It’s 11 a.m. You walk through the towering, faux-stone pillars to be greeted by the court jester, only to be told that the woman you walked in with must have “very low standards.”
The Alachua County Fairgrounds came alive with the sound of trumpets, minstrels and revelry celebrating the 22nd Annual Hoggetowne Medieval Faire Saturday.
Although it happens for only two weekends a year in Gainesville, the fair has gained a loyal following.
“We’re expecting upwards of 50,000 guests this year,” said events coordinator Linda Piper. “Some people wait all year to come.”
After the jester’s heckling ceases, the Royal Pavillion will appear on the right where a green canopy shades the royal throne. Upon the throne sits King William and Queen Caroline surrounded by their guards and heralds.
According to a press release, the Royal Pavillion is where more than a thousand children will become lords and ladies, dragon slayers and damsels of the royal court.
Walking through the fair is like walking back in time, where kings, queens, knights and princesses have recreated an authentic Medieval marketplace.
According to Piper, more than 150 artisans and craftspeople from all over the country traveled to Hoggetowne this year to display and sell a variety of goods. Many demonstrated blacksmithing, weaving, leatherworking and woodcarving.
The Royale Procession started at 12:30. According to a press release, the king and queen lead more than one hundred actors, musicians and performers through the streets of Hoggetowne.
The crowd was escorted to the jousting fields, where knights in full body armor charged each other on horseback to defend their honor and prove their worth to the king and queen.
Scene one, “The Betrayal,” began at 12:45 on the living chessboard, where human chess pieces fought for their spot on the board. Here, Robin Hood’s merry men held a competition to battle against the Sheriff of Nottingham.
It’s lunchtime, and at the food court, it’s not uncommon to see a young lord of the court happily munching on a turkey leg the size of a human leg.
“The shows and games are fun and everything,” said Chad Zielinski, a University of Florida art education junior, “but the food is definitely the best part.”
At 1:30, “Unbelievable Magic” began at the Pavillion Theatre. Here, mirthful magicians revealed their secrets for a small donation, including the traditional saw-a-woman-in-half trick.
At 3:30, the Gypsy Guerilla Band played at the Royale Theatre. Here, musicians played medieval instruments like the hammered dulcimer, a stringed instrument that makes sound by striking the strings with a mallet.
At the end of the day, while exiting the 12th century and entering the 21st, one should not be alarmed when the jester farewells from the tower with: you smell like a horse’s ass.
The fair will continue through the weekend of Feb. 1.
Tags: alachua county, festival, hoggetowne, medieval
