Renaissance faires, or Renaissance festivals, are an outdoor weekend (or longer) 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 fairgrounds or other large public or private spaces.
Renaissance faires 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. Many Renaissance fairs are set during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England. Some are set earlier, during the reign of Henry VIII, or in other countries, such as France, and some are set outside the era of the Renaissance; these may include earlier Medieval periods (including Vikings), or later periods, such as 17th-18th Century pirates.
Some engage in deliberate “time travel” by encouraging participants to wear costumes representing several eras in a broad time period. Renaissance fairs encourage visitors to enter into the spirit of things with costumes and audience participation. Many welcome fantasy elements such as wizards and elves.
Regardless of the specific type of faire, or era, Moore’s Primitives has the patterns you need to fit right in. While the many vendors are required to dress for the time period a particular faire represents, many attendees also like to “dress the part”, often as a personae developed specifically for faire time. Check our patterns for the Medievil/Renaissance time period and make your own outfit.