Renaissance Medieval Days of Yore — Ye Olde Festival Is Back!

As renaissance festivals have risen in popularity, they have long since given up any pretension at historical accuracy — if they ever did strive for such. Ren fests have instead become an amalgam of historical periods, fantasy genres, and cultural subsets all coalescing in a mead-drenched bacchanalia of revelry and...

By Rebecca McBane

February 9, 2012

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As renaissance festivals have risen in popularity, they have long since given up any pretension at historical accuracy — if they ever did strive for such. Ren fests have instead become an amalgam of historical periods, fantasy genres, and cultural subsets all coalescing in a mead-drenched bacchanalia of revelry and mud shows. Never forget the mud shows. From its humble beginnings in a tiny corner of T.Y. Park back in the late ’90s, the South Florida incarnation of the Renaissance Festival has grown into a massive, monthlong event at Quiet Waters Park (401 S. Powerline Road, Deerfield Beach). It will begin Saturday and end March 11. Each weekend will feature a different theme, catering to the individual geek in all of us; February 11 and 12 is Celtic Irish Weekend, February 18 to 20 is Pirate Weekend, February 25 and 26 is Pet’s Weekend, March 3 and 4 is Wenches Weekend, and March 10 and 11 is Arms and Armor Weekend. With the exception of Wenches Weekend — which is vague and probably sexist — they all sound great. And, hey, sexism is probably going to be the most period-appropriate part of this festival. Admission is $20 for adults and $7 for children 6 to 11 years old. Seasonal passes are $50. Visit ren-fest.com, or call 954-776-1642.
Feb. 11-12; Feb. 18-20; Feb. 25-26; March 3-4, 2012

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Rebecca McBane is the arts and culture/food editor for New Times Broward-Palm Beach. She began her journalism career at the Sun Sentinel's community newspaper offshoot, Forum Publishing Group, where she worked as the editorial assistant and wrote monthly features as well as the weekly library and literature column, "Shelf Life." After a brief stint bumming around London's East End (for no conceivable reason, according to her poor mother), she returned to real life and South Florida to start at New Times as the editorial assistant in 2009. A native Floridian, Rebecca avoids the sun and beach at all costs and can most often be found in a well-air-conditioned space with the glow of a laptop on her face.

Contact: Rebecca McBane

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