Every year, over 100,000 people visit King Richard’s Faire during its eight-week season, which stretches from the end of the summer into early fall. The renaissance fair, founded in 1981, is located approximately 50 minutes south of Boston in Carver. Visitors from the surrounding area came to enjoy music, games, performances and more in a lively recreation of a 16th-century marketplace Sept. 28.
Knife throwing, archery and crossbow shooting were just a few of the numerous activities attendees participated in throughout the 80-acre fairgrounds. Other attractions included various manually-operated rides, including carousels and swings, and booths where vendors sold various commodities, from jewelry to Celtic clothing to handmade pottery. These booths often featured demonstrations of traditional crafts, including leather crafting and yarn spinning.
Across the nine stages and fields located around the fair, audiences gathered to watch skilled performers juggle flaming torches and exhibit extraordinary acts of balance and aerial routines. A popular act that drew large crowds of fair-goers to the Tournament Field was the “King’s Tournament,” where audience members witnessed the medieval sport of jousting. To joust, opponents charge at one another on horseback and attempt to unseat their opponent by striking the other’s shield with their lance.
The fair features themed weekends with special interactive events. During “Fandom in the Kingdom” weekend Sept. 14 and 15, Harry Potter enthusiasts participated in a costume parade, and “All’s Faire In Love and War” weekend Sept. 21 and 22 featured a Viking tug-of-war contest attendees entered. King Richard’s Faire will run through Oct. 20.
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