With the Annual Tournament of Knights coming up this Saturday afternoon, Sheridan Renaissance Faires of yore come to mind.
38 years ago, in "an attempt to bring all facets of the community together in a festive atmosphere reminiscent of Renaissance England," Sheridan held its first Renaissance Pleasure Faire. The Fulmer Public Library* spearheaded the event with other organizations from Sheridan.
Everyone in the community was encouraged to participate by submitting an application, and though "strict authenticity [was] not required regarding goods sold or activities presented," you were required to dress the part.
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| Actors providing "ancestral entertainment" behind painted masks. From the September 8, 1980 edition of the Sheridan Press. Click to enlarge. |
1500 to 2,000 people strolled through Kendrick Park that late summer afternoon, greeted by a "courtly young gentleman [who] flourished his cape as be bowed his welcome." Attendees enjoyed the mellow atmosphere vividly colored by food and merchandise booths put on by Sheridan businesses, music and theatre performances by local folks, face painting, a petting zoo, tarot cards and fortune tellers (probably lightly so), and jousting and rope pulling contests. Folks could partake of the 1980s version of microbrews as well; "Lancelot's Ale" was a hit.
And stocks as well, if you wanted your picture taken.
Of locals' performances, the most detailed record we have involves a local troupe of storytellers who read Renaissance poetry for fairegoers:
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| From the September 5, 1980 edition of the Sheridan Press. Click to enlarge. |
The following year proved the first's success, becoming "increasingly popular."
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| From the September 4, 1981 edition of the Sheridan Press. Click to enlarge. |
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| From the September 4, 1981 edition of the Sheridan Press. Click to enlarge. |
And 1982 brought even more colorful folks out to the Faire; it expanded to include that year's Wyoming Shakespeare Festival.
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| The 1982 Renaissance Faire "Mappe." Click to enlarge. |
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| 1982's Renaissance Faire King and Queen. From the August 27, 1982 edition of the Sheridan Press. |
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| From the August 27, 1982 edition of the Sheridan Press. Click to enlarge. |
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| From the August 29, 1983 edition of the Sheridan Press. Click to enlarge. |
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| 1983 has an entire "Royal Family," King Tom, Queen Barbara, and Prince Joey. From the August 26 edition of the Sheridan Press. Click to enlarge. |
Alas, the Renaissance Faire was simply too good to last. Fortunately, you can create new medieval and Renaissance memories at this year's Tournament of Knights and revisit them by stopping by the Wyoming Room to check out our records.
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| From the September 14, 1987 edition of the Sheridan Press. Click to enlarge. |
*Our library sponsored the Renaissance Faire for at least six years of its life.
