Carolina Renaissance Festival
Carolina Renaisance Festival
The Carolina Renaissance Festival (CRF) is the sister faire of the Arizona Renaissance Festival. We are blessed here int he southeast that they chose to make the beautiful city of Charlotte, NC the home of this fair and it is one of those annual stops for me. The entertainment is second to none and the artisan marketplace will leave you speechless. Being one of the ‘big’ fairs in the US means that this fair is able to pull top-notch performers. You have some of the greats of the Ren fair circuit calling the CRF home. The Tortuga Twins are there for the full run of the show, Ded Bobkeeps the crowd coming back for more each year, Hanlon-Lee provides the joy of jousting and then there are the street performers. No other fair that I attend on a regular basis has the street performers that the CRF has.
The Street Urchin Posing
The merchants are another one of the draws for this fair. It is hard to find this many good merchants at several fairs throughout the year, much less in one place. Their store and shops are mostly brick and mortar so you are not stepping into a tent and that also means you have a little more space when you are looking around. Also, these merchants are set up all over the fair. unlike having all of the booths in one spot, like a lot of fairs do, each turn is going to bring you to another string of crafters, another string of merchants. Most of these booths are full of hand made items. If you are looking to shop, or if you are looking for a way to get that special person to come to a fair with you. Let them know they are going to one of the largest outdoor malls in North Carolina – cod pieces optional.
This is an all day family event. Bring the kids both young and old and let them have a blast at the annual Carolina Renaissance Festival. There are games, there is food, there is shopping and shows, shows, shows! Make sure to save time to watch the joust that hapens three times and a day and eat some of the great fair food. Below is short list of what you might see.
From the Entertainers from the 2011 Season:
- Ancient Art of Falconry
- Barely Balanced Acrobats
- Bathos the Muse
- Charlatan Heston
- The Charlotte Waites
- Dave deBard
- Ded Bob
- Don Juan & Miguel
- Gi Shiata
- Green Man
- Gypsy Geoff
- Hanlon-Lee’s Action Theater
- Harpist Kathleen Finnegan
- Harpist Sarah Mullen
- Hey Nunnie Nunnie!
- The Irish Rogues
- Jeremiah Wiggins
- Jewels of the Caravan
- London Broil
- Lord Franko, Master Hypnotist
- Lord Marshall Laww
- Maidens IV
- Mother & Father Goose
- The Pirate Shantyman & Bonnie Lass
- The Puckerbrush Players
- Rambling Sailors
- The Raven
- Rosewood Guild
- Scupper the Pirate
- Thom Selectomy Comedy and Sword Swallowing!
- Tortuga Twins
- Twig the Fairy
- The Village Washer Wenches
- Zilch the Torysteller
Merchants from the 2011 Season:
- Ageless Fashions
- Argenti Jewelry
- Arts for Life
- Bahia Bay Candles
- Ballena Bay Pewter
- Basketwerks
- The Belly Dance Shop
- Birds of Play
- Blue Moon Gallery
- Blue Moon Scorpio Studios
- Bonny’s Pyrated Prynts
- Boss Wench
- Braided Buns
- The Bronze Jewelers
- Broomhilde
- Burnt Mountain Crafts
- Busch Fine Art Studios
- Castle Creations
- Catskill Mountain Moccasins
- Chime-a-lot
- CK Footworks
- Crysalis Hammocks
- Clear Creations
- Cora’s Quicksilver Mint
- Cornish Mushrooms
- The Crystal Underground
- Deep Earth Rocks
- Dragonlore
- Dreamwaevers
- Earth & Willow Pottery
- The Enchanted Hat
- Enchanted Images
- Fairy Haven
- Fairytale Fynery
- Fairywinks
- Family Name Histories
- Fantasy Hair Weaving
- Feathers for Pleasure
- Fellowship Foundry Pewter
- Flying Cloud Clothier
- Garlic Festival Shop
- The Gilded Parasol
- Global Scent Company
- Green Deva
- Greentree Weaving
- Heirloom Jewelry
- Honorable Company of Metalsmiths
- The Horn Shoppe
- Irie Lights
- Jen’s Crown Jewels
- Jewelry by Da’Oud
- Jiva Originals
- Joann’s Psychic Readings
- The Jugglers Point
- Leaders in Glass
- Leanin’ Easy
- Leather Mystics
- Lofton’s Caricature Creations
- Lyttle Leather
- Madam Carolyn
- Mahamudra Body Arts
- Medieval Metal
- Midsummer Knights Dream
- Morgan’s Mane
- New Pterdactyl Leather
- New World Mugs & Wood
- Olde World Scents
- Ophelia’s
- Pathfinder Drums
- Patti Originals
- Pearl’s Revenge
- Pepi Puzzle Rings and Pewter
- Pixie Pouche Shoppe
- Playful Peddler
- Red Dog Forge
- The Royal Candlemaker
- Royal Rags
- R Terry Originals
- Sabersmith
- Sages Lampwork Beads and More
- The Sheepskin Shoppe
- Siege the Day
- The Silver Lady
- Silverleaf Costuming
- Single Tree
- Sky Chairs
- Staffs by Gust
- Starfire Swords
- Tarnished Images
- Traveler’s Treasures
- Treasure’s of the High Sea
- U-Do-Raku
- Underhill Pavilions
- Under Mango Tree Journals
- Wax Hands
- White Pavilion
- Woodsong Instruments
- World in Chains
- Wylie’s Woven Wire
- Ye Dragon & Unicorn
- Ye Village Pottery
Here is a link to the directions page from their website (google maps does not like the address)
Thanks for the auspicious writeup. It if truth be told used to be a enjoyment account it. Look advanced to far brought agreeable from you! By the way, how could we keep up a correspondence?
You should take part in a contest for one of the highest quality websites on the web. I’m going to recommend this blog!