Walking past the shopkeepers selling a variety of corsets, weapons and camel rides is how visitors were greeted at the “Age of Chivalry” Renaissance Faire in Las Vegas, Nevada, for the 30th year. UNLV students were there watching floggings, jousting and even finding their way into mishaps caused by the guilds within. Other students may have been enamored by the shops, even gambling for their next pair of Dungeons and Dragons (DND) dice with shopkeepers.
Max Dimas, a UNLV theater major, went to the Ren Faire, said, “[It was] a great time for my friends and me to hang out and a good respite from classes. It allows us all to take a break from all the homework and stress and have some fun, let loose, see cool stuff and just have a good time.” The Renaissance Faire has been held around midterms for UNLV almost every year, and it has helped students find a hiatus from the busy week to go and enjoy themselves. Dimas especially found respite by spreading joy through handing out jingle bells as his character, Musart the Jester.
UNLV computer science major Kay Crapoff dressed up with their family for the Ren Faire. Crapoff said, “Fantasy is something I love, my friends love and my family loves, so being able to go and immerse ourselves in that world, even for a short time, is something I cherish.” Being able to embrace hobbies and passions outside of school is another thing the Ren Faire offers UNLV students. While certain clubs, such as the DND club on campus, allow a certain amount of falling into fantasy, it is not as immersive as Ren Faire has become. Dimas and Crapoff both have hobbies and interests that fall into the fantasy realm, making the Ren Faire a perfect time to go and relax.
However, students can also use the Ren Faire as a learning experience. Dimas said the Ren Faire gave him “an appreciation for history in general. Sure, the Ren Faire fantasizes the medieval ages a bit, but it also is steeped in many very real historical customs, practices and ideologies, and [it] is a great way to learn about that time period if you pay attention and talk to the right people.” The Renaissance was from the 14th to 16th century and was a time of rebirth. Art, literature and philosophy flourished during this time, but the Renaissance Faire pulls not only from the Renaissance but also from the medieval period. Therefore, there may be some historical inaccuracies within this fantasy experience, but many Ren Faire goers may be more interested in the fantasy elements compared to the historical aspects. That was clear through the crowd not being as present in the Royal Court compared to other, more fantastical areas such as the Pirates’ Port. Nonetheless, there are still moments to learn within the faire. For example, the jousting that happens throughout the day, while dramatized, does follow the customs and games that were actually played during the medieval period. There were also lots of shows and acts that demonstrated different dances, recipes, and cultures.
For UNLV students, the yearly Renaissance Faire is a way to escape their lives for a weekend, day or even night. They get the chance to dine like kings and queens, meet others with their passions and get a moment to just experience.
