The Shures Network

I remember attending this faire as a child when it was King Richard’s and it is so much better now. I can’t believe how large it has become. The Faire was founded in 1972 on a 30-acre wooded site and started out as a four-weekend event drawing only 10,000 people. Today, I saw at least that many people there in a single day.

Bristol recreates a day in the life of Elizabethan England – the summer day in 1574 when Queen Elizabeth visited the English hamlet of Bristol. There are over a hundred wooden buildings, 1000s of costumed workers and attendees, and rides and shows that accurately recreate the look and feel of the Renaissance age.

Strolling minstrels, jesters and other era characters mingle with fairegoers, many of whom come dressed in their own period costumes. Historically accurate reenactments and characters are juxtaposed with fictional scenarios, such as the popular street-fighting escapades of Robin Hood and his Merry Men at Bristol.

The many shows feature jousting knights on horseback, swashbuckling swordsmen, dancers, musicians, rope-walkers, jugglers and an eclectic assortment of comedic performers who invite their audiences to become part of the act. Between the multiple stages, faire streets are lined with game and ride areas, food vendors, and merchants selling everything from sterling silver jewelry to rare-edition books and handcaned brooms.

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