There’s So Much To Do At The Ren Faire!
Visit Fairhaven for a step back in time to experience something for all ages.
Although each event/adventure is worthy of an article of its own, we are featuring one of the most popular: the tournament jousting. First though, the general details follow:
What: Annual Arizona Renaissance Festival and Artisan Marketplace: a 16-stage theater, an outdoor whimsical village, a 50-acre circus, an arts and crafts fair, a jousting tournament, and a feast — all rolled into one nonstop, daylong adventure.
Where: Festival site is located east of Apache Junction on U.S. Highway 60, just past Gold Canyon Golf Resort. (12601 East US Hwy 60)
When: Nine consecutive weekends, Saturdays, Sundays, and Presidents’ Day Monday, from February 5 through April 3. The Festival runs from 10AM until 6PM, open rain or shine.
Tickets: • Adults (ages 13 and over): $30 • Children (ages 12 and under) $20; children 4 and under are always FREE • Military adult and Seniors (60 and older): $27 (available only at the Festival Box Office) • Tickets can be purchased at Bashas’ & Food City for $1 less
Parking: FREE Parking courtesy of Bashas’ and Food City. For more information contact the festival at 520-463-2600 or go to arizona.renfestinfo.com.
Tournament Jousting: The Noble Sport
Jousting is given a 21st Century roar of approval at the Arizona Renaissance Festival. Jousting now, as it was 500 years ago, is a merrie sport; a make-believe pageant of Sir Galahads and Sir Lancelots, of villainous Black Knights versus the virtuous Red Knights, mounted on thundering steeds, plumes waving, chain mail clanking and the festival crowd sarcastically screaming “Cheat to win!”
Three Times A Day
On Saturdays and Sundays in February and March, Knights gear up with their heavy suits of armor, settle astride snorting chargers, take up their lances and tilt with each other. These Knights (stunt riders and actors) will be battling three times a day at the festival 5,000-seat arena. Words like” pomp, pageantry and chivalry” serve to evoke the romantic aspects of jousting. When you get close to see the dull glow of chain mail next to bright armor, you begin to grasp how tightly woven the joust is with its history.
Ancient Roots
An understanding of today’s combats is impossible without the tracing of their ancient roots. Visit https://arizona.renfestinfo.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Tournament-Jousting-The-Noble-Sport.pdf
The origins of jousting are believed to be in classical Rome, but the “sport” rose to its greatest popularity in Europe by the 1400’s. It all evolved from mock bottles in which knights on horseback, assisted by foot soldiers, formed teams, and charged at each other in a wide meadow. The result was a “melee” (the word hasn’t changed in a millennium) of shattered lances, clanging swords, flailing arms, and legs — astride and a foot – that went on all day and into the night.
At first, the battles served more to hone fighting skills than to provide popular diversion. But in peaceful times, a knight needed a way to retain his skills. The Jousts were great money makers for the victors; instead of claiming mere points, the winning team held the losers for ransom, often accepting their horses and armor as payment.
Cheer On Your Favorite Knight
Modern re-creations of Renaissance era jousting tournaments are depictions of historical events, coming from a time of high ideals, noble causes, and grand chivalry. At the Festival, visitors of all ages are welcome to CHEER on their favorite knight in the 5,000- seat arena! Don’t miss this spectacle at the jousting arena three times a day! Huzzah!
For more information, contact Sanja@RenFestInfo.com, 520.463.2600 x103 or visit arizona.renfestinfo.com ARIZONA .
