Smith
Once upon a time, well definitely more than once to be honest, a young girl wanted to be a princess. She wanted to be a princess so badly that she dressed as a princess for Halloween three years in a row wearing the same pretty pink glittery dress that her grandmother made for her until it would no longer fit. The next year (and for several years after) that little girl became obsessed with the history of witches and dressed as a witch for Halloween. And as a teenager, she had a thing for pirates – thanks of course to Captain Jack Sparrow.
Finally, on one brisk September morning with her junior class, that girl, who is me, got to visit a renaissance festival. This wasn’t just any ordinary renaissance festival – this was the best renaissance festival in the Midwest – The Ohio Renaissance Festival in Harveysburg, Ohio.
At the festival each year the Middle Ages come to life in a village bursting to the seams with performers and shops. Queen Elizabeth I presides over the festivities as dozens of musicians, dancers, comedians, jugglers, sword-fighters and storytellers entertain attendees. You can get giant turkey legs, bread bowl stews, visit the Tower of London, and watch masters demonstrate glassblowing, blacksmithing and leather crafting all in one day.
From the moment I walked onto the cobblestone path, I was hooked. Princesses, magic, pirates, all of the things I loved were in one place. I wanted to live there!
Now, as a pseudo-adult, I still love all things Renaissance, and I’m super excited that we’re having a Medieval Day at GPL on July 16th.
It’ like a mini Renaissance Festival at the library. Our local sector of the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) will be coming to give us a peek of the arts, skills and culture of the Middle Ages and Renaissance right here in Greenwood – and it’s all free. We’ll have a mix of dedicated performers and artists who will be fully costumed and share their expertise in the arts and sciences with displays, games, storytelling, music and, of course, armored combat.
I hope you’ll come join in the fun at the library from 11 a.m. 3 p.m. on July 16th. Register at greenwoodlibrary.us.
Jessica Smith is the Teen Specialist at Greenwood Public Library. GPL staff members share in writing this bi-monthly column for the Daily Journal. Send comments to [email protected].
