Renaissance Fair Fans Upset They Might Have To Live Through A Renaissance
(LANCASTER, Pennsylvania) The Pennsylvania Renaissance Fair faced backlash this week after declaring support, in a series of social media posts, for the Black Lives Matter movement. Though most comments were supportive of the movement, several fans seemed terrified at the prospect of actually having to live through a Renaissance.
“A sudden explosion of respect for human dignity and the exchange of ideas that elevate us all is not what the Renasance [sic] Fair is about!,” wrote one user. “It’s about eating a big greasy turkey leg next to a portable toilet!”
Wilfred Thomas, the organizing director of the event since 2007, disagrees. “We proudly support the Black Lives Matter movement, which is why I’m pleased to announce the abusive wizard who guesses your weight in zone 3 — near the Dippin’ Dots — will now be played by a black actor.”
Though the park expects turnout to drop as the coronavirus crisis worsens, Thomas sees the weeks-long festival as an ideal venue for community conversation around important issues. “The Renaissance Fair is about swords and shields, sure, but it’s also about big floppy hats and blindingly tight vests on guys that carry dice around.”
Some fans are reluctant to return. A comment on the Fair’s first “Black Lives Matter” post says, “The Renscaniance [sic] Fair is no longer a stop for my family! We don’t want to learn and grow and exchange ideas about the universal human experience, this ain’t the Enlightenment Fair.”
Representatives from the Pennsylvania Enlightenment Fair declined to comment, citing lack of data.
