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Renaissance fair,
Renaissance faire, or
Renaissance festival is an outdoor weekend gathering, usually held in the United States, open to the public and typically commercial in nature, which emulates a historic period for the amusement of its guests. Some are permanent theme parks, others are short-term events in fairgrounds or other large public or private spaces.
Renaissance fairs generally include an abundance of costumed entertainers, musical and theatrical acts, art and handicrafts for sale, and festival food. Some even offer camping, for those who wish to stay more than one day.
Most Renaissance fairs are set during the reign of Queen
Elizabeth I of England. Some are set earlier, during the reign of
Henry VIII, or in other countries, such as France, and some include broader definitions of the Renaissance which include earlier periods, such as the
Vikings, or later, such as 18th Century
pirates, and some engage in deliberate "time travel" by encouraging participants to wear costumes representing several eras in a broad time period. Renaissance fairs encourage visitors to enter into the spirit of things with costumes and audience participation. Most tolerate, and many welcome, fantasy elements such as
wizards and
elves.
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