The 10th Annual Greater St. Louis Renaissance Faire is approaching with battling knights, Viking longboat, singing pirates, and a puppet named Morty. As always, it will be held on weekends, May 17 through June 8, 2008, including Memorial Day.
New at the Renaissance Faire
New this year are Robin Hood, an interactive children’s show, a singing pirate group called the Musical Blades, and Morty, a comedy puppet act.
Also new are educational offerings including the Hospitalier Knights encampment, a longboat display and Viking camp, and the wood collier camp.
Returning to the Faire are such favorites as the Jolly Rogers, the Limey Birds, and 3 Pints Gone.
Background
Because of St. Louis’s French colonial origins, the fair format is 16th Century French Renaissance during the time of King Francois, with English “visitors” welcome. The 1523 village of Petit Lyon is the site of the event, populated by a cast of 150 consisting of visiting nobility, including the king and his royal party, knights, merchants, performers, craftsmen, peasants, elves, even a few beggars.
More than 30 acts fill nine stages, including the one resembling a ship’s deck where the performing pirates, the Jolly Rogers, appear.
A sunken arena at the top of the hill the village is located permits jousting tournaments, conveniently neighbored by vendors of food and ale.
Vendors, as always, will offer a wide variety of fare from swords, period clothing, and pottery to stuffed dragon-winged beasties, jewelry, and aromatic soaps.
Petit Lyon includes such attractions as a Maypole, the Faerie Woodland, wedding chapel, gypsy encampment, a barber/surgeon to explain Medieval medicine, a village coopersmith, and a military encampment.
The World Bird Sanctuary of Eureka, Missouri, will give talks and demonstrations featuring their birds of prey, including owls, hawks, and falcons. There’ll be belly-dancers, swordswallowers, juggling, minstrels, and more.
Tickets and Directions
Passes start at $13.00 for adults (less for kids) for one day. Season passes are available along with one-day and two-day passes.
As always, at the website (stlrenfaire.com), you will find a $2.00 discount coupon for admission that can be printed out.
Gates open 10am – 6pm Saturdays and Sundays, May 17-June 8. A Student Day for school field trips is scheduled Friday May 16th.
Petit Lyon is located in Rotary Park at Wentzville, Missouri, 45 minutes west on I-70 from St. Louis, exit to the left at Wentzville Parkway. turn left at West Park Road and follow to Rotary Park on the right. Again, consult the website for fuller directions.
