King Richard’s Faire – My Great Escape
Posted in News and Events
Autumn means a lot of different things to people: crisp air, gorgeous foliage, turkey legs or apple cider. To me, autumn is King Richard’s Faire season – a real feast for the senses, an escape into a magical world where there are no boundaries.
The first time my wife and I went to the Faire was in 2000, when we were planning our wedding – I was immediately spellbound by the vibe of the place, as if mysteriously transformed into my alter ego the moment we stepped through the enchanted front gates. Here you can be whoever you want to be. We walked out with a few swords from LaForge that day, along with some hand-made goblets that we toasted warm mead from at the wedding. So the Faire has special significance to us, and we always plan a few visits whenever it comes back to the New England area.
King Richard’s Faire is a recreation of a 16th century English marketplace at festival time. The 80 acre wooded village feels like a movie set where we’re all actors. It’s both serene and bustling. It’s friendly and tolerant, while permeating a code of honor that seems long gone in today’s society. It’s as romantic as it’s raw. People roam around as knights and wenches, swordsmen and soothsayers, royalty and beggars, pirates and barbarians. Dancers, jugglers, magicians and musicians perform all around, while artisans display their unique wares. The meaty turkey legs are succulent, as is the dark ale. The jousting knights on horseback are a sight to behold. The aroma of the hay encrusted grounds fill the air with nostalgia. Here, I feel alive.
This year was the 28th incarnation of the Faire. Economic downturn or not, the Faire still retained all of its magic. There were people from all facets of life, some in costume and very much in character. The lines outside the Canterbury Kitchens were as long as ever. The conversation wasn’t about Obama or McCain, and there was no hint of a mortgage crisis at the table – instead, we talked about just how delicious the ‘King’s Nuts’ were (roasted pecans with a sugary topping), and my favorite – the King’s Chowder Boule, which is freshly baked bread hollowed out, with a creamy white chowder and a copious amount of clams poured into the bread. Yummy!
I felt like a little kid wanting to experience every event that I could! With a map and event schedule in hand, I paced from end to end over a dozen times – catching Paolo Garbanzo’s highly entertaining juggling, fire eating & mayhem show before hurrying to the Wizard’s Glade to take our 4-year old daughter to the Miracle Fish Puppet Theater. That left me 30 minutes before the Street Brawl on Lancaster Lane – enough time to head to the Gaming Glen to throw some axes against a wall. Tired, I made my way to the Dance Stage to catch an animated performance by the Gypsy Dancers. A Ruler’s Yard o’Beere later, I felt hydrated and was ready to go again!
The final piece of excitement at King Richard’s Faire is the Royal Joust, courtesy of the Hanlon Lees Action Theatre group. It’s definitely a crowd favorite, and often billed as the highlight of the Faire. Four mighty knights of the King’s table battle it out on horses, and also engage in some good sword fighting “to the death” – all for the King and his royal court. I caught quite a bit of it on video this year, which I will be uploading soon.
For me, the highlight of King Richard’s Faire has always been, and will always be, the fantastic people I meet there. Whenever I go to the Faire, I make a point to talk to every artisan – I always marvel at their skills and unique artistry, and enjoy taking my time to watch them perform their crafts. I also pay keen attention to people’s costumes – whether they are actors working at the Faire, or fellow visitors who dressed up for the occasion. My inquisitive mind often bombards them with a hundred questions, such is my fascination for people who are guided by their passions. It leaves me enriched. It’s a great escape to my inner self. I’m already looking forward the 29th season!
Posted: December 5, 2008
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