Singing, jousting and revelry! These are the unforgettable moments Drewids remember from the trip they attended to the New York Renaissance Faire, co-sponsored by Art History Club and That Medieval Thing. The faire, which runs yearly every weekend from late August to early October, includes many actors dressed in Renaissance inspired garb, performing troupes like Robin Hood’s Brigade and maypole dancers encouraging visitors to dance.
Though That Medieval Thing opened other trips to Ren Faires in the past, it is clear that this particular trip attracted the most students. The secretary and co-chair of Art History Club and That Medieval Thing, Alexa Zbieranowski (’17) said, “As a leader for both TMT and Art History Club, this was a successful event. We filled all of our spots and our guests really seemed to enjoy themselves.”
The faire included many sights and spectacles for visitors to enjoy. There were boat rides with inflatable dragons in the man-made lake for the faire with a small zoo of exotic birds nearby for revelers to enjoy. Amanda Valenti (’17) remarked, “ I wish I could have experienced the boat rides in the lake!” She then said, “I also was fascinated by the incredible birds brought to the event.” Though these attractions were considered favorites among the students who attended this trip, there were also many other aspects of the faire that impressed visitors.
The Ren Faire itself looked to be an actual town of the early Renaissance, with street hagglers and vendors selling various goods. One vendor in particular made miniature glass crafts with torch fire. He worked openly in his shop in order to attract buyers. Some of his goods on display included glass dragons, wolves and amulets.
Though his crafts were some of the best at the faire, there were other handmade objects also there for sale. For instance, one could buy a pair of custom made boots from one merchant, and then buy a set of matching handmade jewelry from another.
If any Drewids at the Ren Faire brought money to spend, they most certainly spent it. This is because craft makers were not the only vendors vying for the attention of revelers. Many other merchants also sold carnival inspired food, period clothing and impressive stainless steel weaponry.
One particular attraction almost every Drewid made sure to attend, was the mid-afternoon joust in the Roselawn Tournament Field of the NY Ren Faire. At this popular event, knights battled for their honor in front of the King and Queen. Revelers surrounded the arena to cheer on their favorite jousters while they mounted their horses. At one point, after clashing their lances and falling off their horses, two knights began sword fighting on the floor of the arena. Kass Mattingly (’19) said that the joust was his “favorite part of the Ren Faire.” He added, “I wish I could have seen the final joust! It would have been great to see the ending of that.”This was a sentiment most Drewids who went on the trip expressed. The bus back to Drew was scheduled to depart at 3:30 p.m. The final joust was to take place at 6 p.m.
Though many were upset that they would not be able to see this show, the common consensus on their trip to the NY Ren Faire was positive. Suzanne Sawyer (’17) said, “I will always consider the Renaissance Faire one of my happy places as it allows one to be themselves and express themselves in anyway without judgment from others. I think it’s a great place for all ages, families and friends alike. It’s definitely something I would recommend attending at some point in your life.”
The New York Renaissance Faire will have its final dates on Sat. Oct. 1 and Sun. Oct. 2 If you are interested in learning more about That Medieval Thing or the Art History Club, be sure to check out their future events. That Medieval Thing will be hosting Revels, which is a medieval dinner and show, on Dec. 3 in the S.W Bowne building (nicknamed the Great Hall). Art History club will be having movie nights and general meetings in order to celebrate different artists.
(Photo by Allison Estremera, Assistant Student Life & Arts Editor)
