Attention, Game of Thrones fans … and anyone who’s ever walked around wearing a pirate hat, carrying a sword or dressed as a court jester: the St. Louis Renaissance Festival is here! Yes, there is such a thing, and it is apparently very popular, considering this is its 20th year. What is Ren Fest? That depends on who you ask, but at its most benign (and it is kept benign, since it closes at 6 p.m.), it’s a time warp back to the days of knights and ladies, wenches and friars, pirates and Robin Hood.
While that wasn’t exactly a kinder and gentler time, it was a period that captures the imagination of many, if the array of costumes I saw is any indication. The festival happens every weekend through Oct. 15, with a make-believe world set up in Wentzville’s Rotary Park. Fluttering banners, festooned horses, jousters, pirates and more transform the rolling, wooded grounds into a kind of Sherwood Forest where costumed staffers walk around with wooden tankards (possibly filled with grog) and sporting such accessories as chain mail caps, codpieces and lace-up bustiers.
Employees are not the only ones in character; visitors are there in all manner of costume. Once you enter this Renaissance world (for $17 to $20), you may walk the grounds and enjoy a pint or two while trying your hand at archery or barrel tossing. At various times, you can take a seat on bleachers to watch a spirited joust, possibly while gnawing a massive turkey drumstick. Cheering and booing are mandatory, and there is a Falstaffian raggabrash working the crowd to that end.
Lest you forget to dress up, or decide at the festival that you want to, no worries: there are blacksmiths, bladesmiths, metalsmiths, tanners, corwainers, etc. In other words, you can buy period gear there. You also can see a sword swallower (one of fewer than 100 in the world) named Molotov, who really does put a 14-inch dagger down his gullet. Or go to the pirate ship to see the Scallywags and their comedy badinage. There are also several madrigal and a cappella groups, as well as storytellers, palm readers and costume contests.
In the spirit of the Renaissance, certain weapons are allowed, like swords, dirks, daggers and longbows—but they must be ‘peace-tied’ (whatever that means). I was relieved to learn that at least axes, maces, pikes and halberds (huh?) are not allowed. Arrows can be brought in only by those who are actually competing. You get the picture: This is a fantasy world on steroids that requires an appreciation of weirdness and a spirit of adventure. Given that, wouldn’t it be nice, for just one gore-less day, to turn into Maid Sansa Stark or the fearless knight Brienne of Tarth?