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Renaissance Pleasure Faire of Southern California

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The Renaissance Pleasure Faire of Southern California (RPFS) is a Renaissance faire that takes place at the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area in Irwindale, California. Since the first one was held in the spring of 1963, it has been an annual event.[1] Owned by Renaissance Entertainment Productions (REP), it is a commercial reenactment of a 1580s[2] market faire at Port Deptford,[3] a waterfront town in Elizabethan era England. The Faire is generally open from the first weekend of April through the weekend before Memorial Day.

Renaissance Pleasure Faire of Southern California
Renaissance Pleasure Faire of Southern California, April 2011
GenreRenaissance faire
DatesApril - May
Location(s)Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area
Irwindale, California
Inaugurated1962
Attendance250,000 (average)
Stages11
Websitewww.renfair.com/socal/

History

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Created by Ron Patterson and Phyllis Patterson and the radio station KPFK,[4] the first Renaissance Pleasure Faire of Southern California (RPFS) was staged at Agoura Hills in the spring of 1963. The first Renaissance Pleasure Faire of Northern California (RPFN) occurred in the fall of 1967. The nonprofit organization Living History Centre (LHC)[5][6] was established in 1968[7] as a way to establish the location of the Renaissance Pleasure Faire and as a way to reify the educational potentials of the public event.

In 1989, RPFS was moved to the Glen Helen Regional Park in Devore, California; and finally in 2005 to its present location, the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area in Irwindale, California.[8]

In 1999, RPFN was moved to the Nut Tree in Vacaville, California and later was relocated again to Casa de Fruta in the Hollister/Gilroy area south of San Jose.

In 1993, RPFS was purchased by Renaissance Entertainment Corp (REC), a for-profit corporation; and later by its current owners, Renaissance Entertainment Productions (REP) (also a for-profit corporation), under whom the Faire has claimed to be more family-oriented.[5][9]

The COVID-19 pandemic caused the faire to go on hiatus from 2020 to 2021.[10] It resumed in April 2022.

Attire

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The costumes worn by official RPFS's actors are styled after those of the period of Elizabeth I of England (1558—1603) and must pass a rigorous approval process ensuring their authenticity. There are five general classes of attire: Yeoman, Merchant, Gentry, Nobility and Military. Other cultures represented include Scottish/Irish Highlanders, Germanic Landsknechts, Italians, Spaniards, and various Arabian cultures. There are also performance groups such as mongers, Puritans, adventurers and inventors, which are organized into guilds. Patrons are encouraged to wear Renaissance-inspired costumes, but are not required to adhere to the Elizabethan period. They are also welcomed to participate by dressing up to join the fun on various themed weekends. (i.e. RenCon, Pirates, Heroes & Villains, etc...)[11] Recent themed weekends include categories such as "time traveler weekend" which suggest patrons attend in costume from any time period and any location in the world. While this broadens the scope of potential patron interest, it may detract from the Elizabethan tone of the setting.[12]

Performers and Attendees

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Notable performers and artisans that have attended the Faires:

See also

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Further reading

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  • Slotnik, Daniel E. (June 11, 2014). "Phyllis Patterson, who revived the 16th century, dies at 82". The New York Times.
  • Williams, Ken (June 4, 1992). "Weekends of yore: Renaissance Pleasure Faire celebrates the days and knights of merry olde England". Los Angeles Times.
  • Stewart, Zan (April 19, 1987). "Hear ye, hear ye: 'tis faire time". Los Angeles Times.
  • Fox, Margalit (January 30, 2011). "Ron Patterson, renaissance (fair) man, dies at 80". The New York Times.

References

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  1. ^ Sneed, Richard J. (1987). The Faire: Photographs and History of the Renaissance Pleasure Faire from 1963 onwards. Santa Cruz, CA: The Good Book Press. OCLC 26491008.
  2. ^ "REC California Faire Specifics". renfaire.com. Retrieved May 10, 2008.
  3. ^ "Entertainment 2013". renfair.com. Archived from the original on May 17, 2013. Retrieved May 13, 2013.
  4. ^ "Fairest Of the Faire". YouTube.
  5. ^ a b "RPFI California Faire History". renfaire.com. Retrieved May 10, 2008.
  6. ^ "Home". livinghistorycentre.org.
  7. ^ "Business Search - Business Entities - Business Programs | California Secretary of State".
  8. ^ "Renaissance Faire Ends Its Lease in Devore". Los Angeles Times. January 6, 2005.
  9. ^ Talavera, E. (May 16, 2007). "Renaissance Pleasure Faire is for young and old". Lifestyles. El Paisano. Whittier, CA: Rio Hondo College. Archived from the original on December 2, 2008. Retrieved May 10, 2008.
  10. ^ "2021 Cancellation Announcement". Facebook.
  11. ^ Mills, Michelle J. (March 29, 2008). "Come play at the Faire". Pasadena Star-News. Archived from the original on June 24, 2008. Retrieved May 10, 2008.
  12. ^ Taete, Jamie Lee (June 13, 2012). "What the Fuck Is a Renaissance Faire?". Vice.
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34°06′49″N 117°57′19″W / 34.113594°N 117.955171°W / 34.113594; -117.955171

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