- Renaissance Pleasure Faire of Southern California
The
Renaissance Pleasure Faire of Southern California (RPFS), is the first, original modernRenaissance Fair ; it opened in 1963 and has run ever since. [Peter Thomas and Richard J. Sneed, "The Faire: Photographs and History of the Renaissance Pleasure Faire from 1963 onwards",The Good Book Press , 1987.] Presently owned by Renaissance Entertainment Productions (REP), it is a commercialre-enactment of a 1580s [cite web | url = http://www.renfaire.com/RPFI/index.html | title = REC California Faire Specifics | accessdate = 2008-05-10] market faire at Port Deptford [cite web | url = http://renfair.com/socal/about/entertainment.php | title = Renaissance Pleasure Faire - Entertainment | accessdate = 2008-05-10] , an imaginary water front town located inElizabethan England .History
Renaissance Pleasure Faire of
Southern California (RPFS) began in tandem with the Renaissance Pleasure Faire ofNorthern California (RPFN) in 1963 in the Spring and Fall respectively by Phyllis Patterson and the non-profit organization Living History Center (LHC) [ cite web| url=http://www.renfaire.com/RPFI/history.html|title=Ren Faire: RPFI: History] as the firstrenaissance faire in America. RPFS was first staged atAgoura , moved toGlen Helen surrounding most of the lake, moved to the opposite shore, and most recently, has been moved toSanta Fe Dam Recreation Area . RPFS has also experienced new ownership starting with LHC(1963), then to Renaissance Entertainment Corp (REC)(1993), a for-profit corporation, and finally to Renaissance Entertainment Productions (REP), also a for-profit corporation. On the other hand, some believe the faire has, under the new management, become more family orientated. [cite web | url = http://www.renfaire.com/RPFI/history.html | title = RPFI California Faire History | accessdate = 2008-05-10] [cite web | url = http://media.www.elpaisanonewspaper.com/media/storage/paper1088/news/2007/05/16/Lifestyles/Renaissance.Pleasure.Faire.Is.For.Young.And.Old-2904409.shtml | title = Renaissance Pleasure Faire is for young and old | publisher = El Paisano | date =2008-05-16 | accessdate = 2008-05-10]Attire
RPFS's actors portray the dress found in the Elizabethan Era, or more precisely during the life of
Elizabeth I , 1558-1603. All actors' costumes go through a rigorous approval process ensuring authenticity. Generally there are four types:Peasant Class, Middle Class,Nobility , and Military. Visitors, commonly known as patrons, are encouraged to dress up as well but Elizabethan "garb" is optional. [cite news | url = http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/ci_8741170 | title = Come play at the Faire | first = Michelle J. | last = Mills | date =2008-03-29 | accessdate = 2008-05-10 | publisher = Pasadena Star-News]ee also
*
Burning Man
*Reenactment
*Jousting
*Society for Creative Anachronism References
External links
* [http://www.renfair.com/socal/ Official website]
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