Travel back in time to the medieval age all summer

By Kaelyn Diep

Hear ye, hear ye. It is time again to travel back to the age of the Renaissance with one of Colorado’s most popular tourist attractions. Recurring for over 40 years, the Colorado Renaissance Festival never disappoints when it comes to bizarre entertainment, food, beverages, gifts and more.

Set as a 16th Century Medieval Amusement Park, the festival allows visitors to wander through an era with a historic timeline. The hosts invite guests to celebrate and explore with their fellow comrades by creating handmade artwork, seeing mind-boggling shows and becoming mesmerized by their mouthwatering food and aromas.

Kristy Ekiss, the artistic director and spokesperson for the Colorado Renaissance Festival, said the event is owned by Jim Paradise, who started it years ago. “This is our 48th season,” Ekiss said. “He was one of the original founders of the Minnesota Renaissance Festival, which was one of the first Renaissance festivals in the country. And then over the years, everybody kind of broke off and started their own festivals and he started this one here in Colorado.”

Running through Aug. 3, the festival in Larkspur (Larkspurshire, if you must) offers the chance for families and friends to enter the realm of castles and kings. Considering the Renaissance was made up of many phenomena, the event dedicates every weekend to a specific theme. Whether it is mermaids, knights or fairies, there’s a weekend for everyone to dress up and get in on the fun. Other weekends are based on types of events and music that is provided, such as costume contests, listening to the Irish Troubadour or participating in the Grape Stomp Competitions for a prize.

“Our goal is to create an immersive experience, a lot like any other theme park,” Ekiss said. “Our goal is when you walk through those gates that you are stepping into another time and place.”

The Colorado Renaissance Festival is home to many interactive shows and performances for all ages. From storytelling and singing to sword swallowing and breathing fire, this attraction knows how to set the stage. Some of the most popular performers consist of Jacques Ze Whipper, The Craic Show, The Knights of Noble Cause, and The Washing Well Wenches, which is one that I enjoyed. As a duo, the washing wenches featured good clean women that aren’t afraid to get a little dirty and wet. That even goes for the audience. They will fling water at you if you sit in the splash zone. As a show full of comedic humor and sarcastic jokes, it is fun for all ages to enjoy and get a laugh.

Accompanying the entertainment comes worthwhile food and beverages to try. Ranging from meat to treats, the renaissance festival includes a variety of unique and tasty food for everyone strolling into town. If you’re hungry for something flavorful, their smoked turkey ‘legges’ are a must try at Canterbury and Joust Kitchens. Corn on the cob, pork tails, chicken teriyaki croissants as well as smashed potatoes are offered as pairings, making it feel like a true meal from the medieval times.

Other yummy palate pleasers include everyday food items on a stick, such as mac and cheese, steak, chicken, sausage and even cheesecake. And nothing would be better than a beer on tap to quench your thirst as you walk through the kingdom.

However, Ren Faire would not be complete without the artisan’s marketplace. Here, everyone can buy renaissance attire as well as indulge in home goods, natural wood decor, graphic arts, and so much more. Looking to have beautiful art drawn on your skin? Head over to Hullabaloo Henna or Calypso Henna to watch talented artists create a masterpiece on your skin that you can keep for more than a week. Don’t have the correct attire for the event? Never fear, the festival has many vendors that sell items ranging from masks, pirate swords, belly dancing outfits, knight’s armor, fairy wings, and leather clothing to achieve the look you’re going for. Want to take a part of the magic with you? Shops such as Madame Macabre’s, The Dreamstress Tapestry, and Artsmyths have tons of household items like cabinetry, tapestries and mosaics to bring home.

As for new additions to Ren Faire, Ekiss said that everything will likely stay the same, but there might be something big planned for the 50th celebration in 2027.

“We’ll have some vendors that are new this season. We’ve got a couple of new performances, new cast members, things like that, but it’s always a fun experience trying to keep that experience.”.

Thirst Colorado intern Kaelyn Diep is a senior at Metropolitan State University of Denver. She is majoring in journalism and minoring in communication studies and plans to become a news editor. Besides working for The Metropolitan school newspaper as the social media editor, she enjoys playing video games, crocheting, reading, exploring the outdoors and hanging out with her friends and boyfriend. One of her favorite things to do with her partner is build LEGOs.