A Blast From the Past: Sherwood Forest Renaissance Faire

Nikki Davern, photographer, writer
April 20, 2023

On April 16th, I went to experience my very first Renaissance Faire, and it was a blast. I got to see all kinds of performers and did a ton of window shopping (as well as a bit of actual shopping) at the variety of small businesses set up there. Most importantly, I got to have the classic faire experience of eating an entire turkey leg for lunch.

I took several photos while I was there, but honestly, most of the time, I was too busy having fun to take many photos. But I did get some awesome pictures that really capture some of the highlights of the faire. I highly recommend the Sherwood Forest Renaissance Faire for those who are interested in going to a Renaissance faire. Unfortunately, this weekend is your last chance to experience this particular faire until next year, but if you like what you see here, you should definitely check it out some time, whether it’s this week or next year.

Cookie, one of the washing well wenches, entertaining her audience. In this show, Cookie and her cousin Daphne (not pictured) pick out members of the audience and entrust them with embarrassing but hilarious tasks so they can earn a rose for a lover. Even for those who don’t get picked, audience participation is a huge part of their performance, so it’s a lot of fun.
Burgalouse demonstrates swordfighting to teach people about knighthood. These guys are hilarious and great at engaging with their audience, so I definitely recommend seeing their show. It’s a very fun way to learn more about swordfighting.
Perry the hawk shows off his skills at the falconry show. As part of the Hawk Walk program, people can buy special tickets that allow them to learn falconry firsthand by handling birds of prey. Anyone is allowed to watch, so even without being a part of the Hawk Walk, you can learn a lot about falconry and watch as their birds fly right over the audience.
Musicians playing music for the faire. These two are part of a band called Wolgemut, which means “to be in a good mood” in German, and their performance definitely matches their name.