Knight life: Jesters and dragons reign at the Santa Fe Renaissance Faire

Sep. 13—Take a step back in time at the 16th annual Santa Fe Renaissance Faire.

Created by El Rancho de Las Golondrinas as a fundraiser event for the living history museum, the faire recreates medieval times in fun and interactive ways to get visitors interested in the museum and history.

"This is something the museum started some time back in order to have a fun fundraising event, to get people out and also as a way to maybe attract people who don't normally come to El Rancho de Las Golondrinas and discover us," said Daniel Goodman, director of the museum. "We found people who come to the Renaissance Faire, come back and want to know more about the museum as well."

About 4,000 fans are expected to visit the Renaissance Faire each day. More than 500 volunteers will be on site each day to ensure the event runs smoothly.

"We have about 100 volunteers who are museum volunteers," Goodman said. "Those are the people who are going to be in our historic buildings and sharing the history that we share every day.

"Additionally, we have volunteers from Colorado Renaissance Faire. They work and volunteer at the Colorado Renaissance Faire and they come down to be entertainers, to be the royal court that walks around to work in the fairy village, to put on different events and fun things that happen all over the property as well," he said.

Visitors will be immersed in a renaissance experience with several entertainers performing medieval acts. There will be live medieval musical performances to get fans into the old time spirit. Guests can also participate in a costume contest and show everyone their Middle Ages-style outfits. Irish dancers and belly dancers will also be perform.

"We have jousters, live armored combat," Goodman said. "We have Clan Tinker, which is a renaissance circus act, (that) is the best way to describe them. They're an incredible group, we're talking juggling swords, swallowing swords and juggling fire. We also have a number of musicians who are out here as well. This could be anything from traditional instruments to Scottish Highlands pipes, fiddle, that kind of a thing."

Guests can watch stunt shows, take clay sculpting art classes and more.

Kids will also have a variety of entertainment to choose at the history corner, where they can participate in Weapons of the Renaissance with the Duke de Brissac and Inside Renaissance Commedia dell'arte with Pip the Harlequin, a princess tea party, puppet shows and other entertainment throughout the day.

In between entertainment, visitors will be able to explore Fairy Village, where they can take a look at medieval style crafts. There will be jewelry, face painting, as well as magical wands and staffs for sale. There are more crafts at the Artisan Village, where guests can shop at over 70 vendors' booths.

Guests can take a break and enjoy food from several vendors including Gourmet D?ner Kebob, Fusion Tacos and catering from the what THE truck café, where they will be selling turkey legs, a Renaissance Faire tradition. Adults can enjoy an alcoholic beverage from different beer, mead, hard cider and wine vendors.

"Historians say the greatest tool in their toolbox is imagination," Goodman said. "And this is a festival that really allows the staff to exercise that and really get people to step back in time and see the museum in a different way."