Planning a trip to PARF

[Tygrkat]

Greetings and well met!

My Husband and I are planning a trip to PARF this season, and we are excited to visit another Faire (Sterling is our home faire, although BARF was the first for both of us)!

It looks like the Hampton Inn is the closest hotel to the Faire, is that right? We'd love to stay within walking distance if possible (who wants to be the DD when faire is that close to a winery?  ) Is there anywhere else you'd recommend staying? We'll be making our reservations and getting tickets in mid-August ( or as early as our budget will allow), and plan to come to Faire the last weekend in September.

Also, what should we be sure not to miss, and where is everyone's favorite pub?

I am definitely looking forward to visiting soon! 

[McGuinness]

If you want walking distance, go for the Hampton but book soon. It fills FAST, especially on big weekends. The other close hotels appear to be....less than quality, IMO (but I've never stayed at them, to be fair). There are other nice hotels in Lebanon, Manheim, Lititz, and other surrounding towns but you certainly would not be able to walk to them.

Our faire isn't close to a winery...its run by one! The winery moved offsite years ago but the wines are all still the faire's own vintage, and the beer is all the faire's own microbrew and changes from weekend to weekend.

Check out the jousting shows this year. Most of the shows have barely begun to be staged yet but an independent jousting company, Noble Cause, is coming back for the first time in about 6 years and they put on A Show from my memory (and the fact that I know a few of them ;-) ). Otherwise, what type of shows are you interested in?

For favorite pub - none of the pubs are really indoors like a traditional "bar" but there are lots of places to buy beer and get food. The Swashbuckler Brewpub is the largest and is right next to the pirate ship. They have the most seating AT the pub. There is also a new one on Privy Lane. The name escapes me for some reason - I think the most recent rendition is Sir Phillips Scupper or something like that - but they have some excellent seafood this year. The Old Bay fries are awesome!

Keep an eye on parenfaire.com - schedules and more info should probably go up soon since we're only about a month out.

Hope that helps. Have fun and enjoy your trip!!

[BubbleWright]

Greetings and Felicitations Tygrkat... I live about 70 miles from PARF and usually just do Saturdays at Faire. However, opening and closing weekends I do stay overnight Saturday. There are a number of less expensive motels on Route 272 one exit east on the PA Turnpike (which runs right past the Faire parking lot). The drive is about 15 minutes. This area also has a number of antique stores and Renningers Flea Market (open at 7:30 AM only on Sundays) which is one of the largest in the state. The Faire opens at 11 AM so you might sneak an hour or two shopping in, if you don't mind shopping in garb (lol). I generally spend an hour before and after the gate opens in the fountain courtyard outside the Gate with the Renaissance Bubble Machine, so please stop by to say hello.......... Felix the Bubble Wright

P.S.- If you do an online search for motels on Route 272, use Denver, PA as your search parameter.

[Tygrkat]

Thank you so much for all the information!  

I'm glad to know there is more than one hotel within walking distance, although I will certainly book our room as soon as possible. I've stayed at Hampton Inns before and know they are nice, but I'm fine with no-frills as long as it's clean.


We booked our room at the Hampton ~ See you all on September 25th! 

The more I learn about this Faire, the more excited I am to visit!  

I'll be sure to stop by the Swashbuckler ~ we're aiming for the last weekend in September and I'm very much looking forward to it!

[Tygrkat]

We've had a little change in plans, and will be coming for Halloween (and closing) weekend. Thankfully we were able to keep our hotel reservation (at the Hampton) and just switch the dates!

Do many people come in Halloween costumes? I will most likely stick with my usual garb, but I am definitely curious to experience Faire during Halloween, and I am very excited to visit a new shire and meet more of my fellow R/F'ers  

[BubbleWright]

The last 3 weekends in October at PARF are titled Halloween Daze & Spooky Knights. Besides trick or treating for the kids, there are both children's and adult's costume contests. In addition to some very well done and imaginative costumes, there are the usual Star Trek characters, Star Wars, Dr. Who's, Captain Jacks, and even Gene Simmons of KISS. My favorite is the 6'5" fellow who dresses as a garden gnome complete with red pointed cap. Garb or costumes are equally acceptable. I will come dressed as the Bubbble Wright (big surprise!). 

[Tygrkat]

*sigh*

If anyone was hoping for a last-minute room to become available at the Hampton, you're in luck 

We're just not going to be able to afford the trip this year, so I just canceled our reservation. Thankfully, I waited until we were certain one way or the other, so no tickets are going to waste.

I do hope to visit your shire someday, and maybe I'll see some of you at Sterling next season.