Want to step back in time? Spend a day at Bristol Renaissance Faire! Voted Best Renaissance Faire in the country in 2012, this summer's 26th annual Faire runs weekends through Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 2. The 30-acre Faire site includes 16th century arts, games, music, comedy, dance, 16 stages, a large variety of food (humus, turkey legs, scones, gelato and more!), a marketplace and Kids Kingdom! Plenty to keep you and your family engaged all day!
We headed out to Bristol last weekend (about an hour drive) for our 1st Renaissance Faire experience. As soon as we walked in, I was mesmerized by the gorgeous costumes. I loved seeing how authentically the employees of the Faire dressed. My favorite part of the whole day was when we stumbled upon some of the employees having lunch in a field. Some were under a tent, some on a blanket on the ground, some at an antique table. As they sat on period-appropriate furniture and sets in their gorgeous costumes, I really felt like I had been transported to another age!
For my son, the games and rides were the best part of the day. He rode every carousel type ride (all pushed by employees, not electronic!), shot bows and arrows, met a mermaid and Mother Goose, enjoyed a storytime and climbed all over the pirate ship in Kids Kingdom.
Having never been to a Renaissance Faire before, I had no idea what to expect. I was so impressed with how committed everyone involved with the Faire is. I was called "my lady' all day (I could get used to that) and we drank Sassafras, not root beer! There were a lot of people at the Faire the day we went, but it's such a large site that we never felt crowded. The crowd consisted of people of all ages and all types of costumes! We saw kings, queens, wenches, elves and fairies! Costumes are not required though, so feel free to go in your street clothes as we did.
You can read more about Bristol Renaissance Faire and purchase tickets at renfair.com. Tickets are $19.95 for adults and $9.50 for kids, ages 5 to 12. Many of the games and rides charge a small fee, so take cash. An ATM is on the grounds if you forget.
Disclosure: I was given tickets to the Renaissance Faire to facilitate this review, but as always, all opinions are my own.
