Rachel Nicholas, Staff Writer
With less than a month until opening weekend, Richmond’s Ren Faire has quickly transformed from a niche idea into one of the city’s most anticipated events of the year.
Virago Alley, the host of Richmond’s first Ren Faire, has been hosting small events leading up to the big one.
First, in February with a showing of “The Princess Bride,” at the Byrd Theatre, complete with sword fighting and a costume contest. As well as a Lunar New Year Celebration, different beer launchings with local breweries and “Gauntlets, Guilds, and a Goblet of Mead Exhibition Opening,” on April 10 at HI-RES gallery.
Set for April 18–19 at Dorey Park, the Richmond Ren Faire is designed as a “grassroots celebration created by and for Richmond,” blending history, performance and community-driven storytelling, according to viragoalley.org.
At its core, the Ren Faire is not just knights and castles, but reimagining the Renaissance through a broader, more inclusive lens. Drawing inspiration from the Silk Road, organizers aim to highlight global exchange and the contributions of everyday artisans and tradespeople.
One of the defining features of the Faire is its guild system. Guilds function as immersive and interactive groups that represent different aspects of Renaissance life such as combat, craftsmanship, storytelling and trade.
Richmond’s Weavers Guild will not only hold a demonstration, but will further allow attendees to try the art of the loom itself. The demo shows the process and acts as live insight into understanding where clothing might come from, according to guild president Patty Franz.
“I think that people need to understand the basic craft and process of where cloth comes from,” Franz said.
Franz began her weaving career later in life, starting with her first loom after graduating from librarian school. She noted that visiting places like Williamsburg when she was a child is where the intrigue of looms caught her attention.
As a member of the guild, she has been involved with several events Virago Alley has hosted. This time, the guild invited Clothos, a sister guild that focuses on the craft of spinning, to join them in the Faire.
Another group demonstrating their skills is the Historical European Martial Arts club at VCU. With their presence at the Ren Faire, they hope to gain more attention and peak the interests of potential members, according to fourth year biomedical engineering student Brodie Persson.
“We understand that the Ren Faire will be attended by many VCU students,” Persson said. “We would like to do these demonstrations to show both aspects of HEMA and perhaps spark the same joy people get from watching swordplay in movies like Star Wars and the Princess Bride.”
Persson first heard of HEMA through his orientation in his freshman year. His orientation group leader had mentioned the club and he later found them at a SOVO fair, thus continuing his interest in fencing with a new and welcoming group of people.
With its emphasis on community, creativity and hands-on experiences, the event reflects a growing desire for connection both to the past and to one another.
Whether visitors come for the performances, the guild demonstrations or the atmosphere, the Richmond Ren Faire will offer something immersive and local for everyone.
As of March 31 all tickets for both Saturday and Sunday are sold out. If you didn’t grab tickets in time, don’t fret, you can still go to the after-party both days at Gallery5, according to the Richmond Ren Faire Instagram @rvarenfaire.