Merry days of yore return at Village Renaissance Faire
A merry olde time awaits ye at the Village Renaissance Faire.
The event, organized by the Village Library of Wrightstown, will be held Sept. 19 and 20 at the Middletown Grange Fairgrounds in Wrightstown.
Admission will be $5 for adults and free for children under 8, said Ken Hone, founder and volunteer faire director.
“It’s only $5 to come to an event like this,” he said. “People spend more money on a cup of coffee.”
But fairgoers will get a lot more than a jolt of caffeine for their money: They’ll be educated, entertained and inspired by an incredibly influential era of world history, Hone said.
With the help of Period Productions, Wrightstown’s Own Medieval Fantasies, musical act Jack & Brenda and more, the local Renaissance faire becomes a fantastic outing for families, according to the director.
“There’s something for everyone,” he said. “From beginning to end, you’ll be involved with something — regardless of age.”
Young fairgoers can participate in crafting, learn how to use marionettes, take a turn on a medieval musical instrument or make their own costumes to wear at the faire.
“We have the largest collection of children-friendly activities of any Renaissance faire,” he said. “It’s extremely hands on.”
Visitors also can take part in music and dance lessons, learn Gaelic from the performers, watch jousting matches, participate in Shakespeare’s “living chess match” and more, the director added.
New to the faire this year is a 400-pound battering ram.
“This isn’t your mom’s battering ram,” he said. “We’re going to use it on a huge, 20-by-40-foot wall.”
A wide assortment of actors will be performing throughout the weekend, as well. “We have everything from the inexperienced novice to the professional performer,” he said, adding that most actors are local residents, but the faire has drawn talent from all over.
In Period Productions Living Literature’s “The Seven Swordsmen,” ruthless bandits invade the village and swordsman Brenner must decide if he and his band can save the day. The Ye Olde Nottingham Players will feature Captain Hobkirk serving up justice upon thieves set on disrupting the festival.
The Village Players, an acting troupe based in Bucks County, will be mixing into the crowd and implementing comedic improvisation.
“I’ve always envisioned a group that walks the grounds and interacts with the fairgoers, drawing them into the story,” said Ann Cole, the troupe’s director. “It helps them suspend their disbelief — they’ll think they’re in the 1300s and not 2009.”
The “Villagers” are struck by tough economic times as the king has refused to pay them for their services, but also refuses to grant them license to perform, according to the event description. They revolt and perform on the streets, only to be pursued — and often captured — by Brian Belge’s “Marshall Laww.”
Hilarity certainly ensues, said Cole, who plays wench-turned-aristocrat Mistress Fiona. “What’s nice about this drama is that it’s overacting — the ‘woe is me’ damsels in distress and knights in shining armor,” she said. “We’re over the top in our street scenes in a ‘Monty Python’ and ‘I Love Lucy’ way.’
A full schedule of the weekend’s events is listed on the Village Renaissance Faire’s Web site, www.villagefaire.org.
The Village Library of Wrightstown, which began in the early 1960s, hosts children’s after-school programs, preschool story hour and craft programs, author lectures, book discussion groups and state-sponsored programs.
Hone, a library trustee, started the Village Renaissance Faire 10 years ago for his son, who was interested in medieval times.
The faire, which began as a one-day outing in an elementary school gym, has become one of the biggest in the area, said the director.
“We started with about 500 people and now it’s about 6,000 to 8,000 in a weekend,” he said. “This grassroots community event is achieving everything we wanted it to and beyond.”
The event, organized by the Village Library of Wrightstown, will be held Sept. 19 and 20 at the Middletown Grange Fairgrounds in Wrightstown.
Admission will be $5 for adults and free for children under 8, said Ken Hone, founder and volunteer faire director.
“It’s only $5 to come to an event like this,” he said. “People spend more money on a cup of coffee.”
But fairgoers will get a lot more than a jolt of caffeine for their money: They’ll be educated, entertained and inspired by an incredibly influential era of world history, Hone said.
With the help of Period Productions, Wrightstown’s Own Medieval Fantasies, musical act Jack & Brenda and more, the local Renaissance faire becomes a fantastic outing for families, according to the director.
“There’s something for everyone,” he said. “From beginning to end, you’ll be involved with something — regardless of age.”
Young fairgoers can participate in crafting, learn how to use marionettes, take a turn on a medieval musical instrument or make their own costumes to wear at the faire.
“We have the largest collection of children-friendly activities of any Renaissance faire,” he said. “It’s extremely hands on.”
Visitors also can take part in music and dance lessons, learn Gaelic from the performers, watch jousting matches, participate in Shakespeare’s “living chess match” and more, the director added.
New to the faire this year is a 400-pound battering ram.
“This isn’t your mom’s battering ram,” he said. “We’re going to use it on a huge, 20-by-40-foot wall.”
A wide assortment of actors will be performing throughout the weekend, as well. “We have everything from the inexperienced novice to the professional performer,” he said, adding that most actors are local residents, but the faire has drawn talent from all over.
In Period Productions Living Literature’s “The Seven Swordsmen,” ruthless bandits invade the village and swordsman Brenner must decide if he and his band can save the day. The Ye Olde Nottingham Players will feature Captain Hobkirk serving up justice upon thieves set on disrupting the festival.
The Village Players, an acting troupe based in Bucks County, will be mixing into the crowd and implementing comedic improvisation.
“I’ve always envisioned a group that walks the grounds and interacts with the fairgoers, drawing them into the story,” said Ann Cole, the troupe’s director. “It helps them suspend their disbelief — they’ll think they’re in the 1300s and not 2009.”
The “Villagers” are struck by tough economic times as the king has refused to pay them for their services, but also refuses to grant them license to perform, according to the event description. They revolt and perform on the streets, only to be pursued — and often captured — by Brian Belge’s “Marshall Laww.”
Hilarity certainly ensues, said Cole, who plays wench-turned-aristocrat Mistress Fiona. “What’s nice about this drama is that it’s overacting — the ‘woe is me’ damsels in distress and knights in shining armor,” she said. “We’re over the top in our street scenes in a ‘Monty Python’ and ‘I Love Lucy’ way.’
A full schedule of the weekend’s events is listed on the Village Renaissance Faire’s Web site, www.villagefaire.org.
The Village Library of Wrightstown, which began in the early 1960s, hosts children’s after-school programs, preschool story hour and craft programs, author lectures, book discussion groups and state-sponsored programs.
Hone, a library trustee, started the Village Renaissance Faire 10 years ago for his son, who was interested in medieval times.
The faire, which began as a one-day outing in an elementary school gym, has become one of the biggest in the area, said the director.
“We started with about 500 people and now it’s about 6,000 to 8,000 in a weekend,” he said. “This grassroots community event is achieving everything we wanted it to and beyond.”
