Sterling Renaissance Festival facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sterling Renaissance Festival
Two knights on armored chargers attempt to unseat one another in this jousting expostion at the Sterling Renaissance Festival.
Genre	Renaissance fair
Dates	July - August
Location(s)	Sterling, New York
Inaugurated	1976
Attendance	100,000 (average)
Stages	9

The Sterling Renaissance Festival is a fun festival held in Sterling, New York. It has been running since 1976. Every year, it opens for seven weekends in July and August. Visitors can enjoy music, comedy, and exciting interactive theatre shows. Many talented artisans and craftspeople also show and sell their work.

In 2020, the festival had to be cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was postponed until 2021.

Step Back in Time: The Festival's Setting

The festival takes you back to the year 1585. You'll find yourself in a make-believe village called Warwick. This village is built on a wooded hillside. It has many permanent buildings, some with two floors. The story of the festival is that the village is holding its yearly celebration.

Queen Elizabeth herself is visiting the festival! She comes with her court, which includes famous people like Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Francis Drake. These actors, playing the Queen and her court, perform shows. These include a human chess match and "Tea with the Queen." They also walk around and talk with visitors.

The entire village comes alive with actors called the Wyldewood Players. They dress up as all sorts of villagers. You might see gypsies, pirates, or washer-wenches. They walk around the grounds and create fun scenes for everyone.

Many other entertainers perform at the festival. You can hear Renaissance musicians and bagpipers. There are also illusionists, jugglers, and even sword-swallowers. You might meet a fortune-teller or watch funny comedy acts.

Twice a day, all the performers join a parade. They march through the festival grounds. Each evening, the festival ends with a "pub sing." Everyone is invited to sing along!

At the bottom of the hillside, you'll find the jousting field. Here, real jousting takes place. Knights on horseback try to unseat each other. You can also see amazing archery displays. On Highland weekend, they even have Highland games. For a small fee, you can even ride the war-horses used by the jousters!

A view of the festival grounds.

Fun Things to Do: Festival Attractions

The Sterling Renaissance Festival offers many exciting activities.

Live Stage Shows

The festival has a paid group of actors called the Wyldewood Players. They perform many shows. You can also see musicians, acrobats, and other acting groups. There are sword-swallowers, comedy acts, and roving players. These players walk around and talk with the visitors, making the experience even more fun.

Amazing Arts and Crafts

Like most Renaissance fairs, Sterling has many skilled artisans and craftspeople. You can watch glass-blowers create art. See blacksmiths working with metal or bookbinders making books. Potters shape clay into beautiful items. Other shops sell leather goods, costumes, and even weapons (safe ones!). You can also find custom shoes, walking sticks, musical instruments, jewelry, and toys.

Exciting Games to Play

There are many games of skill you can play for a small extra cost. Try your hand at archery or axe-throwing. A popular game is "Tomato Justice," where you can throw soft tomatoes at a person! You can also try the Ladder of Truth or the Pillow Fyte. Several human-powered rides are also available for a unique experience.

Delicious Festival Food

You'll find lots of tasty food at the festival. Enjoy classic fair foods like turkey legs and shish-kabobs. There are also vegetarian options, such as portobello mushroom sandwiches and fresh fruit. The Rose & Crown Tavern serves drinks, including mead. They also have meat pies and bacon-wrapped scallops.

Special Themed Weekends

Each weekend at the festival has a special theme. This theme often guides the story acted out by the villagers. Some past and present themes include:

• Family Appreciation Weekend (with discount tickets for families)
• Marketplace Weekend (where purchases can earn you free tickets)
• Ale Fest Weekend
• Highland Fling (with Scottish music and competitions)
• Pirate Invasion
• Romance Weekend
• Fantasy Weekend

"Lost Warwick": An Online Adventure

In the summer of 2020, the festival could not open due to the COVID-19 pandemic. So, the creative director, Gary Izzo, worked with the actors to create an online story. It was a six-episode series called "The Legend of Lost Warwick."

The story followed the main characters of Sterling. They were planning for the Queen's visit when the whole village mysteriously disappeared! New episodes came out weekly on Saturdays. They showed off artisans, musicians, and stage shows. Each episode also included live discussions with special guests. The show was filmed at the festival grounds. All the money raised helped Renaissance Entertainers Services and Crafters United (RESCU).

Meet the Performers

The Wyldewood Players are the oldest full-time professional acting group at any Renaissance Festival. They play the Queen, her court, and all the villagers. You might see a barber-surgeon, washer wenches, or even mud beggars! They perform shows like "The Queen's Tea" and "Trial & Dunke."

Gary Izzo, the creative director for the Players, has over 30 years of experience. He has worked with interactive theatre, even at Disney theme parks. He has also written books about interactive theatre.

Other regular acts at the Fair include: