Texas Renaissance Festival

Last updated
Texas Renaissance Festival
TRF valentine armouries.jpg
Women in costume at the Texas Renaissance Festival
GenreRenaissance fair
DatesNine weekends in October and November
Location(s)21778 FM 1774 Todd Mission, Texas 77363
Inaugurated1974
Attendance678,550 (2016)
Area55 Acres
Stages25
Website www.texrenfest.com

The Texas Renaissance Festival (dubbed the Ren Fest) is an annual Renaissance fair located in Todd Mission, Texas, about 55 miles northwest of Houston. [1]

Contents

The Texas Renaissance Festival (TRF) started in 1974 on the location of an old strip mining site. The festival claims to be "the nation’s largest Renaissance theme park." As of 2017, the festival sits on 55 acres of land, [2] and offers over 200 acres of camping facilities to patrons. The festival regularly draws over half a million guests annually, making it the largest Renaissance festival in the country by attendance. [3]

History

The TRF was founded in 1974 by brothers, George and David Coulam, on an abandoned strip mining site in what is now Todd Mission, Texas. [4] At the time, it spanned fifteen acres, with three stages featuring small improv theatre groups, and merchants selling their goods on blankets. The opening year saw a turn-out of 33,000. [5] [2]

Features

As of 2017, the TRF features approximately 500 costumed actors who perform on 25 stages. Its 350 on-site shops include: international food purveyors; unique artisans; merchants and craft vendors; human-powered rides; an abundance of performers walking among the guests; and the Queen's Royal Finale (fireworks if weather permits) at dusk. [6] The fair hosts over half a million visitors annually, which peaked at 679,000 in 2016. [2]

Themed weekends

A group of fairies during the "1001 Dreams" weekend at the Texas Renaissance Festival Part of a lovely quartet of fairies that were very photogenic! (8143731337).jpg
A group of fairies during the "1001 Dreams" weekend at the Texas Renaissance Festival

Each of the nine weekends of the festival take on a different theme, influencing the performances, costumes, food, drink, art, shops, contests, and games throughout the festival grounds.

Performances

The festival grounds feature 25 stages, which host a wide variety of performances. The festival features several medieval-themed music and dance groups, including everything from belly dancing, to harps and fiddles, to bagpipes and accordions, to the carillon. [8] Throughout the festival park several demonstrating artists can be found presenting the methods of various medieval trades, such as glassblowing, forging armor, candle-making, coin minting, and others to visitors. [9]

Birds of Prey at the Texas Renaissance Festival TRF falconer.jpg
Birds of Prey at the Texas Renaissance Festival

On the larger stages, other, grander events take place, the largest of which is the Joust. The Joust is performed by the Hanlon-Lees Action Theatre, and is an accurate reenactment of a medieval joust, featuring authentic weapons, costumed horses, and armored knights. [10] Other performances at the festival include acts designed for mature audiences only; as well as for youngsters. Staple performances include The Birds of Prey show, a highly praised free-flying bird show including hawks, owls, vultures, and eagles, [11] the Fire Whip Show, the Clan Tynker Family Circus, the Pride of Bedlam, and the School of Sword. [12]

Solar Rain at the Texas Renaissance Festival Solar Rain at Texas Renaissance Festival 2021.jpg
Solar Rain at the Texas Renaissance Festival

At the end of the festival, a royal finale takes place in the arena, featuring performances from several of the entertainers and musicians, and closing with a fireworks presentation. [13]

See also

List of Renaissance fairs

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Renaissance fair</span> Outdoor weekend gathering that emulates a historical period

A Renaissance fair, Renaissance faire or Renaissance festival is an outdoor weekend gathering open to the public and typically commercial in nature, which purportedly recreates a historical setting for the amusement of its guests. Some are permanent theme parks, while others are short-term events in a fairground, winery, or other large public or private spaces. Renaissance fairs generally include an abundance of costumed entertainers or fair-goers, musical and theatrical acts, art and handicrafts for sale, and festival food. Some offer campgrounds for those who wish to stay more than one day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Combat reenactment</span>

Combat reenactment is a side of historical reenactment which aims to depict historical forms of combat. This may refer to either single combat, melees involving small groups, or nearly full-scale battles with hundreds of participants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hanlon-Lees</span>

A group of pre-Vaudevillian acrobats founded in the early 1840s, the Hanlon-Lees were world-renowned practitioners of "entortillation" – that is, tumbling, juggling, and an early form of "knockabout" comedy. The troupe consisted of the six Hanlon brothers and their mentor, established acrobat Professor John Lees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michigan Renaissance Festival</span>

The Michigan Renaissance Festival is a Renaissance fair, an interactive outdoor event that focuses on recreating the look and feel of a fictional English village called Hollygrove during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in the latter half of the 16th century. A large number of patrons also regularly attend the festival in costume further fleshing out the streets with nobles, pirates, Vikings, wizards, rogues, wenches, and an assortment of fantasy characters. The festival also includes many nationally known Renaissance festival stage acts, juggling shows, sword fighting shows, lane acts, a two-hour feast performed twice daily, three full contact joust shows performed daily, and activities and games for children of all ages. The festival is owned by Mid-America Festivals.

Revels is a contemporary series of American seasonal stage performances, incorporating singing, dancing, recitals, and theatrics loosely organized around a central theme or narrative. The folk-tradition-based performances started in 1957, were restarted in 1971, and now occur in multiple cities around the US.

The Arizona Renaissance Festival is a Renaissance-themed amusement park and Renaissance fair located in Gold Canyon, Arizona, east of the Phoenix metro area in Pinal County. First run in 1989, the Arizona Renaissance Festival runs from mid-winter to early spring every year due to the mild winter and spring weather. The fictional village of Fairhaven is open Saturdays, Sundays, and President's Day Monday.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire</span>

The Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire is a Renaissance fair occurring over 13 weekends from early-August through late-October on the grounds of the Mount Hope Estate and Winery in Manheim, Pennsylvania. In 1980, the Estate was sold and converted to a winery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carolina Renaissance Festival</span> Festival held annually in North Carolina, USA

The Carolina Renaissance Festival is a 25 acre renaissance themed amusement park and one of the largest Renaissance fairs in America. The Festival is set in a fictional storybook village of "Fairhaven" and nestled within 325 acres of autumn woodlands. The open air village and artisan marketplace contains cottages and bungalows of 16th century European architecture. Inside the village gates are over 140 merchants, crafters, and artisans. Sixteen outdoor stages are used for theater, comedy, music, dance, magic, circus entertainments, swimming mermaids, and live falconry demonstrations. Hundreds of costumed villagers and fantasy characters roam the lanes offering additional interactive entertainment. The Festival's premier attractions feature knights on horseback jousting three times daily inside the Queen's tournament arena, Falconry presentations, and Swimming Mermaids. The Festival is held annually on Saturdays and Sundays in October and November and three consecutive week dates in October as a field trip destination for area schools. The Festival is located just north of Charlotte, North Carolina between the towns of Huntersville and Concord near the intersection of 73 and Poplar Tent Road and with equal distance access to I-77 and I-85. An average of 195,000 visitors time travel to the Festival during its fall season.

Hanlon-Lees Action Theater is an American entertainment company credited with the development of theatrical jousting. The company was formed in 1979 by partners Kent Shelton, Robin Wood, Richard "Dikki" Ellis, R. Vincent Park, Taso N. Stavrakis, and Stephen "Omms" Ommerle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theatrical jousting</span>

Coined in the late 20th century by American stunt performer Kent Shelton, the term theatrical jousting refers to a form of live entertainment in which a medieval jousting tournament is recreated in conjunction with a scripted performance. Alternative terms are "jousting reenactment" or "choreographed jousting".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ohio Renaissance Festival</span>

The Ohio Renaissance Festival is an annual event that takes place on weekends from late August through October. This Renaissance festival is held at a permanent site located near Harveysburg in Warren County, Ohio. It was voted Best Festival in Warren County in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Renaissance Pleasure Faire of Southern California</span>

The Renaissance Pleasure Faire of Southern California (RPFS) is a Renaissance faire that takes place in Irwindale, California. It opened in the spring of 1963 and has been an annual event since then. Presently owned by Renaissance Entertainment Productions (REP), it is a commercial reenactment of a 1580s market faire at Port Deptford, a waterfront town in Elizabethan era England. The Faire is generally open from the first weekend of April through the weekend before Memorial Day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seattle Knights</span>

The Seattle Knights is a stage-fighting and jousting acting troupe, specializing in Medieval Fantasy. The troupe was founded in 1993 by current Director Dameon Willich.

Taso Nicholas Stavrakis is an American film and television actor and stunt performer best known for his appearances in the George A. Romero films Dawn of the Dead, Knightriders, and Day of the Dead.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scarborough Renaissance Festival</span> Annual festival held in Waxahachie, TX

Scarborough Renaissance Festival, more commonly known as Scarborough Faire, is a renaissance fair in Waxahachie, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sterling Renaissance Festival</span>

Sterling Renaissance Festival is a Renaissance Festival that operates in Sterling, New York. Since 1976, it runs for seven consecutive weekends through July and August and features music, comedy, and interactive theatre performances as well as the work of artisans and craftspeople.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgia Renaissance Festival</span>

The Georgia Renaissance Festival is a Renaissance fair that recreates England's renaissance for entertainment purposes. The time period for the festival is set as the 16th century, during the reign of King Henry VIII. The festival is located near Fairburn, Georgia, United States and has been in operation since 1986. Situated on 32 acres (130,000 m2) of the land, the festival is open for eight weekends during late spring and early summer, plus Memorial Day and one Field Trip Day each year for Students to experience life in Renaissance England

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Middlefaire</span>

Middlefaire is a festival site located near Hillsboro, Texas.

The Northern California Renaissance Faire, owned by Play Faire Productions is a Renaissance faire in California located in Hollister about 90 miles southeast of San Francisco. The Renaissance Festival typically runs on weekends from mid-September to mid-October. It consists of five or six weekends depending on the year. It is set in the fictional village of "Willingtown" in Derbyshire, England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in the mid-late 16th Century.

The Colorado Renaissance Festival is a Renaissance fair in Colorado located in Larkspur, Colorado 39 miles south of Denver and 32 miles north of Colorado Springs. The Renaissance Festival typically runs between the months of June and August. It is based on a 16th-century Tudor village.

References

  1. Bradshaw, Robin (2022-09-22). "Turn a new leaf with these popular fall festivals across the Lone Star State". Beaumont Enterprise. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
  2. 1 2 3 "Texas Renaissance Festival addresses growing traffic concerns, releases 2016 stats". chron.com. 2016-11-29.
  3. "Huzzah! The Biggest Renaissance Festivals in the U.S." www.farandwide.com. Retrieved 2022-10-07.
  4. About Us, Texas Renaissance Festival
  5. "Texas Renaissance Festival History" . Retrieved February 15, 2014.
  6. Brochure (PDF), Texas Renaissance Festival, retrieved 2012-01-11
  7. "Themed Weekends" . Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  8. "Festival Performers".
  9. "Demonstrating Artists".
  10. "The Joust by the Hanlon-Lees Action Theater".
  11. "Birds of Prey".
  12. "Entertainment Schedule 2013".
  13. "Royal Finale".

Coordinates: 30°15′32″N95°49′50″W / 30.259007°N 95.830646°W / 30.259007; -95.830646