Sir Gerard Valliant of France and his mighty steed, from the Seattle Knights and the Pirates of Puget Sound, prepare for battle at the Two Rivers Medieval Faire jousting arena in Cashmere on May 14.
Sir Gerard Valliant of France and his mighty steed, from the Seattle Knights and the Pirates of Puget Sound, prepare for battle at the Two Rivers Medieval Faire jousting arena in Cashmere on May 14.
Empire Press photo/Gloria Bond
Dear Gabby,
I heard some people from Waterville went to a medieval fair in Cashmere, but some people called it a Renaissance fair. What is the difference?
Signed,
A Knight
Dear Knight,
Oftentimes fairs, or faires when used in a title, are called medieval and/or Renaissance with no distinction of what the fair actually incorporates into its agenda. They could actually be called fantasy fairs, as mythical creatures, such as dragons, fairies, gnomes and elves are also added to the cast of characters.
While this is true of many fairs, some fairs are very specific in planning and development. If it is a medieval fair, then it is representative of a period in history that existed between 476 and 1600.
On the other hand, the Renaissance period lasted from the 14th century to 17th century.
Many fairs are places of historical learning. It is a fun way to find out the differences between the medieval (aka Middle Ages or Dark Ages), and the Renaissance era, where life is sometimes described as coming into living color.
Yours truly,
Gabby
P.S. Check out these books from the library:
“The Middle Ages: Everyday Life in Medieval Europe”
By Jeffrey L. Singman
“The House of Wisdom: How Arabic Science Saved Ancient Knowledge and Gave Us the Renaissance”
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