The Northern California Renaissance Faire, which takes place at Casa de Fruta in Hollister, opened on Saturday and Sunday. Fairegoers enjoyed artisan crafts, lively shows, and exhilarating games, all while meeting new members of an inclusive community.
Throughout the day, the bustling walkways were filled with attendees wearing outfits mimicking the style of the 14th-17th centuries. Staple garments and accessories included corsets, dresses, and elf ears, which added a touch of magic to the Renaissance celebration. Many people carried fashionable life-size dandelions, while others donned large, pointed princess hats.
Wandering through rows of artisan tents, fairegoers admired handcrafted jewelry, costumes, and Dungeons and Dragons dice for sale. From hollow drinking horns to dream catchers and stained glass, unique trinkets were a popular attraction for many.
Visitors indulged in turkey legs, potatoes, ale, and other traditional Renaissance foods, as well as healthier options, such as spring rolls, poke bowls, and salads.
After a hearty lunch, attendees filed toward the stands to witness the biggest crowd-gathering event, the joust. A popular form of medieval entertainment, two knights on horseback rode at each other with lances, or long wooden spears, and tried to knock each other off their respective horses.
“It’s just fun watching all the people. They trained a lot. They’re fighting, the choreography, the horses. It’s just really exciting,” artisan Andrea Dig said.
In addition to the joust, the faire boasted several other entertaining performances, including The Manly Men in Tights and the Dungeons and Shakespeare show. The Manly Men in Tights actors humorously mansplained gendered medieval etiquette to the audience, all while wearing tights. The Dungeons and Shakespeare show incorporated audience members, who played characters from various Shakespeare plays and monsters from Dungeons and Dragons to tell a story in the format of a Dungeons and Dragons campaign.
For many visitors, the faire is an opportunity to dress up, explore interests, and unabashedly make friends. “I just love the vibrancy of it. I love that you could just go to a turtle race, or jousting, or ride on the swing, or just meet cool people that appreciate art and passion, and just get to be who they are,” artisan Gina Steer said.
“It’s one of the few places where I feel like I can just be myself, and I don’t need to be as scared to talk to people,” M-A sophomore Eliora Olson said.
As a festival where fairies, gnomes, and an unusual number of adults in costumes feel at home, the faire challenges each attendee to pursue new interests and friendships authentically. Whether buying dice, getting new medieval braids, or firing crossbows, nobody is out of place.
The Northern California Renaissance Faire will continue each weekend through Oct. 25.
