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Carolina Renaissance Festival keeps alive history and fun

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Carolina Renaissance Festival

Nobles and royals gather above the heads of the rabble at the opening of jousting for the Carolina Renaissance Festival. (all photos by Ty Johnston)

Carolina Renaissance Festival

A pair of Scottish soldiers are upbraided by their officer (he’s the fancy-looking fellow at left) at the Carolina Renaissance Festival.

This past Saturday the Carolina Renaissance Festival kicked off the opening weekend of its twenty-third season, all with 12 theater stages, more than 100 shops, and 25 acres of fun. Located in Huntersville, North Carolina, just north of Charlotte, the festival offers music, games, rides, comedy, costumes, and food. There’s even a falconry show, and what would a renaissance festival be without jousting tournaments.

This is a perfect venue for those of you who like to sashay about in public in your favorite historic costume, but if you should forget your costume or don’t have one, there is a rental office that can provide any look you want. If your costume tastes tend toward the more speculative, the festival offers a Time Travelers Weekend Nov. 12 and 13 where you can dress as your favorite comic book hero, wear that steampunk outfit, appear as a movie monster, or what have you.

The Time Travelers Weekend isn’t the only special event, either, as a Pirates’ Christmas is scheduled as well as a special Halloween weekend, a brewfest, and more.

Walking around the Carolina Festival, one can find plenty interesting shops to peruse. Glass blowing, trinkets, swords, jewelry, costumes and others are to be found in abundance.

There are also plenty of games to play, allowing you to take part in archery or climbing or other contests, and there are human-powered rides such as the Swan Swing and da Vinci’s Flying Machine.

Carolina Renaissance Festival

Mother Redempta and Sister Philomenia of Hey Nunnie Nunnie! keep the crowd in stitches from the Stage of Merriment at the Carolina Renaissance Festival.

For those who might be familiar with renaissance fairs, there will be some recognizable names when it comes to the entertainment. For instance, The Tortuga Twins are always a favorite with their ribald jokes and smattering of swordplay. The Jousters of Aventail Productions bring excitement and spectacle. Mother Redempta and Sister Philomenia of Hey Nunnie Nunnie! are available for spiritual guidance, with music and laughter! Other names will be just as familiar.

There are also newer entertainers at the fest, such as Snorkel the Dancing Pig, Rick the Hypnotist, and Giving Tree Music’s interactive drum circles.

Carolina Renaissance Festival

This is a Scottish egg from the Carolina Renaissance Festival. It is a hard-boiled egg wrapped in sausage with light bread crumbs, then it is fried and baked. I had never had one before. It was quite tasty.

Then there’s the food. Oh. My. Gosh. I’m something of a foodie, so I found it quite difficult to walk along the festival’s avenues and not want to try something at every turn. Candy apples, chocolate brownies, turkey legs, waffles, bread bowls, sausages on sticks, and … I could go on. For those who want a slice of pizza, a salad or a sandwich, those are available, too, but for me I like to experience foods I can’t chomp upon on a daily basis.

Concerning drinks, Pepsi products are available along with teas, lemonades and the like, but adults might be interested in the beers, champagnes and Mimosa’s. Hot chocolate, smoothies, and root beer floats are also available.

So, if you are down South in the next couple of months, do yourself a favor and drop in at the Carolina Renaissance Festival, open rain or shine. Even if you won’t soon be in the area, there’s always next year and the years after.

The Carolina Renaissance Festival is open every weekend between now and Nov. 20. Admission prices are $24 for adults, $14 for children 5 to 12, and $21 for seniors aged 60 and older, but discounted tickets are available at regional Harris Teeter stores or if you purchase online.

Carolina Renaissance Festival

The Tortuga Twins close out a day at the Carolina Renaissance Festival with their own special brand of humor. Not for the kiddies!

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Ty Johnston

A former newspaper editor for two decades in Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky, Ty now earns his lunch money as a fiction writer, mostly in the fantasy and horror genres. He is vice president of Rogue Blades Foundation, a non-profit focused upon publishing heroic literature. In his free time he enjoys tabletop and video gaming, long swording, target shooting, reading, and bourbon. Find City of Rogues and other books and e-books by Ty Johnston at Amazon.

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