Last weekend, I made the 25 minute trek north to Lebanon, Connecticut for the 20th annual Connecticut Renaissance Faire. I know you’re thinking, “that sounds so weird,” but please, don’t rush to judgement. When I was little I went to the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire every year, and nothing makes me yearn for a massive roasted turkey leg more than the changing of the seasons from summer into autumn.
For weeks I had begged my friends to make the journey with me to the Faire, talking up all of the great, family-friendly events such as “Jousting to the Death” or “Birds of Prey on Display” or the absurd game called “Smite the Knight.” To my surprise, my friends actually agreed to join me.
What I saw at the Renaissance Faire was cause for instant jubilation. People dressed in costumes from every different era, and (for the most part) were all extremely friendly and accepting of those different from themselves. The Renaissance Faire was, perhaps, one of the most inclusive and open communities I’ve witnessed in my four years living in Connecticut. Storm troopers mingled with knights. Dr. Who fans, dressed in full garb, shared drinks and laughter with steampunk-clad drag queens. Those whose interests and hobbies are deemed “too strange” for polite society, those who are ignored by the powers that be, and all of society’s outcasts were given a space of their own, every weekend from Sept. 1 to Oct. 14, in nearby Lebanon, CT. If you’re curious about it but aren’t sure if the Renaissance Faire is your scene, my advice would be to take a step out of your comfort zone and go for it. Get me a turkey leg while you’re there. •
