Sterling Renaissance Festival
Encyclopedia
Sterling Renaissance Festival is a Renaissance Faire that was started in 1976 by Dennis Ouellette, Sr., and later owned and operated by Gerald and Virginia Young in Sterling, New York
. The setting is the year 1585 in the fictional village of Warwick, which rambles across a wooded hillside and includes many permanent structures (some two-story).
in company with the ladies of her court; also present are Sir Walter Raleigh
, Sir Francis Drake
, and other noblemen of the day. These ladies and gentlemen of the court perform set pieces, such as the human chess match and Tea with the Queen, in addition to interacting with patrons. Additional costumed actors—gypsies, pirates, washer-wenches and others—stroll the grounds, improvising scenarios to entertain the patrons.
Costumed entertainers include Renaissance music
ians, bagpipers, illusionists, jugglers, sword-swallowers
fortune-tellers, and comedy acts. Twice daily the performers join together in a grand processional through the Festival grounds, and the Festival closes each evening with a pub sing
in which everyone is encouraged to sing along.
At the base of the west-facing hillside is the jousting field. Here, full-contact jousting
takes place, as well as displays of falconry
. In addition, patrons can ride the war-horses of the jousters for a small fee.
Like most Faires, the Sterling Renaissance Festival has a large number of artisans and craftspeople, such as glass-blowers, blacksmith
s, bookbinders
, and potters
. Other vendors include leather and costuming shops, weapon-crafters, and jewelry shops.
There are also a number of games of skill available for an additional fee, such as archery, axe-throwing, "Tomato Justice" (where participants pelt a man with ripe tomatoes), and the "Pillow Fyte." Several human-powered rides and a camel ride are available.
Various foods are available, including such Faire staples as turkey legs and shish-kabobs, but also including vegetarian items like portobello mushroom sandwiches and fresh fruit. The Bad Dog Tavern serves alcohol (including mead
) and has a selection of meat pies, bacon-wrapped scallops, and other foods. The Tavern also features live entertainment.
In 2008 for the first time peace-tied period weapons were permitted.
In 2010 the famous "Bad Dog Tavern" was renamed "Rose & Crown Tavern." The change was because they believed it sounded more appropriate for the period.
Sterling, New York
Sterling is a town in Cayuga County, New York, United States. The population was 3,040 at the 2010 census. The town is named after "Lord Stirling", a general of the Revolutionary War. Sterling is the most northerly town in the county...
. The setting is the year 1585 in the fictional village of Warwick, which rambles across a wooded hillside and includes many permanent structures (some two-story).
Attractions
The Festival is presided over by Queen ElizabethElizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
in company with the ladies of her court; also present are Sir Walter Raleigh
Walter Raleigh
Sir Walter Raleigh was an English aristocrat, writer, poet, soldier, courtier, spy, and explorer. He is also well known for popularising tobacco in England....
, Sir Francis Drake
Francis Drake
Sir Francis Drake, Vice Admiral was an English sea captain, privateer, navigator, slaver, and politician of the Elizabethan era. Elizabeth I of England awarded Drake a knighthood in 1581. He was second-in-command of the English fleet against the Spanish Armada in 1588. He also carried out the...
, and other noblemen of the day. These ladies and gentlemen of the court perform set pieces, such as the human chess match and Tea with the Queen, in addition to interacting with patrons. Additional costumed actors—gypsies, pirates, washer-wenches and others—stroll the grounds, improvising scenarios to entertain the patrons.
Costumed entertainers include Renaissance music
Renaissance music
Renaissance music is European music written during the Renaissance. Defining the beginning of the musical era is difficult, given that its defining characteristics were adopted only gradually; musicologists have placed its beginnings from as early as 1300 to as late as the 1470s.Literally meaning...
ians, bagpipers, illusionists, jugglers, sword-swallowers
Sword swallowing
Sword swallowing is an ancient performance art in which the performer passes a sword through the mouth and down the esophagus towards the stomach...
fortune-tellers, and comedy acts. Twice daily the performers join together in a grand processional through the Festival grounds, and the Festival closes each evening with a pub sing
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
in which everyone is encouraged to sing along.
At the base of the west-facing hillside is the jousting field. Here, full-contact jousting
Jousting
Jousting is a martial game or hastilude between two knights mounted on horses and using lances, often as part of a tournament.Jousting emerged in the High Middle Ages based on the military use of the lance by heavy cavalry. The first camels tournament was staged in 1066, but jousting itself did not...
takes place, as well as displays of falconry
Falconry
Falconry is "the taking of wild quarry in its natural state and habitat by means of a trained raptor". There are two traditional terms used to describe a person involved in falconry: a falconer flies a falcon; an austringer flies a hawk or an eagle...
. In addition, patrons can ride the war-horses of the jousters for a small fee.
Like most Faires, the Sterling Renaissance Festival has a large number of artisans and craftspeople, such as glass-blowers, blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
s, bookbinders
Bookbinding
Bookbinding is the process of physically assembling a book from a number of folded or unfolded sheets of paper or other material. It usually involves attaching covers to the resulting text-block.-Origins of the book:...
, and potters
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
. Other vendors include leather and costuming shops, weapon-crafters, and jewelry shops.
There are also a number of games of skill available for an additional fee, such as archery, axe-throwing, "Tomato Justice" (where participants pelt a man with ripe tomatoes), and the "Pillow Fyte." Several human-powered rides and a camel ride are available.
Various foods are available, including such Faire staples as turkey legs and shish-kabobs, but also including vegetarian items like portobello mushroom sandwiches and fresh fruit. The Bad Dog Tavern serves alcohol (including mead
Mead
Mead , also called honey wine, is an alcoholic beverage that is produced by fermenting a solution of honey and water. It may also be produced by fermenting a solution of water and honey with grain mash, which is strained immediately after fermentation...
) and has a selection of meat pies, bacon-wrapped scallops, and other foods. The Tavern also features live entertainment.
In 2008 for the first time peace-tied period weapons were permitted.
In 2010 the famous "Bad Dog Tavern" was renamed "Rose & Crown Tavern." The change was because they believed it sounded more appropriate for the period.
New ownership
Sterling Renaissance Festival was purchased in early 2008 by Doug Waterbury, who invested $2 million in the business. Several new stages were constructed and existing ones refurbished, and the number of performers was boosted for the 2008 season. Waterbury plans to use the site for additional events, and install a larger jousting theater which could also be used for outdoor concerts.See also
- Renaissance fairRenaissance FairA Renaissance fair, Renaissance faire, or Renaissance festival is an outdoor weekend gathering, usually held in the United States, open to the public and typically commercial in nature, which emulates a historic period for the amusement of its guests. Some are permanent theme parks, others are...
- List of Renaissance fairs
- Reenactment
- JoustingJoustingJousting is a martial game or hastilude between two knights mounted on horses and using lances, often as part of a tournament.Jousting emerged in the High Middle Ages based on the military use of the lance by heavy cavalry. The first camels tournament was staged in 1066, but jousting itself did not...
- Society for Creative AnachronismSociety for Creative AnachronismThe Society for Creative Anachronism is an international living history group with the aim of studying and recreating mainly Medieval European cultures and their histories before the 17th century...
- List of open air and living history museums in the United States