Local Highlight: Massachusetts Renaissance Faire

Step beyond the veil and into a time and place outside of the mundane world, step into the Massachusetts Renaissance Faire! Located at the Cummington Fairgrounds, this relatively new Renfaire has captivated a sense of whimsy that many find to be a welcome escape from the norm.

Held in early August, just after the peak of summer, there is plenty to keep families busy and entertained. With multiple stages and events planned throughout the weekend.

You can watch acrobats dance on aerial silks, there are jousts and sword fights by Debracey Productions, educational reenactments and sword fights by the Knights of Lord Talbot, belly dancing and music by Boom Boom Shake! and much more each day.

The vendors range from garb and anachronistic goods to local producers and artists. It’s easy to get lost looking at beautiful silk garments or sorting through drinking horns! But there’s games to play (including shooting a ballista!) and food to eat, nosh on a turkey leg while listening to the dulcet folk tunes of Kate Grove.

There is camping available to folks who want to get as much time as they can at the event, just a short drive away at their camp Tolgy Wood, in Chesterfield. After faire hours on Saturday they even host an evening of nighttime activities, including fire spinning and a kilt contest, just a bit of tongue-in-cheek fun for adults.

The renfaire can trace its roots as far back as 2014 but it wasn’t until 2017 that they had enough staff to really make a go of it. Generally speaking they encourage a high fantasy tone with a faerie twist, a mix of your traditional Renaissance Faire with shakespearean fairies and a deeper mythology behind the festival. This can be seen in how they name their stages and market, as well as characters who work the show.

According to Angela Dabkowski, co-owner (shown here), it’s possible the future holds an even more narrative element to the overarching production, a story woven through the fair for folks to discover and explore, but for now they are still getting their feet under them. Especially after this year’s success! It can be hard to juggle all the grand ideas with an expanding and successful business.

They absolutely encourage costumes and characters! The faire is full of colorfully dressed attendants, smiling faces, and even a kilt clad canine. Any excuse to dress up is a good one, and it’s rare to find a venue this far away from larger populations and established festivals.