Heartland View

Doth thou thinks it to be impossible for one to journey through the rifts of time? It may be impossible to time travel but Kansas City's Renaissance Festival brings you very close.

This year marked the 31st year of The Kansas City Renaissance Festival.

The festival includes characters and performances such as Leonardo Da Vinci, fire jugglers, and a joust. The festival is filled with a plethora of events for all ages.

"I've been coming to this since I was young, and now I'm 22 and I still have a lot of fun here," said Renaissance Festival regular Debra Rosser.

Ren Fest is held in Bonner Springs, Kan., on a 16 acre plot near Verizon Wireless Amphitheater. The festival runs from the 1st of September to the 14th of October. There you will find a small village built to represent 16th century Canterbury, England.

Once inside the gates of the simulated Canterbury, you begin to experience the feeling of being transported into the past.

Nobles and peasants fill the dirt streets, dressed in authentic Renaissance attire and speak in Renaissance English. There are shops scattered throughout the 16 acres, with everything from stained glass and weaponry to food of the time period. The turkey leg is the choice of food for most people.

There are lace weavers, blacksmiths and even the fair Queen herself being carried around by her faithful servants.

There are many events for visitors of all kinds at the festival. Everyone can check out the archery range or try their hand at knife and ax throwing. If you're really feeling up to it you can battle one another, with safe weapons of course.

The opportunity to see how to make lace or look at old fashion card weaving is available too. There is no shortage of shops. You can purchase a sword, Renaissance clothing or art of the time period. Anybody that wants to, has the opportunity to take a ride on the camels and elephants too.

A variety of performances can be found at the festival. The performances range from musical to plays and battles. Fire jugglers and magicians seem to be a big hit.

One of the main attractions is a joust between two knights that happens throughout the day. The crowd is split up into two sections. One section cheers for the "bad knight" and the other for the "good knight." Each knight tries to get his side to cheer the most and then they fight. The knights speed toward one another on horseback, trying to strike their opponent with their jousts. They then jump off of their horses for a sword duel. Swords clang together until one knight appears to be grazed across the arm and is too injured to continue. At the end of the day there is a fight to the death.

Kansas City's Renaissance Festival has something for everyone. It's not too surprising the festival was packed, even on a cloudy day in October. To go or not to go, that is the question.

Debra Rosser says, "You can't beat Ren Fest."

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