It’s Renaissance Festival time in the Charlotte area! Even as a native Charlottean I had no idea what a Renaissance Festival was until I attended as a chaperone for my daughter’s school about 10 years ago. The kids loved the costumes of the vendors and especially liked the hand molds you could make in hot wax. We found out pretty quickly that those molds are very fragile. I don’t think we made it back to the school with more than half of them.
If you have not even been, you need to go!
The Renaissance Festival is a fair-like event that combines arts and crafts from 16th century with outdoor theater and games. The Carolina Renaissance Festival (located just north of Charlotte) was brought to this area in 1994 and has nearly tripled in size since then. It has grown to be one of the largest fairs in the nation. There are more than 100 vendors of crafts and food as well as at least 10 comedy and music shows.
You can enjoy turkey legs and pretzels while watching jousting or Lord Marshall Laww! Afterward you can stroll the venue and gaze at the handmade pottery and jewelry, participate in hand wax-dipping and when you are done, you can have your fortune told.
The festival runs through Nov. 20 and is located off Highway 73 between Huntersville and Concord. Tickets can be purchased through the Renaissance Festival website, at the door, or at your local Harris Teeter.
Personally, I am looking forward to the jousting show while enjoying my turkey leg. What are some of your favorite events?
By Regina Walter
