Dublin Core
Title
Alabama Renaissance Faire
Subject
Festival; Art; Culture
Description
Florence, Alabama, established on March 12, 1818, is nicknamed the “Renaissance City.” It is named after Florence, Italy, the birthplace of the Renaissance (a time period in which a cultural movement in the arts, religion, science, and politics emerged, began during the fourteenth century). The connection between Florence, Alabama, and the Renaissance time period is through Ferdinand Sannoner. In 1818, Sannoner, an Italian surveyor from Florence, Italy, first surveyed the newly established Alabama land. Therefore, in recognition of Sannoner’s early work with the town, when time came to decide on the city’s name, Florence was chosen. The citizens of Florence, Alabama, acknowledge their city’s ties to the Renaissance and celebrate its heritage in an annual festival—the Alabama Renaissance Faire.
Beginning in 1987, the city of Florence, Alabama, has hosted the Alabama Renaissance Faire in October. The event takes place at Wilson Park, located in downtown Florence, and host between thirty and forty thousand attendees. The Southeast Tourist Society in Atlanta, Georgia, listed the event as one of the top twenty fall events in the Southeast region of the United States and it is one the largest non-profit Renaissance Faires in the country. The Faire is an all-volunteer event. Those in the Florence, Alabama community that want to help plan the Faire are put on a committee called the Roundtable. There are no requirements to be placed on the Roundtable and meetings are once a month from January to September. Out of the Roundtable, eighteen individuals are voted onto the Faire’s Board of Directors.
The Renaissance event begins on the third weekend in October. During this weekend, a meal is set to a themed Renaissance time period and is attended by two hundred guests who purchase a twenty-five dollar ticket. This meal is known as the Renaissance Feast. Exactly a week after the Feast, the Renaissance Faire begins. During the faire, many of the volunteer workers and public attendees are dressed up in Renaissance attire. Throughout the entire two-day festival, Renaissance themed arts and events take place such as dances, sword fighting, costume workshops, sonnet writing contests, theatrical plays, and musical concerts.
Beginning in 1987, the city of Florence, Alabama, has hosted the Alabama Renaissance Faire in October. The event takes place at Wilson Park, located in downtown Florence, and host between thirty and forty thousand attendees. The Southeast Tourist Society in Atlanta, Georgia, listed the event as one of the top twenty fall events in the Southeast region of the United States and it is one the largest non-profit Renaissance Faires in the country. The Faire is an all-volunteer event. Those in the Florence, Alabama community that want to help plan the Faire are put on a committee called the Roundtable. There are no requirements to be placed on the Roundtable and meetings are once a month from January to September. Out of the Roundtable, eighteen individuals are voted onto the Faire’s Board of Directors.
The Renaissance event begins on the third weekend in October. During this weekend, a meal is set to a themed Renaissance time period and is attended by two hundred guests who purchase a twenty-five dollar ticket. This meal is known as the Renaissance Feast. Exactly a week after the Feast, the Renaissance Faire begins. During the faire, many of the volunteer workers and public attendees are dressed up in Renaissance attire. Throughout the entire two-day festival, Renaissance themed arts and events take place such as dances, sword fighting, costume workshops, sonnet writing contests, theatrical plays, and musical concerts.
Creator
Jesse Brock, University of North Alabama
Source
Text:
Billy Warren, “Alabama Renaissance Faire,” Encyclopedia of Alabama, www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-2486 (accessed May 1, 2015).
Bobby Bozeman, “Feast Marks Start of Renaissance Celebration,” Times Daily, September 30, 2014.
Bobby Bozeman, “Something Old is New Again: Alabama Renaissance Faire to Celebrate History this Weekend,” Times Daily, October 24, 2014.
Billy Warren, “Alabama Renaissance Faire,” Encyclopedia of Alabama, www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-2486 (accessed May 1, 2015).
Bobby Bozeman, “Feast Marks Start of Renaissance Celebration,” Times Daily, September 30, 2014.
Bobby Bozeman, “Something Old is New Again: Alabama Renaissance Faire to Celebrate History this Weekend,” Times Daily, October 24, 2014.
Publisher
Alabama Cultural Resource Survey
Date
1980s-present
Format
file