Renaissance Faire in NY

[Hidden_Mickey]

Anyone been to the one in Rockland County? I've wanted to go for a few years but something always gets in the way. Any suggestions or tips? It ends on the 20th. TIA!

 

[Hidden_Mickey]

Bumping for the daytime crowd.... Anyone?

 

[maelstrom]

Are you talking about the one in Sterling Forest?

 

[GeorgeG]

Sterling Forest (Orange County) is only about ten miles from where I used to live, but I never got around to going to the fair. Of the people I know who did, some liked it a lot, others didn't. It's probably a nice way to spend a day off.

 

[cybrkitn]

Wow, that brings back memories! It's been 14 years since I've gone with DH. We haven't had a chance to go back since. It's probably a lot different now.

ETA: Btw, that is the same one that's located off of exit 16 on the NYS Thru-way, right?

 

[Hidden_Mickey]

Yup, Sterling Forest. I love medieval stuff!

 

[MICKEY88]

come to the Pennsylvania ren faire instead...it's awesome.. I'm there every weekend..

 

[ckay87]

come to the Pennsylvania ren faire instead...it's awesome.. I'm there every weekend..

Second that. We were just there the weekend before labor day. We go only once every year, though. Has it been emptier this year? It was really empty when we went.

 

[MICKEY88]

this past sunday was terrible... you could walk with both arms outstretched and not touch another person..

I spent an hour taking pictures of one of the vendors and her workers, they were singing and dancing because they were so bored....

 

[MICKEY88]

Second that. We were just there the weekend before labor day. We go only once every year, though. Has it been emptier this year? It was really empty when we went.

did you go to the pirates auction..??

 

[Imzadi]

I've been to the one in Sterling Forest. It was about 20 years ago though. It was fun. Go on a weekend when it hasn't rained the day before or the ground will be all muddy & wet. It's ALL outdoors. Wear plenty of sun block and bring a sweater. Wear appropriate shoes for uneven grassy grounds & mud. It is LOTS of walking, especially from the parking lot. I saw parents dress their kids in the stupidest, uncomfortable, dressy sandals & the kids couldn't walk after 10 minutes. Definitely ruined their day. The kids wanted to go home.

It was fun to do - once. You are really put into a whole Renaissance environment the minute you walk in. Everyone is in costume, so you can go dressed up yourself and have fun. There are mostly LOTS of booths to buy things, like Elizabethan type clothing, handmade pottery, etc. The prices were very expensive for everything. This is on top of the admissions fee. Expect to buy a roasted turkey bone for lunch at around $7 per leg. Ribs were about the same price. Then $3-$5 for a hand squeezed lemonade. (These werre the prices 20 years ago, so it may be more.) Probably small bottles of water are $3.

At some point of the day, there is a live chess game. The queen and her court walk through the fair now and again. You will see live improvisations with the knights and other actors doing live sword fights - if you catch them doing them and you interact with them. They are trained for live improvs. But, it is NOT continuous acting entertainment. The place is large, so you might miss all the good stuff. By the time you hear about it and rush over, it's over. You might hear when the live chess game is, but I don't recall there being a posted itinerary of stuff, other than the joust.

There are some games. It's mostly lots of SELLING stuff, mixed in with the entertainment. It's like going to a street fair but during Renaissance times. They are out to make money.

At the end of the day, it always ends with a live joust. That was exciting to see. They use real horses and do a "real" battle. You hear the clashing of the swords and it looks like they could really hurt each other.

You don't have to go for the whole day. 3-4 hours, including the joust and you've experienced it all. There were several people who got there when they opened and didn't stay for the joust. It was too many hours of hanging out, waiting for it, and they felt they had experienced enough.

It will be a nightmare leaving. Just like a concert, everyone leaves at once after it's all over. And there's only one way out and down Rt 17K, (I think? ) So plan your time leaving and any plans afterwards to include the S-L-O-W travel out.

I had also gone to the Medieval Times dinner joust in Lyndhurst, New Jersey. I was less than enthused about that. It was all being a spectator, sitting and watching during dinner. NO interacting at all with the actors.

 

[edandcolleen1995]

We go yearly to the one OP is talking about (in sterlng forest, NY)..

It has some really great shows that we love (mudmen, living chess game, magician and acrobat, etc). The food of course is overpriced, but hey, you can buy mead and a turkey leg!

Buy tickets and print online to avoid a long line when you first arrive. There is a great story that starts when it opens, winds it way through the day and ends with the joust around 5pm.

Many arts and crafts also..

My DH goes strictly for the cleavage on display though. He pretends to enjoy the show, but I know what he is really looking at!

 

[aprilgail2]

We just went to the one in Sterling Forest this past Sunday- it was great but the lines for food were really long and after you got your food it was so crowded you couldn't get a seat to sit and eat it and if you didn't get to the shows early you didn't get a seat but it was really a lot of fun!
We got there early and paid the 5.00 to park in the lot close by but they filled up quick and they were bussing people from a far away lot and people were parked 1 1/2 miles all along the side of the road....I would advice you to get there early!!

 

[Hidden_Mickey]

Yes, we were going to go early. I think next weekend we will try it. I figured it would be a racket with ambience, lol, but we will try it once and if we don't like it we can leave early or not go again. Life is short, right?!

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

We went last year. Kids had a great time.
If you go to see the jousts try to get in one of the stands, They have people try to get you to root for certain knights. Kid had a lot of fun screaming along and a coulle of kids got pick to make up chant etc.

If you are going this weekend I would wear mud gear. It must get muddy, Plus they might limit joust in bad weather. It was beuati*** wehn we went. The human chess match is fun as well.

We went once with youngest in stroller, I think I remeber that being really really diffucult.