Spend a day in the past at Bristol Renaissance Faire
For the last 35 years, Illinois residents haven’t had to travel far to arrive at the year 1574 — just across the Wisconsin border.
The Bristol Renaissance Faire will celebrate its 35th anniversary when it opens July 9 at its 30-acre site in Kenosha, taking people back to Elizabethan England to understand a bit more about the tastes and culture from nearly 500 years ago, but most importantly, to enjoy themselves amid the actors and sets who create a window into the time period.
“We are here to highlight the fun,” said Julie McMillin, social media director for the Bristol Renaissance Faire. “We’ve created a place that takes you back to a different time and place. How you want to interact and get from it is all up to you.”
As the name of the fair implies, you are transported to a specific date and time, Aug. 14, 1574, when Queen Elizabeth I made her historic trip to Bristol. You’ll find yourself amid a village festival preparing for the queen’s upcoming visit.
“One of the things that makes our Renaissance Faire unique is that we have a permanent location,” McMillin said. “We’ve been able to build two- and
three-story buildings. It’s an actual village now. This isn’t just some tents in the field. We have really worked to create the structures and atmosphere to transport you back to this date in time.”
You’ll also find 125 merchants, 16 stages and performance areas and a variety of activities to experience once you enter the fair.
“There’s more than you could ever do in a day,” McMillin said.
Jousting competitions are one of the most popular exhibitions, and three times a day the contests are held in which two people dressed in full armor, shields and lances ride toward each other and try to knock down the opposing rider.
“When the hits come, they’re riding at a combined speed of 35 mph,” McMillin said. “This isn’t a reenactment — this is an actual joust. These people have been riding for decades, have all the right equipment and know what they’re doing.
“It’s amazing to see how they’ve built this partnership with the horses,” she said. “They’ve trained for years together, and they value the safety of the horses over their own bodies. It’s something to see.”
The Faire may be known for its giant turkey legs, and you’ll see plenty of them, but visitors have a large number of dining options, including vegetarian and vegan options.
“You can eat like they did back then, but that’s only one option,” McMillin said. “Our goal is to allow people to have a good time, and that includes eating food that you enjoy, whether or not it’s what they ate at the time.”
The same philosophy applies to dressing in period-appropriate clothing, which is welcome but not necessary.
“We always say, wear what makes you happy,” McMillin said. “Some people get into the fantasy element of this and love dressing up. But others would rather dress for any other festival in comfortable clothes.
The Renaissance Faire is kid-friendly, with rides, games, arts and crafts and other activities specifically designed for the younger set. At Kids Kingdom, children can play in a sandcastle and even be knighted by Queen Elizabeth I when she arrives.
Adults looking to enjoy the bawdier side of the 16th century can find it there, too, as pubs for adults offer a different Renaissance experience.
“We tracked down the terribly raunchy songs from back then, and we’ve got that if it interests you,” McMillin said. “There’s a pub crawl four times a day, in which the bartender will regale you with the worst and best jokes they could find.”
Other activities at the Faire include RenQuest, a game designed for ages 12 and older in which players compete in a two-hour adventure to seek the sword Excalibur. There’s also the popular Mud Show, a competition to see who can do the most
outrageous things in the mud.
More than 200 artisans are on-site, selling things like Scottish kilts, handcrafted leather items, soaps, jewelry and floral wreaths for your hair. You’ll also find demonstrations from potters, blacksmiths and other workers who were indispensable back in the 1500s.
With between 12,000 and 16,000 visitors daily, the Faire does start to resemble a village of its own.
“It’s a place to play, whatever that means to you,” McMillin said. “Use your imagination and just forget about the 21st century.”