Local Renaissance

by Alannah Shinde | Associate Editor
Photos by Alana Dodson, Alannah Shinde, and Lucky Lemieux
Opinion piece

On Nov. 12, the Big Island welcomed its very first renaissance fair in the little town of Honokaʻa. As the fantasy-nerd artists and reporters you have come to know and love, you may not be all that surprised to read that a group of us banded together to take a 40 mile road trip in full renaissance glam and peasantry, singing our hearts out to bard-core. But of course it had to be done in order to give you the juiciest story about all the faire had to offer - because that's what journalism is all about!

Even upon our early arrival, the town was in a fluster of energy (dare I say magic?) with cars lining the streets and food trucks weaving in between the bustle of people walking toward Honokaʻa Union Hall, the location where the majority of the (free!) events would take place. You knew you were at the right place right off the bat when you were greeted by a real Ent (a Lord of the Rings species that look like old trees) looming seven feet above you, leading you to a welcome tent that held a large treasure chest - inside holding old parchment scrolls that led you on an adventure to find runes around town. Fairies, pirates, wizards, Lords, and Ladies alike buzzed about inside, hand-making flower crowns of ivy and local flowers, and selling hand-welded swords and knives.

When our group finished adorning our flower crowns, we made a point to visit every vendor. Of the many stalls were pottery potion bottles, felt hats, jewelry fit for Elvish royalty, and warm cookies. A small magic show in one of the tents captivated us while we were waiting for the ax throwing booth. Performances at the handcrafted theater that sat on the bottom of the hill showcased local talent and filled the air with music, laughter, and gasps at the various performances offered. Even though we couldn’t attend the public Dungeons and Dragons games, we connected with so many people both familiar and new over cool outfits and the positive vibe that was infectious at the faire.

After we had exhausted ourselves of activities we went to explore the town and there really is no other experience like walking through the town all dressed up with your friends. Everywhere you went the doors were opened and the people were welcoming; even the Honokaʻa People’s Theatre hosted showings of “The Princess Bride'' to the public to enjoy for free. At the end of the long day, we decided to pick up some sandwiches and make the long trek to our home, where I was able to see the magic in the mundane after our little adventure together.

“I have always heard about it on TV and movies, but I've never really thought I'd be able to go to one myself,” said Scott Nicolas, Ke Kalahea Webmaster and close friend. “It was a good opportunity to be able to experience this here at home. You would be surprised to learn it was their first event.”