Renaissance Festival
The Renaissance is a French word meaning “rebirth”. This time period began in Italy in 1350 and spread to the rest of Europe by 1600. The Renaissance occurred at the end of the Middle Ages and was marked by the “rebirth” of: art, music, learning, trade, exploration, science, religious reforms, etc.
The village of the Carolina Renaissance Festival is a theatrical facsimile (an exact copy) of a 16thcentury (1500s) English village. The premise of the Festival is this: The year is 1533 and the King is touring England with his Queen, their family & court (a term for the extended household and all those who regularly attended on the ruler). On this beauteous day, the Royal Family has come to visit the small village of Fairhaven.
Villagers, crafts-people, musicians, performing troupes and food vendors have gathered together to create a marketplace Festival. The village is radiant with color and celebration rules the day. Why, even a Jousting Tournament will take place to honor the Royal Family!
Our Renaissance Festival is a re-creation of the celebrations that took place when a King visited a village in his Realm (land the king rules). The Royal Family is not based on actual historical personages (real people).
What do the buildings look like?
Include a visual which shows what the village/a building looks like.
The Renaissance period was not only a great time of enlightenment of the
sciences and arts but fashion was affected by these changing times as well.
Clothing became extravagant, especially ifyou were wealthy or a nobleman.
New shapes and bright colors were used, and “particolor” was the newest and
hottest fashion trend. It certainly was easy to spot someone wearing particolor;
with one leg green and the otherred, or one arm blue and the other orange, and
the body of their costume being a completely different color. The people who
woreparticolor could never be lost!
How are the people dressed? Can you tell a difference between the rich, middle and poor people? How can you tell this difference?
Royalty, Nobles, Rich:
Commoners, Peasants, Poor:
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Include a visual(s) of how the people are dressed.
Language
The people of the Renaissance LOVED language. A quick wit (funny) was highly prized. Everyone, from the lowliest peasant to the loftiest nobleman, played with words.No self-respecting person would say in two words what could be said in six or seven. Below are some common words and phrases to help you understand the language and speak to the various people at the Festival.
How do the people speak? What are some common greetings, words, and phrases people are using with you and to each other? What do they mean?
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The economy in Renaissance England was agriculturally based. Since there
were only around forty-five nobles (and their families), most English people were
farmers in some capacity. The chief livestock was sheep. In fact, there were
approximately three sheep per person, but folks didn’t seem to be frightened of being outnumbered three to one!
There were really only two, very rigidly observed social levels – the nobles and the peasants (commoners). There were very few noble families, making the vast majority of the population peasants. Partof what made this time a Renaissance (new beginning) was the budding of the new middle class. Theyconsisted of wealthy merchants, lawyers, clerks and master craftsmen. These people, while not recognized officially as a new class, were becoming wealthy and powerful enough to begin making an impact on the economy and the general view of society. Below thisnew class were journeymen and apprentices to craftsmen, independenttraders and domestics, as well as traditional agricultural occupations.
What types of products are for sale? Ask the merchant how long they have sold their craft? How long does it take to make their craft? Where did they learn their craft? How do they advertise their products?
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Tournament Field
The origins of jousting are believedto be in classical Rome, but the “sport” rose to its greatest popularity in Europe by the 1400’s. It allevolved from mock battles in which knights on horseback, assisted by foot soldiers, formed into teams and
charged at each other in some wide meadow. The result was a “melee” (the word hasn’t changed in a millennium – 1,000 years) of shattered lances, clanging swords, flailing arms and legs - astride and afoot - that went on all day and into the night.
Describe the sights and sounds of the Tournament Field. Does anyone attempt the get the crowd excited? How many knights are involved? Do they receive help? What weapons are they using in the tournament? Who was the winner? How do you know the knight won?
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Include a visual of the Tournament
Entertainment, Sports, Pastimes
There were no movies or televisionshows. Therefore, theatre was VERY
popular. Traveling troupes of male actors (women were not allowed on stage)
would visit villages and perform on makeshift stages. The actors depended on
the generosity of the villagers for their incomes. A very popular form of theatre
was the Commedia d’el Arte (comedies), which was a very broad, slapstick style of performing (similar to the Three Stooges).
Name a form of entertainment. What was their name? What did they do? How did they get the crowd involved or what could they have done to get the crowd involved?
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Name a form of entertainment. What was their name? What did they do? How did they get the crowd involved or what could they have done to get the crowd involved?
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Name a form of entertainment. What was their name? What did they do? How did they get the crowd involved or what could they have done to get the crowd involved?
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