have an enjoyable experience, if you enjoy comedy and violence that is.

Also for your entertainment there's real jousting on horseback and a plethora of games of skill and chance, including crossbows, archery, and even a peasant dunk tank. But if you're like me, it's the characters that add the real flavor and make RenFest truly enjoyable. There are tryouts several weeks before the opening for anyone that's developed a character and wants to get in on the fun. If you've stuck with me this far, here's my question:

If you were going to try out for RenFest, what type of character would you have and what would your audition be like? The only limit is your imagination!