Sunny days and shiny knights at the Age of Chivalry Renaissance Festival
October 9-11 will be the days of the knights in Las Vegas as a medieval kingdom takes over Sunset Park for the 16th year in a row. Lavishly costumed performers will prove that chivalry is not dead as they become Renaissance men – and women – in the annual Age of Chivalry Renaissance Festival presented by Clark County Parks and Recreation.
More than 50 shows per day will be presented on several stages. There will also be full-contact jousting tournaments, historical re-enactments, medieval pageantry and more than 100 artisans demonstrating and selling their wares. Included in the latter are stained glass designers to blacksmiths, jewelers, wood workers, perfume blenders, stone carvers, toy makers, and dagger and armor craftsmen.
Food-wise, everything from Fish and Chips to an authentic English Feast will be available. Adults (I.D. may be required) will be able to purchase beer and ale.
Headlining the main stage at this year’s fair will be The Prodigals, Swagger and local favorites The Wild Celts. The Prodigals, who grew up mostly in Ireland but now hail from New York, are Dave Fahy on guitar and vocals; Gregory Grene, on button accordion and vocals; Chris Higginbottom on drums; Ed Kollar on bass, and Darren Maloney on banjo. With their funky energy, they are one of the most successful bands to emerge out of the East Coast Irish scene. Recently, The Prodigals’ music was featured in the film “Pride and Glory.”
Though born out of the need to create music in a serene space, Swagger’s music is anything but calm and quiet. The band was founded by “Texas” Rick Butler, who played in original and cover bands in California before moving to Salt Lake City in 2006 and deciding to fill the void with the bouncy pub songs of his own Irish band. Recognized by its signature kilts, the band is made up of Butler on guitar, vocals and mandolin; Dennis Harrington on fiddle; Stephan Wallace on bass; Sam Cottrell on lead guitar, and Mark Mottonen on drums. One of Las Vegas’ most popular Irish bands, The Wild Celts play to more than 100,000 people annually and have sold 20,000 CDs locally and abroad. The band is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
Besides the weekend-long concerts, on Saturday and Sunday the festival will host a royal parade boasting kings, queens, warriors and peasants. It will also offer no-holds-barred gladiator battles, black powder demonstrations, strolling minstrels, contortionists, magicians, storytellers, jokers, jugglers, flame eaters, belly dancers, pirates, and trained parrots..
Additionally, there will be a 16th Century Village in which German, Italian, Ottoman Turk, French, Celtic, Polish and British military encampments meet on the Field of Honor for battle. Other attractions include bow-and-arrow and axe-target games, medieval barber and surgeon demonstrations, and Renaissance guilds.
- by Bobbie Katz, Las Vegas Reporter for HelloMetro
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