You can find any number of re-enactment events/groups across the UK from Romans to Vikings to the Sealed Knot to WW2. For most of those Medieval festivals, especially the ones celebrating an event or place (second and fourth links - the first and fourth aren’t relevant to this), it tends to be a more touristy event rather than one visitors would get dressed up and involved in (until recently with the US influence).
Is this ‘renaissance fair’ branding is a new thing? I did a few historical/fantasy weekend larps when I was younger but they were never called ‘renaissance fairs’.
Renaissance Faires are a more casual event versus LARPs. It’s usually for families. Some people do dress up but it’s not expected. Usually you just go for a few hours, watch a joust, do some shopping, and eat a turkey leg.
I think larps are slightly different I would say https://loxwoodjoust.co.uk/immersive-festival/ where the visitors see the reenactors, and while some cosplay, the renenactment is a performance by a cast.
Where as LARP (e.g. Empire) is all the “visitors” are in the cast
I’ve never heard of a renaissance fair over here. And one of the examples you give, jorvik viking festival, is surely set several centurias before the renaissance.
They ended up called Renaissance Fairs because a radio ad exec in California thought it was a more broadly appealing name when the first one was held, and it stuck.
You say that very confidently and are pretty well upvoted but I found several in a quick search:
https://jorvikvikingfestival.co.uk/ https://tewkesburymedievalfestival.org/ https://fantasyforest.co.uk/ http://www.renaissancefaire.co.uk/
You can find any number of re-enactment events/groups across the UK from Romans to Vikings to the Sealed Knot to WW2. For most of those Medieval festivals, especially the ones celebrating an event or place (second and fourth links - the first and fourth aren’t relevant to this), it tends to be a more touristy event rather than one visitors would get dressed up and involved in (until recently with the US influence).
Summer Court Renaissance Fair claims to be one of the first US-style ren fairs:
Is this ‘renaissance fair’ branding is a new thing? I did a few historical/fantasy weekend larps when I was younger but they were never called ‘renaissance fairs’.
Renaissance Faires are a more casual event versus LARPs. It’s usually for families. Some people do dress up but it’s not expected. Usually you just go for a few hours, watch a joust, do some shopping, and eat a turkey leg.
Don’t forget the Scotch egg!
I think larps are slightly different I would say https://loxwoodjoust.co.uk/immersive-festival/ where the visitors see the reenactors, and while some cosplay, the renenactment is a performance by a cast.
Where as LARP (e.g. Empire) is all the “visitors” are in the cast
I’ve never heard of a renaissance fair over here. And one of the examples you give, jorvik viking festival, is surely set several centurias before the renaissance.
All Renaissance fairs are really medieval fairs.
They ended up called Renaissance Fairs because a radio ad exec in California thought it was a more broadly appealing name when the first one was held, and it stuck.
I’ve wondered about the name for a while, thanks for explaining!
They might exist, but they aren’t widely known about like they are in the USA
“Rwy’n hoffi chi. Dych chi eisiau mynd i’r caffi gyda mi am baned o goffi?”
=
“I like you. Do you want to go to the café with me to have a cup of coffee?”
I’m still learning Welsh, so this might contain mistakes, but it’s better than saying you don’t understand her… For future reference, you know.
Edit: Meant to reply to the comment below me.
You call a fantasy event a renaissance festival?
Arguable but the last time I was at the RenFest in Larkspur, there were Jedi and Star Fleet officers there.
That’s the big difference between the US ren faires and the European ones.
The ones over here are usually organized by castle museums or therelike, so in general, they are quite grounded in reality.
You might have a herb witch or something like that over here, but you won’t have dragons, magic or Disney present there.
Today I learned, people who lived in the medieval ages were big fans of Star Wars and Star Trek.
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They are super niche here. The vast majority of people will never have heard of them except in American TV.
https://loxwoodjoust.co.uk/immersive-festival/ I think is closest to American ren faire.