Celebrating the Essence of Renaissance Through Renaissance Festivals

The renaissance festival is a once a year event that is celebrated in the memory of the period. People participate in this festival dressed in bright medieval clothing and they make merry by preparing delicious dishes and also take part in other fun activities. Since this festival is connected with thehistory you will witness many interesting facets of that era. However, stress is given on the fashion and dresses that was prevalent during that time.
During that period Elizabeth I was the Queen of England and hence the period is also known as the Elizabethan Period. It was she who popularized the costumes that are still a rage today. Therefore the festival is basically a celebration of her reign. The trend of celebrating this festival started towards the latter part of period and is still continuing till today. The renaissance period was preceded by the Dark Ages and people decided to hold this festival as a mark of celebration for emerging from that period. All about art and color and therefore you will find people putting on colorful medieval dresses during the event.
In those bygone days this festival used to have themes and activities for the enjoyment of the participants. Today there are contests and games for both grown-ups as well as children. There are contests and games like wordplay, singing and dancing, music, juggling and a lot of other fun activities.
Although Europeans celebrate this festival in a more subtle way giving stress on the educational and historical value of that period, it is the Americans who through their unique way make this festival a truly lively event. The Europeans by celebrating this festival try to delve into the rich history of the period when Queen Elizabeth I ruled over England. On the other hand the Americans try to portray the essence of that period by dressing up like the people of that era. So you will find gents sporting pirate shirts to experience how pirates of the past lived and felt. Similarly ladies dress up in different like princess dress, peasant dress etc.
Thousands of visitors attend this festival wearing medieval dresses. Some of the costumes are based on fantasy characters like pirates, Vikings etc. So you will find men and women dressed in costumes like pirate shirts along with matching accessories. There are shows, games, food and drink as well as other activities which used to be a part of the period. Art and handicraft items based on the theme of renaissance are put up for sale. Even Shakespearean plays are held on elaborate stages and performers enact performances based on characters from the past.
article source