Remembering the Renaissance Fayre
A parade of colorful costumes winds its way down the hill in Huntington Reservation as part of the old Renaissance Fayre in Bay Village.
Barefoot in the Park, which morphed into the Renaissance Fayre, were the creations of Sally Irwin Price when she was the director of BayCrafters. I’m not sure when Barefoot, with its colorful footprints on the drive going down the hill in Huntington Reservation, started or when it turned into the Renaissance Fayre with its decorated poles holding colored streamers on top blowing in the wind lining the drive through the park. I know I miss these functions over Labor Day Weekend at the end of summer.
For me, Renaissance became a Grandma and Granddaughter event. Sara, my granddaughter, would dress up in an outfit and the two of us would head out to enjoy the day. The Fayre was so festive, and there was so much to see and do. It always drew a good crowd.
We participated in the parade with the Match Box players from Seattle. They dressed me up and we carried a sign. With the drum drumming we marched down the hill. At the bottom of the hill in the valley, we lined up at the jousting field on the east side of the drive and watched the show. We ate from the food trucks at a picnic table under the trees, and Sara always bought a crystal to take home.
One year she dressed as a fairy and won best costume. She had her picture taken with Del Donahoo. I will always think of the parade, fairy forest and the dragon hatching from the eggshell as highlights. (I also remember having to climb back up the hill. Ugh!)
I remember Sally telling me that it took the receipts from Saturday and Sunday to pay the bills. BayCrafters lived for the next year on what they made on Monday.