All is ‘faire’ at weekend Escondido Renaissance event

Shine your armor and get out your best gown, because the 16th annual Spring Escondido Renaissance Faire is coming on Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26, as well as Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3.

Visitors can enjoy a wide variety of merchants and vendors, as well as entertainers ranging from pirates to kings and queens.

The faire runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday and will be held at Felicita County Park, 742 Clarence Lane in Escondido.

Entrance is $18 for adults, $15 for seniors 62 and up and $8 for children ages 5 through 11 (children under 5 are free) for a single day, or $30 for adults, $23 for seniors and $12 for children 5 through 11 for a weekend pass. Active military with ID is $8.

Tickets can be purchased at the faire. There is a $2 fee for using a credit card.

Visitors are welcome to bring food and soft drinks to enjoy at the faire, but alcohol is not allowed to be brought into the park. Leashed pets are welcome, though horses or other large animals are not. The park is handicap accessible.

Visitors are encouraged, though not required, to come in an Elizabethan period costume.

The faire will offer all kinds of activities, including three stages of continuous entertainment, period music, battle pageants, 50 different renaissance arts & crafts vendors, children’s games and an assortment of themed food and drink.

The entertainment on the stages begins at 10:30 a.m. both days.

One of the main attractions of the faire is the queen’s court, put on by the Guild of St. Olaf. The queen’s arrival will be at 10:30 a.m., and the queen’s parade at noon. The queen’s show, on the Forest Stage, will be at 12:30 p.m.

Throughout the afternoon, the queen can be seen around the faire, and visitors can ask any of the ladies or gentlemen accompanying her to introduce you to her majesty.

Battle and weapon demonstrations will be held throughout the day, as well as battles themselves. There will be a pirate brawl on the battlefield at 11 a.m. and a pre-show battle at 1:30 p.m.

At 2 p.m. each day will be the main battle. Visitors are welcome throughout the day to join the queen’s questers; visit the pirates in Pirate’s Cove; watch the archers tournament at 4 p.m., where visitors can also get archery lessons; visit the Twilight Knights for a sword lesson; view chainmail and wood burning demonstrations; watch the tavern brawl at 3 p.m. and much more.

If you didn’t pack your own lunch, don’t worry, because there will be a wide variety of food and drink on sale at the faire, including pizza, turkey legs, meat pies, a variety of desserts and coffee.

Details at www.goldcoastfestivals.com.