Written by Geoff Dale
While Greg Schuurman may enjoy the traditional barbecues and afternoon
ballgames associated with the Father’s Day weekend, he’s offering the family
patriarch and his clan something a little different with a medieval twist.
It’s the 2nd annual Oxford Renaissance Festival June 13-15 in Woodstock,
an event where you might bump into a Ned Stark (with or without his head), a
wandering Merlin, the fair maiden Guinevere, hot breathed fire-eaters, gallant
horsemen armed with lances fearlessly jousting or perhaps even catch a glimpse
of those Pythonesque Knights who say Ni (the keepers of the sacred words – Ni,
Peng and Nee-Wom).
For Schuurman, a lifelong devotee of all things medieval and a frequent
attendee at the old Ontario Renaissance Festival in Milton, the festival is
just the way to pump some excitement into dear old dad’s special weekend,
enjoying the sights and sounds of ye olden times with family, friends – new and
old.
Last year the event, held rain or shine, attracted more than 4,000 to
the Woodstock Fairgrounds and Schuurman says the 2014 outing will offer even
more events, performers, musicians and tasty cuisine and thirst quenching ales
from days gone-by.
“There’s no question that shows like HBO’s Game of Thrones, various
incarnations of the Robin Hood legend and the BBC’s Merlin help keep the
interest alive,” he said. “People really can’t seem to get enough of this
period; in fact pretty well all of the States have at least one festival every
year. We like to present our show with an added touch of humour, the kind you
might see in one of the Monty Python movies or the Mel Brooks film Men in
Tights.
“We’ve added a pub night this time around with lots of food and drink
and, with some of our returning participants, there will be many new acts. For
those students who have an interest in the subject and are studying the history
as part of their school curriculum, there is a strong educational element. So
we have all bases covered – fun, excitement and learning along the way.”
The line-up, with returning and new acts is impressive, varied and
designed to appeal to all ages, with a wide variety of unique vendors and
booths, minstrels and renaissance characters wandering through the crowds.
Some of the acts include:
The Knights of Valor, the full-contact jousting troupe making its way
back to Oxford County that rides fast and hard, while hitting even harder. A
show that focuses on horsemanship, bravery and chivalry, prompts Schuurman to
remind all of us that this ‘ain’t no dinner show, folks.’
Last year’s death-defying rides were highlighted by a double unhorsing
courtesy of a Father-Son match on Father’s Day.
New this year will be the daring feats of bizarre geek strength and
stunts of sheer stupidity from the truly ‘adequate’ Zoltan the Adequate. His
performance will feature playing with fire, swallowing four-foot balloons and a
great deal more unusual demonstrations guaranteed to ‘bamboozle you about the
deception and deceive you about the delusion.’
Men in Tights will return to perform fractured classics from Shakespeare
to Mother Goose, while the Splatter Time Players, young men that have dedicated
their lives to mud and entertainment, will make a mess of everyone and
everything within striking distance.
Illuminair Entertainment, an independent Toronto-based performance
troupe, will be adding an aerial silk show to their show this year. Meanwhile
the Canadian Raptor Conservancy will be on hand to thrill spectators with free-flight
demonstrations. Each fully trained bird is unique in its own appearance and
flight style – all of this accompanied by an educational commentary from the
handlers.
With music an integral part of the event, this year’s program will
feature some unique performers like The Stone Clovers, an Irish Folk Rock
ensemble from Worchester, MA specializing in traditional/contemporary Irish
music and original music. Their songs speak to the Irish emigrant’s
experience and the Irish-Americans’ reverence for their heritage. The sound is
unique, augmented by the flavours of rock, jazz, blues, funk, reggae and other
styles.
One of the most highly anticipated acts is the Cu Dubh Tribe, a group of
musicians, dancers and artists that marries the stirring sounds of ancient
thundering warm drums with skirling dual bagpipes. The performances reflect
Viking, pagan, druid, Celt and Moor traditions, influenced by the Highlands of
Scotland, Gaul, Norway, Britney, Wales, Ireland, Germany, Arabia, India and
Africa.
Their live performances are graced with some of the best Middle Eastern
Dancers in the world such as Petite Jamilla, Nathalie Tedrick and Colleen
Anderson of the Bellydance Super Stars.
“The feedback we got last year was incredible,” said Schuurman. “We want
to provide the best entertainment for all ages and, of course around this time
of year, everyone’s dad. Rain or shine, this is a family day that appeals to
men, women, parents, grandparents and young children. Our goal is fun – some
chills, thrills and lots of laughs – for the whole family.”
Further information on times, costs, contact information and more is
available on the website - http://oxfordrenfest.ca/.
The Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/oxfordrenfest
[Photos courtesy of the Oxford Renaissance Festival]
This article originally appeared online at The Beat Magazine.
No comments:
Post a Comment