RenFaire History

[Sir Dougie Zerts]

Do any of you know much about the history of Renaissance Festivals?  When, and where, were the first ones held?
Also, what was the first festival you attended?  My first was the Maryland Renaissance Festival in the early 80's.  At the time, it was held in Columbia MD.

[The Rabbi]

You know I had never thought about this but looking forward to getting educated. My first taste of the Renaisance was a Boars Head Fest I yook part in in High School. The next was the Muskogee Ok. Festival and now i am the soft site owner of a fest here in Oklahoma.

[Merlin the Elder]

The Renaissance Pleasure Faire is reputed to be the oldest faire, first held in the backyard of schoolteacher Phyllis Patterson, Laurel Canyon, LA, California in 1963. It continues today in Irwindale, California. According to the information on Wiki (accuracy of same taken as you wish), the next fests (that continue today) are Minnesota (Shakopee, est. 1971), Bristol (Kenosha, WI, est. 1973), and Texas (Plantersville, est. 1974).

[Dinobabe]

I know Bristol used to be King Richard's Faire (I think that's right) and one of the oldest faires.  I remember being told which buildings were original to the faire by the old timers.  I also seem to remember they tore down the last one several years ago (to be replaced).  My grandma's first year at Bristol was also it's first year as Bristol (that's what she told me, anyway).   When I started going the faire was smaller, the front gate being on the other side of Lake Elizabeth, no Chase theatre.

Check this site out on faire history!

http://www.fairedocumentary.com

Here is another faire film project I think we have all been waiting for for some time.

http://www.huzzahthemovie.com/

[RumbaRue]

As posted by Merlin, he is correct.

The Renaissance Pleasure Faire was the very first one ever. I worked that faire in Agoura, Calif. for three years before it moved to Devore and I put in another 5 years there. I quit over the nasty politics that abounded after that. The faire moved to Irwindale at the Santa Fe Dam, hence people calling it the 'damn faire'.

All other faires are copied from the original one in Calif. which started in 1969 I believe.

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

The first faire we ever attended was one that we worked at.  The Ringling Museum Medieval Faire in Sarasota, FL in 1981.  They invited us to have a brass rubbing booth.  Our oldest son was 6 weeks old.  We had a portable cradle & I made a sign that said "The Prince of Wails."

My garb:  a blue velvet bathrobe (zipper up the front, of course) with a 70's metal & plastic chain belt.  Artificial flowers in a ring for my head, with long ribbons down the back.

The next year, we were asked to be a part of the Largo Renaissance Festival, to be re-incarnated in later years as BARF, when it crossed the bay to Tampa.  My garb was a little better then, not much!

[Lady Nicolette]

Thank you Merlin and RumbaRue.  You are indeed correct, the 1963 date I believe is the true one for the KPFK fundraiser that the Pattersons held.   I worked at the original Paramount Ranch site in Agoura as well, I think that site began in 1965, however.  Politics aside, it was a wonderful Faire and the one that started it all...There is some question on whether the idea was actually brought first by some folk up in Berkeley...But most point to the Agoura Faire as the first recognizable one.

[Sir Dougie Zerts]

Interesting posts, thanks.
What about in England?  Did Renaissance Faires begin there about the same time, or later?
I believe that some castles had special dinners where authentic period food was served, and the servers wore traditonal costumes.

[groomporter]

In Britain their events tend to be more like reenactment events as opposed to the for-profit entertainment model that most U.S. Renfairs follow.

[dbaldock]

Depending on your definition of a Renaissance Faire, there was an event in Arkansas that started in the 1950's, and operated until ~2000.  Even though I grew up in Arkansas, I never knew about this Faire until a couple of years ago, after it ceased operation.

... The Withrow Renaissance Festival, on the other hand, enjoys several distinct advantages over the late Camelot. Chief among those is a 45-year-long history rich in tradition. The Faire grew out of The American Crossbow Association (ACA), which held its first crossbow tournament near Huntsville in 1953. Now Medieval pagaentry has always been a major hallmark of the ACA's annual competition from the very beginning, featuring costumed patrons and participants in attendance, craft vendors at the site and parades through downtown Huntsville marking the event. It is Ryleh's understanding that jousting demonstrations were even held as early as 1957 in conjunction with this pagaentry--which would easily make the contemporary Withrow Faire the oldest Renaissance Faire still in existence not just in Arkansas but in the United States at large! ...

Take Care,
David Baldock

[Merlin the Elder]

Now, that's interesting. I moved to Arkansas just a couple of years after this festival started. Like you, David, I've never heard of it. Just goes to show how much the Internet has changed things.

[irish]

Sterling Ren Faire has been improving, for the last 30 plus years.
It started as a place where a man, could indulge his whimsical mind on Medieval times.
When we first started to go, some 26 years ago, it was just a small faire...not much going on, maybe 2 pathways, a few vendors, no flush privies!, but a great bunch of people who made you feel so darn welcomed! {We didn't know about the faire for 8 years!  }
The 'new owners' were family members......{of the first owner}......who added more to the faire and it became a shire. New additions of buildings, more vendors, more acts, and flush privies!!!
They soon became tired of the work I guess and slowly the faire was dying. They sold the faire to Sir Douglas of Waterbury, who had to over take a great work load. He was able to bring the faire back to life and back to where it feels like 'home'.
Now, it is a real shire, with a little whimsy to indulge your mind.......... 

[DonaCatalina]

In Britain their events tend to be more like reenactment events as opposed to the for-profit entertainment model that most U.S. Renfairs follow.

The 'Medieval Market' concept is catching on in Europe. I've seen lisitings for 1 town in France, 2 in Switzerland and 1 in Germany where a castle in the town became the setting. Vendors, performers and townspeople all wearing period costumes operate a weekend market festival. I don't believe that visitors are encouarged to come in their own garb. I posted about one of these in the Castle thread.

[brier patch charlie]

Strange, Ive lived in Arkansas and was born here and I never heard about  the Withrow Ren Faire or the ACA, with all the C/W reenactments and Black Powder shooting Ive done over the years. I must have been very small and low key.

[SirBlackFox]

The Pattersons' first foray into faires was in May of 63 but it was more of a "Maying" springtime market.  Five years later they created a fall Renaissance faire, with a harvest festival theme.  Both faires developed into local traditions and the movement spread across the county from there.  This information comes directly from the Pattersons and in Faire Magazine #1, there's a four-page, full-color spread of images plus a page that shows the Renaissance Pleasure Faire Program from 1966.

[Delireus]

I'd like to go to a European faire and see the differences. I'd imagine the settings would be amazing, but I wonder if there are a bunch of euro rennies, or as much of a fan base as here in America. Either way, I think it'd be a great experience.

[Lady Nicolette]

Thanks, SirBlackFox!  Straight from the horses' mouths, then...Or would that be foxes?  Anyway, thanks!

[dbaldock]

Strange, Ive lived in Arkansas and was born here and I never heard about  the Withrow Ren Faire or the ACA, with all the C/W reenactments and Black Powder shooting Ive done over the years. I must have been very small and low key.

Here's a more in depth "History of the Withrow Renaissance Festival."

I also found this alternate contact info for the ACA:
American Crossbow Association
3245 W. Walnut St.
Springfield, MO 65802
417-866-5193