Arizona Renaissance Festival – 26 years of Medieval Revelry

The Blue Knight demonstrates his swordsmanship

Apache Junction, AZ

In the current photo challenge, I submitted a three-picture story about the Arizona Renaissance Festival and promised a more detailed report. To see my earlier post, click here. I submit for your merriment and frolic, my lords and ladies, a gallery of photos taken at this year’s Festival.

The royal court welcomes visitors to the Festival

The Arizona festival is one of the largest in the nation featuring a fairground with permanent structures modeled after buildings of the times. Each year during the weekends of February and March, guests can enjoy thirteen performance stages each offering several shows a day; an outdoor circus; Medieval arts and crafts; a jousting tournament that offers three performances a day; and a feast fit for royalty.

Upon entering the grounds, we were met by this priest who commented to me, “Enjoy the cleavage today… I shall hear your confession this evening.”

To view the gallery photos below in detail, click on any small photo and scroll through the images.

The blue knight captures a ring on his lance.

Look closely at the shields on the jousters. Both scored a direct hit on the opponent.

Our mistress of ceremonies provided a running commentary of the competition, despite having a horse with a mind of his own.

The green knight begins his swordsmanship challenge.

A triple galleon swing features the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria.

Popular fare at a festival are giant turkey legs.

If you’re thirsty, several pubs are at your beck and call.

Youngsters attempting a rope ladder climb.

Need the latest in magic wands? Shops and galleries offer all manner of stuff for sale.

The Tortuga Twins feature an adult-oriented performance.

A performer entertains children with bubbles between stage shows.

The Tynker family features family oriented entertainment.

These two “wrestling dwarfs” were exposed as a single acrobat at the conclusion of the performance.

The Wylde Men show features a mud pit on stage.

John Steiner

3 comments

Arizona Renaissance festivals provide an open gathering to all people for enjoying the renaissance costumes and everything. Such festivals also provide secret prizes like if you are at certain place at that particular time then their is a chance that you will a prize or you may get a chance to be like king/queen/knight. But I am not sure if this happens in every renaissance festival?

photobyjohnbo says:
June 9, 2014 at 1:15 pm
That’s interesting. I’m hoping to make the festival in Minneapolis and will try to remember to see if they do that as well.
Reply

[…] to experience a glimpse of life in an earlier time. You can review my post from 2014’s festival here. This post contains two galleries; the first gallery focuses on our day at the festival. Click on […]