Village Renaissance Faire Kicks Off Today

Normally, you’d have to travel to see something like this.

But this weekend in Wrightstown, the Village Renaissance Faire will give guests a chance to get a taste of what life was like some 500 to 900 years ago.

The Faire will run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday at the Middletown Grange Fairgrounds. Proceeds from the event go to support the Village Library of Wrightstown.

“It is a lot of fun. Come and hang out and have a good time,” said Ann Cole of the Village Renaissance Players.

Better known as “Feisty Fiona,” Cole will be in character throughout the weekend.  A fictional writer and substitute teacher, Cole plays the part of a flirtatious woman who wields a sword, yet will ask young knights to save her from any wandering dragons.

Cole also will be directing the Village Renaissance Players performance of “Cyrano de Bergerac,” or as they will call it, “Cyranose.” It is a classic story of a French nobleman who is in love with a woman named Roxanne, but feels his curse of a large nose makes him too unattractive to win her affection.

Traditionally portrayed as a tragic comedy, the Players will have a slightly different approach to it than normal.

“We’re taking that and we’re making it hopefully even funnier,” said Cole, who is in her third year of directing the Players.

Numerous other volunteers will also be making their way around the fairgrounds to interact with the public, all while keeping their own characters, which range from a bride trying to find her lost groom to a woman trying to sell the once-believed poisonous tomato.

“I like to interact with them and help them embrace the experience,” said Cole. “It’s something we really enjoy doing.”

Things you would expect to see at a Renaissance Faire -- like jousting, a fruit catapult and a plethora of games geared for all ages -- will be available.

However, new events and activities are planned. Among them are a cannonball drop, a "gnome depot" filled with mythical figures and a musical group called the Sea Dogs. A Renaissance-era role playing group from Council Rock North High School will also perform an interactive show featuring several historical figures.

“It’s really a part of how the audience can become part of the show,” Faire Director Ken Hone said.

One of the aspects of the event Hone said he most enjoys is that some of the current volunteers (including his own daughter) attended the Faire when they were younger and are now a part of it.

The Faire has grown dramatically in the 12 years since it began in the gymnasium of Wrightstown Elementary School. Last year, more than $24,000 was raised for the Village Library of Wrightstown.

A public defender and Village Library board member, Hone had never been involved in a Renaissance Faire prior to his son's interest in swords and knights as a young child.

“This never would have happened but for my son, and I think the community is much better off because of that,” he said of his son Tyler, now a freshman at Council Rock North. “It’s really one of the things that keep our library.”

The Faire will feature constant music, including a choir group called Recordante, duo Jack and Brenda and Celtic bands.

All told, 20 acts ranging from puppets, music, dance and historical re-enactors will perform everything from arrow shooting to a life-size chess match.

Food, crafts and merchant items ranging from blacksmith to glass-blowing creations will also be available.

Admission is $5; children under 8 are free. Parking is free.

For more information about the Faire, click here.