It is no secret that I am a whimsical sort of person. I see magic in butterflies and can easily imagine that among them may be hiding a fairy. I can easily pretend that lurking in the woods is a dragon hoarding its treasure or an enchanted prince who needs only a maiden’s kiss to set him free. It is not that I am divorced from reality, far from it. I assure you, dear reader, I have both feet firmly planted on the ground. I am a pragmatic, practical person who understands well the constraints of life and the sorry lack of unicorns. However, I am also a person who chooses to live slightly off the beaten path to court the possibility of magic still with a childlike enthusiasm for the world. 

So naturally, a trip to the Renaissance Faire is the salve that those with the same sort of spirit as myself so desperately need. Let me be perfectly clear, the Renaissance Faire is not a place of historical accuracy. It is much more akin to a Renaissance Fantasy Convention with a pretty sweet setting than a historical re-enactment. So if you’re looking for that sort of thing, I suggest googling medieval reenactments and steer very clear of any Ren Faire lest you be sorely disappointed. They are however a very whimsical place for us very whimsical souls. 

The Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire is considered by many to be one of the best ones in the country. Each year between mid-August and the end of October, Mount Hope Estate opens the door to an alternative 16th century England and invites the public to an interactive fantasy play of sorts. Throughout the day if one follows the going ons of the royal family and its court, a story will unfold. It may be an internal plot to force marriage to Queen Elizabeth or an external threat by the Spanish to conquer England. Occasionally, the story focuses on King Henry rather than his daughter Elizabeth, just to keep things spicy. It always culminates in a joust to settle the score and determine the outcome. Spoiler – England and its crown always win, but the end isn’t the fun part. 

What’s fun is all the stops in between like the Human Chess tournament – which is arguably much more fun than chess because the pieces actually have to fight each other for control of the spot.  You also can follow the actors and see their improv skills put to use. It is not that they merely stand on a stage and you watch, they will stop and speak with you. They will have you join the story and even if you go off script their expertise keeps the play going. There are also dozens of actors wandering the grounds to keep the story alive. They may stop and stare at your phone curious at such a magical device in such a curious traveler’s hands. What on earth are you wearing sir? My goodness, young lady, do you realize your knees are showing? A good sport will join in the fun. 

You are encouraged to dress up and different weeks will have different themes. Rather than fight against the crowds of nerds dressing up in various outfits which some people argue don’t belong at Ren Faire, they embraced it by giving the different fandoms their own weekend outlets. Sci. Fi. fans have time traveler’s weekend which welcomes Star Fleet, Whovians and more.  Die hard fantasy nerds have Wizarding Weekend. Us whimsical folks have Fairies and Fantasies. There’s also pirates, vikings, heroes, Irish/Scottish and October is devoted to all things spooky. 

There’s also over a hundred different vendors and merchants selling all sorts of wares, many of them unique to Ren Faires. Though I will admit with the advent of the internet it has gotten a little easier to access similar items than when I was growing up, which makes them seem a little less special than I remember them being. 

I know I sound impossibly old with my references of the world before the internet was a big thing. We also didn’t have electricity or running water. We made fire by rubbing two sticks together. We used to have to run down big game in order to survive until we discovered farming! I myself invented the wheel, it was a really big hit. 

I digress. In addition to the wares, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the food. Of course there are the infamous turkey legs which I do recommend if you have not yet tried one. Throughout the faire your mouth will be almost constantly watering with the aroma of both savory and sweet treats to tempt you. On the scorching August days, you will want to try various cold beverages and being next to a winery, they have some of the very best vintages. Though I will remind you, gentle reader, that wine is not known for its hydrating properties and you should be certain to drink plenty of water when wandering about the faire. Besides, too much will be bad for your wallet when you impulse buy that hand forged sword and moving dragon puppet. Although, you will have a sword and a dragon, so I’m not sure what the downside to this situation is. 

There are of course plenty of activities that abound throughout the faire. Face painting, palm reading, ax throwing, a maze, mock fencing, even rides powered by strong men and physics. If nothing else, admire the view ladies. Occasionally there’s a horse dressed up as a unicorn to pet. There’s even retired greyhounds who are there to raise money for their rescue and get petted. Who doesn’t enjoy petting a dog? If you’d like to get more dressed up, there’s face painting and even hair braiding.

And while I have spoken about the wares, the food, the beverages and activities, what I like most about the faire is the various shows and demonstrations scattered throughout. They have glassblowing, blacksmithing and even instrument demonstrations. It was at the Ren Faire that I learned all about the Hurdy Gurdy and was introduced to one of my favorite musical artists because of it. They often have falconry and other sports like jousting. These are the places where you will get a more authentic Renaissance experience as most of these are intended to be educational.  As many of the demonstrations tend to be less attended than the larger shows, I often get to have one on one conversations with the experts of their craft. There’s nothing quite like being able to ask questions and get well throughout, nuanced answers that chat gpt just can’t replicate. 

There are other sorts of shows, usually either musical or comedic in nature, often a combination of both, as those always do well in larger crowds. One should be warned if bringing your children that many of the shows are for adult audiences so the jokes will reference adult topics. Usually those shows are marked with a small asterisk on your map and program.  When I was a teenager and young adult, I found them amusing. As a middle aged woman, I’m not as into the bawdy humor as I was. Maybe I’m just an old stick in the mud, but that’s okay, if you like that kind of humor attend those shows, enjoy them, I’m not trying to shut them down. Why would I stop other people from having fun? You can find me petting the unicorn. I don’t care if the unicorn is meant for the five year olds, I want to pet the cute animal! 

A day at the faire is a day for fantasy and fun. It can be whatever you make of it. If you’re a shopper, go shopping. If you want to only watch the shows, there are shows throughout the faire every hour and half hour. Some people religiously follow the story and so attend the human chess match, the jousts and follow the court around all day. Some people just come for the food and eat. You may want to spend all day getting a quality education about Renaissance and Medieval Europe and go to the demonstrations. Or you’re like me and go wherever the fancy strikes you. 

Having grown up going to the Ren Faire for most of my childhood I’ve gotten to do just about everything I’ve ever wanted to do. I don’t go every year, but I do go every few years. It is always fun to see what they’ve changed or how they’ve expanded. It’s like coming back to an old and familiar friend. I could probably find my way around half blindfolded. I know most of the songs the performers belt out and am even friends with the owner of a very good kilt shop. Some of my best summer memories are of the Faire and is decidedly one of those bucket list items that are worth repeating! Especially since the faire may have lots of things to check off your list. 

How can you add some whimsy in your life and get to a faire?

Almost every state has a Renaissance Faire and some even have more than one. Depending on where you live they may take place at different times of the year. Many faires take place in the late summer/early fall in the North East but not every faire does. I believe most faires in the North and North East take place in the summer through fall because of weather, but I think in the southern parts I saw many of them being advertised for the spring months. Probably because their weather would make it impossible to wear things like a knight’s armor without dying. 

I strongly encourage you to dress up a little bit and have some fun your first time. Make sure you’ve set aside plenty of money to buy some of the cool things you’re bound to find. Many Ren Faires run both Saturdays and Sundays with a discount for a weekend pass. You will most likely be overwhelmed with the possibilities that abound, so make Saturday a day for shows and following the storyline and Sunday can be the day you return for shopping.

If you make it to the PA Ren Faire, then you should definitely stop by their winery right next door and do a wine tasting. They have many unique blends and flavors. Not only do they offer wine, but also meads. My personal recommendations are the blackberry merlot and the Traveler’s Mead, a butterfly pea blossom mead. However, you do you, that’s what tasting is for after all. 

Completed: Childhood & throughout adulthood

Miles from home:  11

Cost: $33 for person (local’s tip Turkey Hill often has discount coupons for certain weekends buy one get one free, to make it even cheaper) 

Full disclosure: You will probably spend a lot of money at the faire if you’re not careful between the food and the merchandise so budget closer to $100 if you’ve never been before.