The Northern California Renaissance Faire heads to Hollister
this weekend, delivering revelry, romance and raucousness
Ladies, get out your barbettes, and gentleman, polish your lances: The Northern California Renaissance Faire is happening Sept. 9-Oct. 15 at Casa de Fruta in Hollister.
A well-attended event that draws thousands from across the state, the Faire is known for its lively – and occasionally risque – performers dressed in full Renaissance regalia acting out the shenanigans, romanticism, fantasy and entertainment of that time period. Nearly 150 vendors will also be on hand, creating a marketplace of hand-made arts and crafts including blown glass, keen blades, armor and chain mail, clothing, leather work, candles, ceramics, woodwork, hand-wrought jewelry, sculptures, and more.
If you think you can get away with attending the Faire but not dressing in character, you’re right – but participation is half the fun. Says who? Sir Francis Drake, aka Will Wood, a Napa resident who has played the character for 39 years.
“I enjoy the very fact that the audience is able to take such a part in the production. They become very much a part of the cast,” he said. “A lot of times, they have the best costumes, anyway. And they become part of the action. It’s all very participatory.”
According to estimates from Play Faire Productions, the company that produces the Faire, nearly 15,000 people attend the event in its opening weekend alone. This is the third year that Play Faire has hosted the Faire after taking management as a collective in 2004.
There will be different themes during the first three weekends of this year’s Faire. Sept. 16-17 is “weekend of the pirate invasion,” Sept. 23-24 is “weekend of the Celtic invasion” and Oct. 7-8 is the “Bacchanal and masquerade weekend,” named after Bacchus, an ancient god of wine and intoxication. The masquerade will feature flamboyant masks, tastings of different wines and Bacchus himself.
