One Day a Year
Last Sunday Daveen and I, together with ten other family members, spent a delightful day at the Renaissance and Pleasure Faire. This event has been held in Los Angeles for eight weekends a year (April and May) ever since my son Craig could walk, and he’s now in his mid-50’s.
The Faire opened promptly at ten am, and we were at the front of the line. I was looking forward to my favorite Faire activity – eating. Their corn-on-the-cob is great, and their vanilla ice cream is outstanding, especially in a root beer float. I have many other favorites (turkey legs, peach fritters, chimney cakes…).
In the afternoon we usually make a reservation for the “Queen’s Tea.” This year it was “Tea with Shakespeare.” We enjoyed ample servings of tea, tarts, scones, and finger sandwiches. Suffice it to say that while tea began at 2:00 pm, I felt no need for dinner that evening.
I can’t think of any other annual event that I have attended regularly for more than half a century. (Sounds impressive, doesn’t it?) I think that we are all happiest with a certain amount of structure in our lives – a job, a regular place to sleep, family or friends to spend time with. My family and I regularly celebrate birthdays, holidays and other annual events together. Of those, the Renaissance and Pleasure Faire is one of my favorites.
The very first Ren Faire took place in Southern California in 1963. While it was conceived as an educational endeavor – a way for school children and their families to experience “living history” – it has evolved into its current form. Now, perhaps, the emphasis is more on pleasure than education.
One of my sons told me yesterday that there are Ren Faires in many other states and locations – more than 60 in the United States alone. That seems like a great idea to me. At least for a single day we can shed our business attire and pretend we live in an earlier century, while retaining the benefits of automobiles to get there and electricity to run everything. And as much as I enjoy immersing myself in an Elizabethan 16th century village for the day, I would rather not have to live without electricity for any amount of time, as I did in 1994 when there was an earthquake in L.A. and the lights were off for almost three days. (As were the refrigerators.)
At any rate, I’m delighted to be living in the 21st century, with all its modern benefits, while visiting an earlier time for one relaxing day, dressed in my Elizabethan finery.
The Ren Faire runs through the end of May.
Alan