Articles
A Simple, Hard Life For Peasants
In Renaissance England, the majority of the population were peasants who worked hard to earn their daily bread. One such peasant was a man named John, who lived in a small village in the countryside. John was a farmer who owned a small plot of land where he grew wheat and raised a few chickens. […]
A Renaissance Festival Romance, Part 2
(If you missed part 1 of this story, you can read it here). William and Lily wandered through the bustling Central Coast Renaissance Festival, taking in the sights and sounds of the colorful event. The air was filled with the aroma of roasted turkey legs and freshly baked bread, while the clinking of armor and […]
A Renaissance Festival Romance, Part 1
Once upon a time, there was a young woman named Lily who had always been enamored with the romance and chivalry of the Renaissance era. She had grown up reading tales of knights and maidens, and her heart had always longed for the kind of love and adventure that seemed to exist only in the […]
Step Back in Time and Experience the Humorous Humiliation of The Stocks
Participants are not punished or humiliated and are instead encouraged to have fun and enjoy the festival atmosphere. It’s all in good fun and a way to immerse oneself in the culture and entertainment of the Renaissance era.
Creating Your Renaissance Character
Creating a character for a Renaissance festival can be a fun and creative process. Here are some steps you can follow to create your character: Research the Renaissance period: Before you start creating your character, it’s important to research the Renaissance period and understand the culture, history, and fashion of the time. This will help […]
Why Wear A Costume At The Renaissance Festival?
Costuming is an important aspect of the Renaissance Festival and plays a significant role in creating an immersive experience for attendees. Whether you’re a seasoned participant or attending for the first time, selecting the right costume can enhance your enjoyment of the event and help you feel as though you have stepped back in time. […]
Children At The Renaissance Festival
Costumes and Dress-Up: Children often enjoy dressing up in costumes and playing make-believe. Renaissance festivals offer an opportunity for children to dress up as knights, princesses, fairies, and other characters from the period, which can be a fun and engaging way for them to participate in the event.
Queen Elizabeth’s Tilbury Speech
Queen Elizabeth went to Tilbury, England to rally the troops on August 9, 1588. At the time, England feared that Spain would invade its shores. That moment has gone down in British history as one of its finest. Here is the speech in full: My loving people, We have been persuaded by some that are […]
How To Create A Renaissance Festival
Whether we call it a “faire” or a “festival,” there are certain steps that help create the feeling of authenticity. Of course, we are just playing make-believe, but we do our best to take our participants and guests back to an earlier time. Here is a great blog post we’d like to share about how […]
Warfare During the Medieval Period
The Medieval period of European history took place between the 5th and 15th centuries. It started after the end of the Classical period, which was marked by the fall of Rome in 476 CE, and before the beginning of the Renaissance period, which started around the 14th century. Europeans lived in a feudal society that had a new set of social, economic, and governmental factors. The constant invasions from other nations prompted the need for military methods.
Highlights from the 35th Annual Central Coast Renaissance Festival
These photos are from the 35th Central Coast Renaissance Festival. Let’s spend some time reviewing this year and giving a shout-out to those that made it happen. New Shows First off, the armored knight shows were fabulous. In my 37 years of working at this festival, I have never seen such big crowds attend a […]
Festivals and Fairs in Renaissance England
Despite the hardships of daily life in Renaissance England, Elizabethans eagerly anticipated the various festivals and fairs that punctuated their calendar throughout the year. With leisure time limited, these events provided much-needed respite from work and an opportunity to come together as a community. While some celebrations coincided with Christian holy days, others had Pagan […]
Fatherhood in Renaissance England
In Renaissance England, relationships between parent and child differed from today. Fatherhood especially meant something different. Today, fathers are expected to take on many roles throughout their children’s lives, i.e., provider, coach, teacher, protector, cheerleader, etc. In the Elizabethan era, they adhered very closely to the fifth commandment. That commandment states “Honor thy father and […]
What Did People Eat In Renaissance England?
You may be wondering what people ate and how food was prepared in Renaissance England. Of course they didn’t go around munching on turkey legs like we see at modern Renaissance Faires; turkeys came from the new world and didn’t exist in Europe at that time. Food was obviously of fairly good quality or we […]
Town Criers … Make ‘Ye Way
During the day you’ll hear bells ringing and people making it loud and clear that the Queen (or anyone else who needs to be announced) is coming. In Medieval England, town criers were the most important way of spreading news with the people of a town. Many could not read newspapers. Royal proclamations, local bylaws, […]
The Danse Macabre
Several times a day you’ll see a strange parade of characters in black with skeleton masks. What is going on? It’s the Dance Macabre. In the Danse Macabre, or Dance of Death, skeletons escort living humans to their graves in a lively waltz. Kings, knights, and commoners alike join in, conveying that regardless of status, […]
Plague Doctors In Renaissance England
Renaissance England was riddled with disease, especially in its growing cities. Overcrowded, rat-infested London, with its practice of emptying chamber pots in the street and allowing raw sewage to flow into the Thames, was ground central for the nastiest diseases known to mankind. The most dangerous of these was the bubonic plague. And one of […]
How Did People Dress In Renaissance England?
What was popular in Renaissance clothing in the 16th century? Women Every woman’s outfit, from lower class to royalty, included a shift which was a loose, linen smock. During this time, bathing was frowned upon and clothing was very expensive so this was worn to protect the gown. They would also wear stockings, which were […]
Pregnancy and Childbirth in Renaissance England
Giving birth in Renaissance England was a frightening business. When Queen Elizabeth I was born in 1533, childbirth was so dangerous, women wrote their wills before going into labor. In 16th Century England, one out of every 40 women died in childbirth As many as 200 out of 1000 children would die before the age […]
How To Use Thee and Thou
Language: Thee and Thou This is not grammar you are taught in school, but simply the ordinary way people talk. Your excuse for incorrect usage cannot be that you were poorly educated. Say: “How art thou“, never “how are thee” What wouldst thou have of me? I will go with thee. Thou art a rogue. When the next word begins […]
Elizabethan Cookery
What We Eat Elizabethan cookery is generally sweeter than today’s; meats are often cooked with fruits, producing a mix of sweet and savory. Some medical texts advise against eating raw vegetables as engendering wind (gas) or evil humours. It is important to remember that while many things were period somewhere, not everything was eaten in every […]
Life In Elizabethan England
Just about anything you could want to know about life in Elizabethan England is found in Maggie Secara’s book, Life in Elizabethan England – A Compendium of Common Knowledge. Food, clothing, manners, religion, occupations … it’s all in there. Here, for your reading pleasure and edification is a link to the entire book. Enjoy!
Common Sayings We Got From Shakespeare
Today’s well-educated person uses an average of 18,000 words in their lifetime. Shakespeare used over 34,000 different words in his plays, thousands of which he simply made up (accessible, barefaced, exposure, lament, paternal, puke, roadway, schoolboy, and watchdog.) Many of his phrases have fallen into everyday use in our language today, including A […]
Knight Tournaments: Fatality or Fame?
Knight Tournaments: Fatality or Fame? By: Susan Thread As symbols of respect in addition to valor, knights turned out to be a staple amongst stuff that demonstrated how it ended up being within the Middle Ages. If you have researched them close enough, knights are an intriguing mix of all the things that made males […]
Where Are The Renaissance Faires?
Renaissance Faires and Festival have become so popular they can now be found in almost every state. There are several links online to faire locations, so just do an internet search, but here’s a good start: http://www.renfaire.com/Sites/
What’s In A Name? Finding Your Renaissance Alter Ego
Are you tired of people named “Chastity Sweetlips” or “Jake Tosspot”? Do you want a source of REAL names for Elizabethan England? Thanks to Chris Laning for sharing links to some great resources for finding a true Renaissance name for your character. Here are the links; http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/christian/fairnames/ You may also be interested in this site, […]
Renaissance and Tudor Festivals
Renaissance and Tudor Festivals By Rachael Cox and Hayley Amber Cox Renaissance festivals, Medieval fairs, Tudor theme days. Whatever you call them, they are an increasingly popular event seen up and down the land in the spring and summer months. My new found passion for authentic Tudor costume led me to the discovery of the exciting […]
Renaissance Faire Costumes – Were There Any Women Pirates in Renaissance England?
By Philip Wynne You bet! They were most definitely in the minority but they were never the less there and very able. So don’t worry about sacrificing your well established credibility among your fellow renaissance faire friends when you buy a really cool and very authentic pirate costume…one you wanted bad, you wanted real bad! […]
Renaissance Festival Jewelry And Its Significance
Renaissance Festival Jewelry And Its Significance By David Lawson Renaissance jewelry was worn as a means of decoration, but had lots of meaning as well. Much of the inspiration behind these works of art were nature, life experiences and religion. Some of them were very simple depending on the gems and stones that were used, […]
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