An hour north of NYC you can spend the day as if you were living in the 16th Century at the New York Renaissance Faire. My son and I had a great time a couple of years ago in the woodlands of Sterling Forest in Tuxedo Park, New York. We spent a full day enjoying the medieval village and felt like we were in Elizabethan England!
We played countless century games, and amusing rides like the Dragon Swing brought my son joy. The admission price ($22 for adults and $11 for kids) included all the games and rides so that you could repeat anything as much as you wanted!
Entertainment was endless! We enjoyed seeing the actors and visitors in period clothing, and it was “people-watching” at it’s best! If you want to have the full experience, you can always rent a costume in the shop called The Bellrose; that is if you don’t have one of your own. It is conveniently located by the information booth when you go through the admission gates.
We also saw several shows and were part of the admissions fee! The Faire has 125 shows that range from comedy, adventure and for children. Our favorite was the joust! Where else can you see knights on horseback swinging swords! Another favorite was the Living Chess Match. It was fun to check out the feud on the massive chessboard.
I am sure you are thinking, “Wow, what a full day!”, But believe it or not, there is plenty of other things to do and see. No place would be complete without shopping and dining! The kids can try Renaissance food by chomping on a roasted turkey leg. If they are not that adventurous, no worries because there is plenty of traditional kid food like pizza and french fries. Parents also have the opportunity to try a true-brewed mead!
If you want to do a little shopping, there are over a hundred artisans who sell their handcrafted items. Just a few things you will find in the Artisan Crafts Marketplace are jewelry, clothing, blown glass and exotic leathers. There is also face painting and hair braiding in the marketplace too!
Events like these are fabulous to teach your kids about a time in history. Let’s face it, reading about 16th-century history makes me want to snooze, so I can only imagine what a child would think. Being a spectator at an armored joust tournament in a period costume followed by a renaissance meal brings medieval times alive!
Writing this entry has brought back so many fun memories that I think I want to head back to the faire again! The Faire is only open August 6th through Sept 25th. I am thinking about heading back with my sister and her four kids the weekend of August 20th for the Pirate Weekend!
I am sure if you check out the video below that was on YouTube, you will be planning a day trip to the medieval forest soon too!
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