Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Awaken to a medieval past

Attend the fourth annual Renaissance Faire


By DANA DUGAN
Express Staff Writer

Courtesy photo- The Cavallo Equestrian Arts Troupe will bring its majestic riding talents from Florida.

Time to get in your time machines, close your eyes and let the world whiz by—backward—until you hit the year 1600. Queen Elizabeth I is on the throne, and a new play, "Much Ado About Nothing," by her pet playwright William Shakespeare is to be presented. Masses of Elizabethan English people wander about faire meadows, sipping ale, watching jousting, munching on meats and savory pies and competing in archery.

This time-machine stop will be played out at the fourth annual Renaissance Faire to be held 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 25, at the Sun Valley Festival Meadow.

On Faire eve, Friday, Aug. 24, there will be a "Night With the Knights" held at the Silver Bell Ranch on Broadford Road in Hailey. The grand medieval feast will be catered by King's Chef Judith McQueen. Entertainment will be provided by Sun Valley Renaissance Players and the Cavallo Equestrian Arts Troupe. Tickets to the feast are $250 each, proceeds to benefit the eighth annual Sun Valley Shakespeare Festival and the nexStage Theatre's performing arts education programs.

For more information or tickets, call event organizer Prue Hemmings at the nexStage Theatre at 726-9124.

On Saturday, His Honor the Mayor of Sun Valley Jon Thorson (in tights) will open the event at 10 a.m. after the parade, including miniature horses, from the nexStage to the Meadow led by the King (Brant Cooper) and Queen (Jamie Reynolds). Sponsors of the Festival will be honored for their support.

"Jon (Thorson) has been a wonderful supporter," said Hemmings. "He really supported us in getting the whole Shakespeare festival in the meadow, with the stage and sets for the play."

New to the faire will be three performances a day of the Cavallo Equestrian Arts Troupe from Florida, as well as the Boom Pirates from Portland, Ore. The Boise Highlanders Bagpipers will return, and a host of actors, jugglers, sword and maypole dancers will perform. Other acts will include fiddlers, Celtic fire musicians and Celtic dancers. Fencing and medieval combat groups, children's Elizabethan arts and games of skill as well as an archery contest for all ages will also be part of the featured events.

And what's a fair without hawkers? There will be medieval artisans and vendors selling everything from jewelry and leather armbands to hats and weapons, as well as all the country fare associated with the medieval lifestyle including tasty sausages, country ale, toffee apples, pastries and sweetmeats.

Highlights will include demonstrations by a blacksmith and a weaver, a stained glass artist and a wood carver.

There will be archery contests at 3 p.m. daily, and children's medieval games and arts. A host of other medieval inspired works from fortune telling to needlecraft, clothing to juggling will be on hand.

Two groups of medieval enthusiasts will include the Society for Creative Anachronism and the Belegarth Medieval Combat group, which will once again host all measure of sports in the fight arena.

Scenes from "Romeo and Juliet," which the Sun Valley Shakespeare Festival Studio presented last week at nexStage Theatre, will be preformed.

Entrance to the faire is $10 for adults, $5 for seniors and students and free for children under 14.




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