Renaissance Pleasure Faire – Irwindale, CA

TRAVEL BY NIC…….The Perpetual Tourist!

 

Renaissance Pleasure Faire – Irwindale, CA

 

I love to dress up…..I love the Renaissance time period……so why not step into the past by going to the Renaissance Faire!?  It is a chance for adults, kids, everyone to dress up and immerse themselves in another time.  You will see it all!  Trolls, ladies, knights, crusaders, pilgrims, wenches, gypsies, fairies, queens, Vikings, wizards everything.

I have visited Renaissance Fairs in Kansas City, Phoenix, and LA.  I find it so interesting that some peoples careers / lifestyles are just to entertain and move from Ren faire to Ren faire.  These people live, eat & breathe the Renaissance.  Pair that with local actors & actress that dress up and walk the grounds.  All of the characters seriously talk in old English.  I find their comments very tongue in cheek and very funny.  So you’ve got the lifestyle folks in costume, the local actors in costume now throw in the public walking around in costume!!  Woa’ La!  You have got a place full of character! 

Renaissance Fairs will be in different areas of the USA at different times.  In Kansas City it was always in the Fall.  In Irwindale it ran April 6 – May 19, 2013.  The cost at the gate was $25 per adult / Parking $10; However, you can always find discounted tickets on line, at supermarkets or drug stores.  For example, I just went on to the Ren Fairs website before it came to town and was able to get 2 tickets for $20!!  You can totally make a whole day of your visit,   It opens at 10am – 7pm.

I counted up about 10 stages that host a wide selection of skits and music.  We saw MooNie…..sooooo funny!  We also sat and watched some Sheiks and belly dancers.  You will also be entertained by parades that seem to go by all of the time.  We experienced the “Death” parade, a dancing parade and finally the Queens parade.  As you work your way to the very end of the grounds you will find the jousting arena.  There you will be encouraged to cheer for your knight depending on where you are sitting in the arena.  Again, I can’t begin to tell you how many things will catch your eye!  I would love to just go and sit and hear all of the conversations and watch all of the characters that pass by.  You can’t be shy at this place!  Jump in and have fun!  Start dialogs with these folks, or just stand beside them, they WILL entertain you in that moment!

As you’re walking through the grounds you hardly notice the vendors, they just blend into the scene!  You’ll find so many unique things!   Some items are totally from that time period, and others things that you find would fit right into today’s world.  Like any Fair or Faire, you find delicious and or unique food!  My husband had the King Henry VIII turkey leg!  I go for the asparagus on a stick, wrapped in bacon sprinkled with parmesan…..YUM!  Also enjoyed troll ears, (pretzels with caramel & chocolate).  You will find fresh fruit bowls, artichokes, Toad in a Hole, crepes, ice cream, pulled pork, HUGE pickles, anything & everything you can think of. 

So there you go!  A full day of entertainment, great food and a chance to dress up and time travel to another time & place……the Renaissance Pleasure Faire!!