An inviting marketplace street

Another gorgeous fall weekend has just passed and now we look forward to almost balmy temperatures for the next few days.  Hope all our DavidsonNews.net readers who have won tickets to the Renaissance Festival enjoyed their days in the medieval village just east of town.  Today Around Davidson reports on the festival, a local craft fair and a reminder about this Thursday’s Book Club Tea.

VISITING THE RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL

In 1994, on a mere six acres, the Carolina Renaissance Festival was born.  Now the event, near the intersection of N.C. 73 and Poplar Tent Road, has grown into a 20-acre theme park and one of the largest Renaissance Fairs nationwide.  We hear about it every fall, see the long lines of cars waiting to enter the park, and think “How could that possibly be fun?”

A strolling musician

The lure of free tickets from DavidsonNews.net, and a gorgeous fall day, inspired your correspondent and her husband to visit the festival last Saturday.  Chores all done, we were in the car at 9:30 a.m. and arrived at the festival in time for a good parking space, a chance to study the “News of the Realm” flier, and a visit with the Lord Mayor and King and Queen just before the gates opened.

What did we find?  A carefully constructed medieval village featuring more than 100 purveyors of crafts and food, non-stop music, a variety of shows on the 11 stages, well placed privies, and charming costumed characters.  One could visit with Mother Goose (holding a live goose), practice knife throwing, watch glass blowers at work, ride a camel, rent a medieval costume, purchase a garland for your hair, or eat turkey legs and drink pumpkin beer at one of the many picnic tables.  Every detail was addressed from boy scouts picking up any litter to Red Cross volunteers mingling with the crowds in case of need.

Need help? These young ladies offered directions

We did not get to watch the jousting, but we did enjoy the antics of three bawdy jugglers and the display of the ancient art of falconry – with advice to guard any turkey legs you were eating in case the falcon spotted the tasty treat!  Whether visiting with Will Shakespeare, listening to guitar ensembles, dulcimer music or gypsy stories, there was much to do and see.

A visit with the candle maker taught us that many of the artisans in the marketplace travel from festival to festival for 8-9 months of the year.  An internet check shows that Renaissance Festivals are held nationwide throughout the year.  This candle maker makes his home on Midlothian, Texas, but travels to North Carolina, Arizona, Florida and New York for two month stints living in a trailer behind the festival’s fence.  His young assistant is from New Jersey, loves the nomadic life taking time off during the week to explore the area around the festival and lives on the fairgrounds above one of the shops when in North Carolina.

Take a tree for a walk!

Visitors can sit back and watch the antics of the revelers or be part of the action itself when called on stage or cheering for a favorite acrobat.  More than 500 costumed characters roam the park – and then there are all the costumed visitors streaming in the front gate to the castle.  Curiosity got the better of this correspondent who just had to stop some of the families lavishly dressed for the occasion, complete with winged fairies in strollers!  It turns out that many have made their own costumes or bought them in previous years and now enjoy coming to the festival each year to “strut their stuff.”

Our visit was a mere three hours but by arriving early we had a chance to stroll the grounds at leisure and start the morning with a cinnamon pastry (forget diets!).  Mimosas were a good seller along with hot chocolate.  We were impressed and glad to have been a part of the 18^th Annual Carolina Renaissance Festival and Artisan Marketplace. Planning to attend?  The festival continues Saturdays and Sundays through Nov. 19-20.  Our advice?  Go early and bring ample cash for the rides and games of skill, not to mention food, drink or costumes although many of the booths take credit cards.  Parking is free, but patience is required if you arrive at noon or later and have to wait in a long line to enter the park.  Are we glad we visited this very popular event?  Absolutely!  And many thanks to DavidsonNews.net for making it possible. See more photos below.

watercolor Christmas card

CRAFTY LADIES SHOW THEIR CRAFTS

Davidson residents Alice Garbrick and Kathy Feezor are always up to something fun.  Their new book, “I’m a Davidson Dog,” or “I’m a Special Dog,” (a journal about your dog’s “firsts”) is now available at Main Street Books and also will be available  this Saturday, Oct. 29, at the Third Annual Art Show and Coffee hosted by Ginger Bowman at her home (19319 River Falls Drive) from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.  Artists showing their glassware, jewelry, scarves, leather goods and other beautiful gift ideas for the holidays at this Art Show include Brooke Powell, Brenda Forouzad, Jane Vanselous, Janet Szilagyi and Betsy Cowles.  Kathy and Alice will have their Davidson Christmas cards available as well.  This watercolor scene of Davidson’s Main Street has a green border with the message of “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays” printed in green.

For more information on the Art Show and Coffee, dog journal or Davidson Christmas card, email Alice Garbrick at DavidsonWatercolor@bellsouth.net.

Dannye Romine Powell

ANNUAL BOOK CLUB TEA

This Thursday afternoon, October 27, the Thelemite Book Club of Davidson will host the 15^th Annual Tea for all Book Clubs of Davidson.  Well known Charlotte writer and poet Dannye Romine Powell will be the guest speaker.  The tea begins at 3 p.m. in the Davidson Room at The Pines Retirement Community on Avinger Lane.  All book club members and their guests are cordially invited to this free event.

This Annual Tea was started 15 years ago thanks in great part to the efforts of B.G. Jones and Betty Newbold who thought fellowship among our many clubs was important.  Noted authors have come to town to speak about their books, including John Hart, Bob Inman, Ann B. Ross and Cathy Pickens.  Book clubs in our town now number more than 30.  This Thursday’s gathering is a wonderful time to visit with friends and neighbors as well as celebrate reading.  See you there.

Click on any image below to view a full photo gallery from the Renaissance Festival

Send us your news

Have news for Around Davidson? Write to Brenda Barger at hbarger@bellsouth.net.