The Michigan Renaissance Festival (or MiRF as it is often referred to by seasoned Renaissance Faire Professionals) has been going strong since 1979, soon to be celebrating 40 years of business! If you have yet to make it out to Hollygrove, a land set in 1600s England, you are most definitely missing out! MiRF runs every weekend from mid-August until the first weekend in October, so you still have time!
As one of the aforementioned “Seasoned Renaissance Faire Professionals” (not self branded at all, by the way!), I atte MiRF at least 6 different times each year – more if I can help it. I have my ticket buying strategy down to the least amount of money spent on admissions so I can stock up on all of my favorite necessities once inside the gates of Hollygrove. While there are a plethora of amazing sites to see and goods to peruse, here are some of my personal favorite not-to-be-missed MiRF adventures!
Tartanic
One of the highlights to the MiRF are the multiple stages with many amazing performers! Since there are so many to see and experience, I’ll just mention one of my favorites over the past few years: Tartanic. Tartanic is a self-proclaimed “Insane Bagpipe/Drum/Dance/Comedy Performance” made up of 2 Highland Bagpipers and multiple percussionists. Their performances are always high energy, playing original numbers and comedic covers. The Celtic feel of Tartanic can often be heard throughout the festival, so if you’re not a fan of loud, Tartanic is not going to be your thing!
The Royal Glassblowers
Another great part of the MiRF is the many different demonstrations that you can watch and sometimes participate in. My personal favorite is The Royal Glassblowers, a group of artists from The Glass Academy in Dearborn, Michigan, who not only sell their pre-made items at the festival, but also take requests of items that you can watch be made and take home with you the next day. The Royal Glassblowers narrate the work that they’re doing, explaining the history behind their craft and detailing each step out to the audience. My husband and I started a tradition of having The Royal Glassblowers make us one item each year for our wedding anniversary. We currently have a collection of 4 gorgeous glass drinking pieces that will grow to one day be far more numerous!
Bill Bryan
Another annual tradition that I partake in for my wedding anniversary is the Fantasy Portraits of Bill Bryan. Bill will draw a large format portrait of you (and your friends or family) in any fantasy setting that you request, and for amazing prices! The portraits start at $40, and go up a little depending on amount of people and if you want color or black and white. Bill’s portraits are some of my favorite keepsakes from the festival, and I anxiously await them every year! This year’s portrait isn’t finished yet, but here is one of my favorites (myself and my husband in our Steampunk gear):
The Feast of Fantasy
A little more on the expensive side is the multiple course meal and entertainment of the Feast of Fantasy! There are two feasts every day in the main castle, and tickets can be purchased online or once you have already arrived at the faire. The MiRF has different themed weekends, and the menu of the Feast of Fantasy will differ depending on what the weekend theme is. This past weekend was the Wonders of the World theme, and the lineup was: Italian Meatballs with Zucchini Marinara Sauce, Tomato Basil Bisque in a Bread Bowl, Roasted Beet Feta Cheese Walnut Salad, Green Apple Sorbet Palette Cleanser, Pork Shank with a roll, roasted vegetables, and couscous, and a delectable dessert of Raspberry Drizzled Brownie Cheesecake! You also have your choice of unlimited beverages throughout the meal, ranging from soda to beer, cider, and multiple wine options! The $70 for your meal and Festival Entrance (normally a $22 cost itself for an adult) is well worth it! Just don’t expect to be able to walk without a bit of a food baby for a few hours after!
Vendors and Area 51
The MiRF boasts of a multitude of different vendors, spanning from clothing, to soap, to magic wands, to almost anything your medieval mind may desire! So of course, when visiting the festival, you have to make sure to check out as many of the booths as you can! There are many booths that are reoccurring at the festival every year, such as Widdershins oils and fragrances (one of my personal favorites!). There is also an area in the back of the festival that is lovingly referred to as “Area 51.” This nickname comes from the fact that many say it’s hard to find if they’ve never scoped out the entire festival grounds before. Area 51 is special because it is vendors who will only be there for that particular weekend. Many of these are very local vendors, and have one of a kind items! Area 51 is definitely a spot that you don’t want to miss!
The Michigan Renaissance Festival is an event that has so many options, for people of all ages! Whether it’s the kids posing with Shrek or the college friends taking on one of the many bar crawl options, The Michigan Renaissance Festival is a must experience event! The final day of the 2016 season is Sunday, October 2nd, so make sure you stop in before it’s too late!
