The Renaissance Pleasure Faire may have only opened last weekend, but the springtime festivities have already filled up medieval mavens' minds with things like jousts and turkey legs and courtly happenings.
And because the Faire is only taking place on weekends through May 17 -- meaning there are a goodly (but short) half dozen weekends to go -- we wanted to celebrate some of the elements we adore. One feature of a fine renaissance fair we're especially enamored of are the costumed characters strutting and stamping about, and do they ever look grand. But we like the tossed looks and implied relationships and throwing down of verbal gauntlets between various lords and lasses.
Why do we like these light-as-a-feather flirtations so? Maybe because we all now exist in a world of silent texting and typing, where wordplay and witty repartee often happen between people quietly pressing buttons with their thumbs. At a Renaissance festival, the come-hither glances and "I'm too good for you" taunts very often occur out in the open, much to the delight of the crowds.
Would we miss that? We would not. We'll be there, smiling and cheering and likely raising a cup of something mead-ish.
Renaissance Pleasure Faire
Saturdays and Sundays through May 17
$25/adult at gate (see site for advance tickets)
Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area
15501 E. Arrow Highway, Irwindale
626-969-4750
