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All's faire
Town of Mancos to celebrate the emergence from Dark Ages
Arts & Entertainment Editor
Photo by YODIT GIDEY/Herald
Anna Kinney spins yarn on a wheel during the 2008 Mancos Renaissance Faire. The Faire returns Saturday and Sunday for its fifth year.
Mancos Renaissance Faire
Saturday
11 a.m. Ebb and Flo.
11:30 Lady Ruth —singing.
noon Carute Roma—Gypsy music.
1 p.m. Troupe Verde Dancers.
2 p.m. Magician/Escape Artist—Sir Mark Logsdon.
3 p.m. Halau Hula ‘O Anelalani Polynesian Dancing.
3:30 p.m. Merry Madrigal Singers.
4 p.m. West Wind Pipe Band.
4:45 p.m. Costume contest.
5:15 p.m. Royal Processional and Court -Award Ceremony for best costuming, Page School and Chess.
6 p.m. West Wind Pipe Band.
7 p.m. A World of Music with Paul and Carla Roberts.
8 p.m. Gypsy Fire.
9 p.m. Asa Fire Tribe and Drumming.
Sunday
10 a.m. Sir Mark Logsdon-Escapologist.
11 a.m. A World of Music with Paul and Carla Roberts.
11:30 a.m. Lady Ruth Singer.
noon: Ebb and Flo – Acrobatic Theatre.
12:30 p.m. Polynesian Dancing — Halau Hula ‘O Anelalani.
1 p.m. West Wind Pipe Band.
1:30 p.m. Merry Madrigal Singers.
2 p.m. Belly Dancing — Troupe Verde Dancers.
3 p.m. Costume Contest.
3:30 p.m. Royal Processional and Court Award Ceremony for best costuming & Page School.
Admission to the Mancos Renaissance Faire in Cottonwood Park is $2 for adults, $1 for children ages 6-18 and free for seniors and children younger than 6. For more information, including a complete schedule of all events, visit www.mancosrenaissance.com.
While the concept is not unique - cities and towns nationwide have held similar festivals for years - this one takes place in Mancos. Like the town itself, the Renaissance Faire has undergone its own renaissance that reflects the ever-evolving population of the once-sleepy Western burg.
Visitors - and there will be many Saturday and Sunday; the fair draws more than 3,000 people in a town with a population of barely 1,500 - can expect the typical fare as well as some surprises.
In addition to period music, costumes and activities including but not limited to heavy weaponry combat and a mud theater, the Mancos version adds Polynesian dancing, fire dancing and belly dancing.
Those are just a few of the 15 stage performers who will be augmented with random acts of tomfoolery such as knife-throwing, tavern singing, an authentic stocks for misbehavers and a plague cart (think "Monty Python and the Holy Grail).
"The guys made it big and heavy, so it's hard to get around, and it will probably sit most of the time near the apothecary's shop," said Mancos Renaissance Faire co-founder Charlene Swansen, who also works at the Mancos Public Library, which sponsors the fair.
In the interest of safety, it should be noted that modern Faire-goers would recognize the apothecary as the first-aid tent should he or she fall prey to a misguided arrow, choke on a turkey leg or overimbibe on mead, (which will also be in abundance).
Admission to the two-day Renaissance Faire is cheap, because Swansen said there's no fundraising or other financial incentive.
"It's just something to enjoy because there's really nothing like it in this area. If we break even, that's great," she said.
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