Georgia hosts a Renaissance Festival each spring that has turned out to be very well done and lots of fun.  We’ve gone for several years and have always had a great time.  This year my parents are in town during spring, so we took them on our annual family outing.

It was hot (82°) and sunny, which means liberal sunscreen applications to everyone in the parking lot.

Spinning demonstration.

People really get into the costumes.  Below is the Royal Party … the King and Queen (with their retinue of various servants) preside over the festival activities, such as the jousting tournament and the pet costume contest.  They parade through the park looking regal and are announced by a brigade of guys playing trumpets.

Dad talking to another spinner.

Don’t have a costume?  No problem.  They were for sale all over the park.

Festival goers oohing and ahhing over one of the contestants for the pet costume contest.

Josie getting an archery lesson.

Game of Thrones had a huge influence on the consume selections for this year.  We saw a lot of dogs dressed as dragons, and many people (mostly men) dressed as People of the North.  The guys draped in layers of fur started looking pretty droopy as the day got hotter.

If you can climb this ladder and ring a bell at the top, you win $10.  All three kids gave it a try.  Here is Josie thinking her chances are pretty good …

…and then not so much.

Holden certain he can out-perform his little sister, and he almost made it, but didn’t.

Second try was worse.

Isabella, thinking “I got this!”

“Whoa!”

Jousting tournament.  The lady introduced the knights and kept score of their points.  You can sort of see the stand in the background where the King and Queen get to sit.

Jousting. Ultimately the guy with the red pole won, but it was really close.  I never did figure out how they keep score.  Points are awarded for style, where you hit the other opponent, whether or not you drop your pole after you’ve been hit, whether or not you lose your shield, etc.

Time for turkey legs, a la King Henry VIII.  Josie is Lady Sansa.

Holden is more of a wildling. 

Marshmallow catapults.

Time for a break in the hammock chairs.

Holden bought an ax.

Josie trying to dunk this guy.

More contestants for the pet contest.  This guy doesn’t look like he’s much enjoying himself.

A jester (off camera) told jokes to entertain the audience while the pets got into position for the judging.  Sample joke:  “What kind of dog does magic?  A labracadabrador.”

Jester is the guy in green and orange behind my dad.  Isabella is wearing Grandpa’s hat.

Then she finally noticed Adam was sneaking her picture.

This lady was wearing a fairly typical costume, except for the hair pieces.  It’s hard to see in the photo, but she used Slim Jims as hair stix.

Set decoration around the park.

Time for a frozen lemonade break.

Last thing:  Isabella tried her hand at throwing knives.  You got 5 knives and won a prize if you could get one to stick on the blue shield.  Every knife we saw thrown (by Isabella and everyone else) bounced off the wall, except for the guy running the booth.  He could do it and make it look easy.  It must be a really hard skill to learn.

We’re already looking forward to going again next year … it’s a very well-done festival and we always have a fantastic day.   Isabella is already thinking ahead a few years and wondering how she could score herself a festival summer job.  They had girls dressed in neat costumes whose job it was to wander around the park singing old-timey songs.  She figures getting paid to dress up and sing sounds like a pretty sweet deal.