Alabama Renaissance Faire
GenreRenaissance fair
DatesOctober
Location(s)Florence, Alabama, United States 34°48′11″N 87°40′31″W / 34.80306°N 87.67528°W / 34.80306; -87.67528
Inaugurated1987
Attendance30,000 - 40,000 (average)
Websitewww.thealrenfaire.org

The Alabama Renaissance Faire is a Renaissance fair held annually in downtown Florence, Alabama on the fourth full weekend in October each year.

History

The Alabama Renaissance Faire was created in 1987 by a group of educators and city leaders meeting over the summer.[1] The proposed fairs' purpose was twofold: ..."1) to create a festival that would occur during the school year; and 2) to make sure that the event would include as many subjects within the area schools’ curricular offerings as possible..."[1] Because the city of Florence, Italy was one of the centers of the historic Renaissance period — as well as the city's namesake — the organizers thought that would be the perfect theme for their education-focused fair. They held the first small fair that October.[1] The Alabama Renaissance Faire has been a celebration of Florence's "Renaissance City" identity since then.[2] The following year, the state of Alabama's senate and house passed a bill that designated Florence as the state's official renaissance fair city.[3][4][5]

Details

The Faire is held in the city's Wilson Park, renamed 'Fountain-on-the-Green' for the event, and averages between 30 and 40,000 participants every year.[6] Elements of the fare and activities that take place during the fair have expanded from the original plans. They now include magic performers, historical event reenactments, arts & crafts workshops, food, beverage, and merchandise vendors, costume-making workshops, elementary school art contests, song-writing contests, and musical performances. The fair takes place yearly on the fourth weekend in October.[6]

The Alabama Renaissance Faire is run by a non-profit, all volunteer, group known as the "Roundtable."[1] There are no admission fees to the public to attend the fair.[6][7] The Faire is unique in that the event's figurehead, or 'Monarch,' rotates every year and is chosen by the organizers at the Renaissance Feast that precedes the faire by one week. The monarch decides the theme for the faire for that year, and is permitted to leave the throne in whatever fashion they decide.[6]

No faire was held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[8][9]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 The Origins of the Texas Renaissance Faire; Shoals, Billy, article; 2019-07-14; Muscle Shoals National Heritage Foundation; webpage, Retrieved, December 2021
  2. ↑ "Alabama Renaissance Faire". Rocket City Mom | Huntsville events, activities, and resources for families. Retrieved 2021-12-14.
  3. ↑ "Alabama Renaissance Faire reigns for 27th year". WAFF. October 26, 2013. Retrieved 2021-12-14.
  4. ↑ "48 Must-see Festivals and Fairs in Alabama in Fall 2021". al. 2021-09-29. Retrieved 2021-12-14.
  5. ↑ Storey, Deborah (2011-10-06). "Alabama Renaissance Faire is Oct. 22-23 in Florence". al. Retrieved 2021-12-13.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Alabama Renaissance Faire". Alabama Renaissance Faire Website. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  7. ↑ Alabama Renaissance Faire; RenList.com; webpage; retrieved December 29, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Festivals return as coronavirus cases rise in Alabama". al. 2020-10-22. Retrieved 2021-12-14.
  9. ↑ "Alabama Renaissance Faire Returns to Florence". WHNT-TV. 2021-10-23. Retrieved 2021-12-13.
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