On Saturday, Gainesville goes all the way back to the Middle Ages for the opening of the 27th Annual Hoggetowne Medieval Faire.
If you haven’t been for a while, it’s time to go back.
If you’ve never been, it’s past time to add to your knowledge base.
Go prepared to play
Like most entertainment, your active participation is required to have any fun.
Expect to bow and scrap just a little to the king and queen and sundry members of court.
You’ll be accosted by scolds and shrews and wenches and strolling minstrels (in fact all manner of medieval denizens) as you make your way through and around carnival games that take you past village shoppes and eateries.
Walking commercials like “ Would you like to lick the King’s nuts?” (an ad for candied nut logs) walk right up to you and demand your undivided attention.
You’re required to yell – out loud – either “Saxon!” or “Violence!” according to your assigned faction during the live jousting.
Denizens go about in costume, so they’re easy to spot
Ye olde medival faire is peopled by several several guilds of professional performers and entertainers who portray thieves, brogues, brigands and bawds and so on, as well as members of the local chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism.
You can even meet some to this year’s Hoggetowne Characters before hand at their web sites: Thieves’ Guilde’s Website, the Greenwood Morris Dancers & the Maypole, Birds of Prey, the Barony of An Corsaire, and the New Riders of the Golden Age.
Here’s what they do & when:
In all, more than one 160 artisans and performers demonstrate their skills in blacksmithing, weaving, leather-working, woodcarving, pottery, cookery and much more.
Be one of 50,000 expected to embrace a noble tradition
One of GR8RJax™’s most beloved and anticipated freak shows, Hoggetowne is actually presented with the blessings and under the aegis of the City of Gainesville Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs.
‘Strooth! It’s fun for the whole family.
Don’t blame the staff if your kids get the dirty jokes.
27th Annual Hoggetowne Medieval Faire
- Admission: 2-DAY FESTIVAL PASS $26.00, Adults $14, Kids 5-17 $7.
- Jan. 26-27, Feb. 1-3, 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. Sat. & Sun., 9:30 a.m.- 3 p.m. on Fri.
- Alachua County Fairgrounds
- 2900 NE 39th Ave. – Next to the Gainesville Regional Airport on SR 222
- Gainesville, Fla. 32609
- Phone: 352-393-8536
- Fax: 352-334-2249
- Email: piperlr@cityofgainesville.org
www.gvlculturalaffairs.org/website/programs_events/HMF/medieval_index.html
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OFFICIAL BIO: K Truitt is a second-generation, native Floridian born in Jacksonville. Truitt worked in public higher education for 25 years, most recently in Texas, is a successful grant writer, knows newspaper publishing, printing and graphic design and wants to work in the public sector. Contact: kt.4examiner@yahoo.com
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