Only a week away-- the 19th Village Renaissance Faire returns

Picture a Day with friends and family in a beautiful park setting, reliving the days of damsels in distress, chivalry, and the rise of fine arts through interactive fun, unique period wares, period demonstrations, and seven stages of seemingly endless entertainment. Join your neighbors in Suspending Disbelief this September 15 & 16, on the donated Middletown Grange Fairgrounds right here in Wrightstown, Bucks County for less than it costs to go to a movie.

“The Village Faire is a fun-filled interactive walk back through history that has activities that appeal to visitors of all ages.” says Ken Hone, Faire Founder and Director. Hone continues with a proud grin from ear to ear, as he has seen the faire grow from a whimsical dream in an elementary school gym to a reality earning national acclaim in Renaissance Magazine through the partnership with a unique combination of historians, local performers, and professional artists. “Each season we add something new and exciting and this year is no different. Visitors will find it hard to see and do everything the faire has to offer in a single day.”
The Village Renaissance Faire is not the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire in Mount Hope Pennsylvania, its better, Hone boasts. "Here you are intoxicated by what you see and experience, not what you drink." Once you walk through the vine brimmed arches onto the fairgrounds, you cannot help but suspend disbelief as you step into a real period village. The sounds of live harpists, lutes, and recorders fill the air as you gaze the village looking for where to go first—and that will be a difficult choice. Fine Artisans and music fill the entrance pavilion, as the wee ones play giant, we call them dragonsized, games, and the young at heart of all ages can partake in our free loaner garb so they can fall into their own character.

As one emerges from the entrance pavilion, they are surrounded by artisans, performers, and games for all. Sure this charity faire has the offerings of commercial and why so few can believe that it is run by and for the benefit of the Village Library of Wrightstown. Whether one briefly stops to partake or casually strolls by the medieval gaming glen, its always enjoyable to see the chickenshot game flinging rubber chickens across the fairgrounds, people throwing fits, rat-a-pults striking the knights, jacob's ladder and so much more. Where to turn to right is crafts, pyrates, chaste treasure, carriage rides and flying birds of prey. To the front one sees the main stage, archery, trebuchets, unicorns, aerialists, puppets and a petting zoo. A spin to the left reveals a fire-breather, food court, story-times, pony-rides, the outdoor music stage, the mystical east, and face painters and henna.

Those with young attendees, or are young at heart themselves, can easily spend all day exploring the rites of passage for knighthood, royal performers, or just to adulthood through countless supervised activities. Visitors can enjoy role-playing, foam archery, foam jousting, puppetry, marionettes, castle building, period games, contests, and much more. Which is ideal so the adults can enjoy the danger shows, jousting, human chess, and 50 music and dance shows daily on our 10 stages.

But that is not all, there are seven more stages where more than a hundred performers awaiting to entire the crowds through Irish Dance, Gypsey Dance, and Ballet at the dance stage, or Shakespeare and anachronistic adventures, Pyrates of Fortunes Folly, the walking tree, tree wishes and more. As you stroll the air is also filled with the glorious music of Chaste Treasure, Newtown Recorders Consort, Jack & Brenda, Betsey Chapman, and Recordante. But don’t forget to look up where you will dragons, flying birds of prey, trebuchet launchings and flying arrows.

We have not even mentioned one of the larger troupes, Period Productions, who return for their third year with yet another original chapter in the ongoing Living Literature of the Village Faire. More than 30 actors don their period armor and garb to tell the medieval tale of “Queen Gloriana and the Tournament of Virtures” through ongoing precession, opening, court, archery, and human chess matches. The story begins early and continues throughout the day so do not miss it – it is this weekend only. The yearly Tournament of Virtues is upon us once again, hosted by her royal majesty Queen Gloriana in remembrance of the Great War of years past. Many knights representing households kingdom wide return to the field to compete for the title of this year‘s champion. A mysterious new comer will also enter the tournament, they too looking for an opportunity to fight for the honor of champion. But who is this masked knight? How will their identity revealed affect the yearly tournament? You will just have to join us and find out!

David Bronovicki, founder of period productions explains that we aim to “educate through entertainment and audience participation.”

The event will run reign or shine as the Middletown Grange Fairgrounds offer ample overhead protection for any inclement weather. have fun, bring the whole family, and support the library, all for a pittance.

If you go:
What: The Village Renaissance Faire
When: Saturday & Sunday September 15 & 16, , from 11-6 p.m.
Where: Middletown Grange Fairgrounds, Penns Park Road, Wrightstown. The Fairgrounds are conveniently located off major arteries Routes 413 (Durham Road) and 232 (Second Street Pike) in central Bucks County; it is approximately 15 minutes from both Levittown and Doylestown.

Cost: $5 a student, Adults are only a wee bit more ($10), and under 5 are FREE

www.villagefaire.org