It’s only faire

I’ve always wanted to attend a Renaissance Faire. I missed the chance to see one only minutes from my house when Hamilton County had the Fishers RenFaire years ago. With two young sons, it was challenging to find the time for it.

So when my now-grown son, Jonathon, and his girlfriend, Olivia, started to attend various Faires a few years ago, I was excited after seeing their photos. My husband and I learned about the Southern Indiana Renaissance Faire last winter and discussed making the trip with Jonathon and Olivia. They were on board.

We picked the “Pirates and Wenches” weekend and decided to attend on Sunday, May 3. Jonathon, Olivia, and John were set with their costumes. John had created an elaborate Grim Reaper costume for Halloween in 2021 that was perfect. I decided to wear a long, flowy blue sundress to keep things simple.

I woke up that morning, however, seeing a high of only 60 on my weather app. Nope. I moved on to Plan B, which was a billowy white shirt and black joggers tucked into boots. If only I had an eye patch and three-pointed hat … I would have made a decent First Mate. Maybe next time.

It’s perfectly fine to not dress up to attend a Renaissance Faire. But it added to the fun for the four of us. And seeing others dress up is a hoot! We saw Gandalf from Lord of the Rings along with a rather interesting man walking barefoot throughout the grounds covered from head to toe in black – makeup, clothing, etc. He was one fierce-looking Viking.

Our columnist and her family enjoyed the Southern Indiana Renaissance Faire in early May. (Photos provided by Amy Shankland)

The Southern Renaissance Faire takes place at Swifty Farms in Seymour, just 90 minutes from Noblesville off U.S. 31. I think I would have loved going to this farm even if there weren’t a Faire – it’s a gorgeous horse farm. Longtime readers know about my fondness for horses.

If you’ve never been to a Renaissance Faire, you’re in for a treat. We enjoyed hearing a fascinating presentation on falconry to start things off, which included watching the bird eat a mouse right in front of us (hey, it’s nature).

We loved seeing the vendors and their assorted wares, which included more pieces for costumes, along with “pointy things” (swords, knives, etc.). LOTS of pointy things.

And, of course, we had to watch the jousting match. As we sat in the bleachers with the sun warming us, I was thrilled to see the magnificent horses – surprise, surprise – and their knights. It was fun to cheer our team on, and I felt like a little kid meeting the riders and horses afterwards.

We enjoyed some delicious food and treats at the end and drove back discussing when we’d attend another Faire.

Speaking of … I discovered Fishers RenFaire is now the Indiana Renaissance Faire in Nineveh, just a little over an hour from Noblesville. This event takes place June 13-14 and 20-21. If those dates don’t work for you, Indiana has more in Greencastle, New Castle, and other locations.

If you want to have a memorable, grand adventure for a reasonable price, consider attending a Renaissance Faire this year!

Amy Shankland is an empty-nester, writer, and fundraising professional living in Noblesville with her husband John and two dogs. You can reach her via email at amys@greenavenue.info.