Long before I could recite Shakespeare and had the entirety of Something Rotten memorized, I met a Renaissance Faire. Clad in a flower crown, ribbon tendrils fluttering down my back, eight-year-old me was agog. Surrounded by people in costumes, visitors chomping on turkey legs, and a place celebrating a bygone time I couldn’t even fathom, little me was hooked. The Renaissance would become a time I returned to again and again in books, TV, and cinema—all thanks to the Bristol Renaissance Faire.
For over 50 years, the Bristol Ren Faire has been a summertime mainstay for Wisconsinites and Illinoisians alike. Located in Kenosha, home of Franks Diner, it’s an easy commute, particularly for those in the Milwaukee area and our Chicagoan neighbors to the south. A Ren Faire is a place of revelry, where all kinds can come together in their fairest to time-travel back to 1574. Back to cheer Queen Elizabeth as she deigns to visit the good people of Bristol. So you better practice your best “huzzah!”
Besides the Elizabethan celebration, there can be upward of 200 artisans to visit, live performers to enjoy, and more food and beer than even Henry VIII himself could consume. Just don’t spend too much time thinking about him; he was the last medieval English king, and this is the Renaissance: a time of rebirth, rejuvenation, and rejoicing. Huzzah! If you need medieval action, just head a little more south to Schaumburg, Illinois, for Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament.
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It was here at the Bristol Ren Faire that I saw my first joust, a tournament of knights battling it out for honor long before I understood what a reenactment was. All I knew was that there was excitement, cheering, and horses—and I was sold. I was too busy staring at the performers parading around the faire to notice the usual summer heat. There was something so enchanting about the jesters in particular, a fascination that has yet to leave me. The only difference is that now the references aren’t lost on me. I’d happily argue over Christopher Marlowe’s merits as a playwright with any Shakespearean aficionado over some mead on a hot summer’s eve.
Everywhere you look at the Bristol Ren Faire, you’ll find time-warping magic. From the whimsical fairies to acrobats or little kiddos, eyes wide open, falling in love with another time. For other visitors, the faire’s special themed weekends are an additional way to engage with that enchantment. A taste of something different is always in store if you visit for the Time Traveler and Steampunk Weekend, Cottagecore Weekend, Pirate Weekend, or any other variation they come up with. There is no one right way to enjoy the Ren Faire…