Are Renaissance festivals lame?

Bre (No)

At a Renaissance Fair—also sometimes called a “Faire,” to better suit “ye” old English theme—people of every type and walk of life are welcome. It’s an open, playful space where all orientations, races, and genres of self-proclaimed nerds are encouraged to dress up in elaborate costumes and flaunt their eccentricities. No pressure, though; regular garb is perfectly fine, too.

With roots in celebrating the unconventional, Renaissance Fairs support diversity and a variety of captivating art forms. They create a decked-out, immersive space that offers visitors an array of interesting and educational activities to engage in. From artisan vendors and staged reenactments to historic exhibits and captivating practices from centuries past, like jousting, stockades, and blacksmiths, to name a few. “Ren Faire” is a hub for not just history buffs, but lovers of all sorts of fantasy fare, like witchcraft, fairies, Celtic lore, and more. It’s a great place to find handmade gifts and aged-looking souvenirs, and guests can interact with characters, making fond memories with photo ops galore.

Renaissance Fair-goers can soak up the “old-timey” ambiance with cheerful music from unique instruments, kids can be captivated by live entertainment, and adventurers can explore interactive booths, like archery or axe throwing. And Faire fans usually rave about the over-indulgent selections, like roast turkey legs and mead.

The Renaissance Fair is a safe escape from reality with something fun for everyone. It promotes a sense of community and presents all kinds of activities, rides, games, and performances to the public. Plus, these large events tend to be mounted in natural, outdoor areas, meaning they can provide patrons with exercise, fresh air, and healthy vitamin D.

Dougie (Yes)

Renaissance Fairs are noisy, overpriced, and underwhelming. Once you’ve seen one, the rest are predictably derivative and redundant. The fairs take no responsibility for their numerous safety hazards and glorify violent themes that many might deem inappropriate for children, such as playing with realistic weaponry and admiring torture devices.

With expensive, unhealthy, even unsafe carnival foods and outrageous upsells at every turn, many find Ren Fairs to be nothing more than a costly, uncomfortable series of long lines and campaigns to consume–an ironic contrast to the tradition’s origins. Despite claims of being historically based, in reality, Ren Fairs is deeply confused. They’re full of inaccurate, inconsistent, and downright outlandish getups, with everything from medieval knights and Shakespeare to fairies, fortune tellers, and pirates.

Unsurprisingly, these strange displays typically attract especially peculiar people, essentially inviting already odd individuals to dress and behave in ways that are even weirder, louder, and more outrageous. Inevitably, they sometimes go too far. Some may become intoxicated, for example, which can lead to offensive humor and inappropriate actions, like groping employees or assaulting other guests.

Not to mention, different weather conditions and uncomfortable costume pieces can make for a grueling, even dangerous experience. Just navigating from the car to the entry can prove rather difficult in heavy layers of leather, especially in thick mud or extreme heat. Or sitting in excessive event traffic only to spend a long day in a crowd of sweaty strangers. Finally, they put the lives of staff, onlookers, and animals at serious risk by presenting unpredictable, incohesive elements side-by-side, like corralling farm animals alongside hazardous practices or using them in performances like jousting.