With fall classes starting and the workload already starting to pile up, an excursion outside of campus is what many students are looking for during their weekends. This leads to a lot of students going to the local restaurants and shops in town that they have been to many times before or making a drive up to Harrisburg or Lancaster to look for activities to distract them.
However, an excursion outside of what Elizabethtown can provide may be a lot closer than most students think. With only an around thirty minute drive and with tickets starting at $33.95, the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire at the Mount Hope Estate could be an engaging escape into a new world that many have not experienced. With 35-acres worth of land to explore, students can be transported to the past and make their own version of living history.
Activities at the PA Ren Faire start with the opening of the castle gates at 11 a.m. Patrons can choose to follow the main story through the queen’s court or focus on their own path and get offered quests from character actors along the way.
For those uninterested in roleplay and more interested in viewing others, there is no dress code required, and the outfits often range from something one would see someone go to class in to full gear from the period.
Additionally there are plenty of opportunities based around shopping and eating. Each of the stalls within the Faire have different goods, so no one shop looks the same, especially as most of the goods made by the stalls are handmade.
Acts that happen on the 14 stages throughout the venue, which are included in the price of a ticket and go for the whole day, include a variety of comedic entertainments, musical arrangements, juggling and sword fighting.
Outside of shopping and viewing entertainment, there is a lot of history that can be found just by walking around the Faire, including a museum of torture and decorations that display the standards of the Renaissance.
To those dedicated to all things action-based and wanting to feel as if they are living in the period that they are exploring, there are a multitude of opportunities to engage with it at the Faire. There is archery, ax throwing, knife throwing, dueling friends, meeting a unicorn, meeting royalty and much more. The character actors walking around the Faire also will often pass and make comments about what to look out for.
After getting a fill of beverages, food and merchandise alongside the storytelling, a day at the Ren. Faire then ends with a pub sing finale at the globe theater where patrons can feel satisfied with a full day or even part of a day of activities.
“Whether you want to get your fantasy cosplay on or you’re just there for the good food, the PA Ren. Faire has a little bit for everyone,” junior secondary history education major Nicholas Jacobs said. As for me, I personally cannot get enough of the little shops. I would highly recommend it.”
Overall, while the PA Ren Faire may not initially seem appealing to all crowds, especially those not familiar with the Renaissance time period and/or Dungeons and Dragons, it has a lot to provide for all. For anyone bored over a weekend and looking for something to do that has a little more substance than walking around the average town, the Ren. Faire is open until Oct. 27 and runs from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Each weekend comes with a different theme, so even if someone has gone before, they can go again and get new experiences.
