The Bristol Renaissance Faire re-opened to amazing weather – an overcast day in the 70s – last weekend after taking a year off for the pandemic. Adjusting for the still ongoing pandemic, masks are required for the unvaccinated, and the schedule seems a little lighter this year, including fewer themed weekends – the only themes this year are Steampunk (July 17 & 18th) and Pirate (August 7 & 8). Someone should tell the Spider-Man we saw with the Infinity Gauntlet and a pirate hat to go back next month.
As in previous years, we saw a mix of new(-ish) and old shows, a bit of shopping, and some tasty food. We started the day at the always entertaining Adam Crack’s Fire Whip show, and followed immediately with Guido (one of the two swordsmen; Dirk is taking the summer off) at his new Guido’s Academy of Theatrical Swordplay, featuring Guido training the next generation of Faire actors.
After a long wait for a caffeinated beverage, we enjoyed one of Dan the Bard’s concerts with his tremendous songs about Dungeons & Dragons. Fans of any role-playing games will appreciate his tales about players going woefully off task and monsters they encounter. Then we rounded out the day with a Cirque du Sewer performance, watching cats and rats comically misbehave during their acts.
In summary, it was a fabulous day of delightful entertainment on a surprisingly cool day.