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All About the Starland Faire

Written by Ananya Panchal. Graphics by Kashvi Pallapotu.

The Starlandia Faire is a two-day Renaissance festival packed with events meant to immerse visitors in the aesthetics of the past. Within the weekend itinerary, one can find everything from henna tattoos to tarot card readings and vintage markets. People in Renaissance (or Renaissance-adjacent) cosplay fill the streets, transporting Savannah to a distant past. Giant Turkey legs sit upon plastic plates, and whole suits of armor are paired with Converse shoes, creating a mish-mash of past and present.

This is the first time I’ve attended a Renaissance fair. Given that the event caters to a distinct subculture, I was under the impression that I would not fit in. However, upon actually allowing myself to be open to the experience – in order to write this article – I realise that the fair is not at all an exclusive affair. The very concept of the Renaissance fair is modeled after the real medieval festivals of the Elizabethan era. These festivals were an occasion to celebrate the coming harvest season, gather with the community and shop for handmade goods and livestock. In turn, the modern Renaissance fair represents a distant fantasy of communal celebration that contemporary society no longer retains. These festivals are an opportunity to tap into our ancestral desire to gather, mingle and converse.

I felt that the environment created at the Starland fair bred connection and conversation. Flamboyant outfits instantly break the idea of being low-key. When you see an elaborately dressed, historically accurate Elizabethan princess, you just have to ask, “Where did you get that?” Soldiers conversed with other strangers dressed as soldiers, and little girls dressed as fairies formed brief friendships in line for the face painting stalls. Even just bumping into friends from class at roadside vintage clothing stalls or in line for food allows us to make connections that we would not take the time to do outside of class. I found that the excitement around me was contagious.

Additionally, the fair is a great place for local artists and business owners with specialised, niche skills and products. Of the many stalls present, some notable craft goods were : chainmail, glass-blown ceramics and tie-dye clothing stalls. I tried to collect a range of different business cards from interesting stalls- and I’ve made a short list of standouts below for you to check out.

I want to highlight the importance of ‘roleplay’ at the Ren Fair: it is an excellent opportunity for cosplayers – or for anyone really – to let loose and revel in the opportunity to play a character. It was surprising to see how in-character everyone at the fair was : whether it be people working at the food and game stalls, the people around you, or even the DJ. There were ‘Quest-Masters’ scattered around the venue that sent visitors on quests, by allotting them a task – something silly like : finding other visitors dressed as kings, queens or princesses in exchange for rewards. It’s this spirit of roleplay and communal activity that further allows people to immerse themselves in the event and meet new people.

Post visiting the fair, I did a bit of research on the origins of the concept of the Renaissance fair, and what I found shed a whole new light on the event. The first modern Renaissance fair was a product of 60s counter culture. The first fair took place in 1963 in Los Angeles, California, and was essentially a makeshift, cheaply funded event made by outcasts. A community of citizens shunnedout of fear of being communists during the Red Scare : black listed actors, teachers hesistant on performing oaths of political loyalty, craftsmen and musicians. Headed by a high school drama and literature professor, Phyllis Patterson and her husband Ron Patterson. “ The whole fair was built with scrap lumber and bent nails,” states an article from the Smithsonian on the topic. The roots of the Renaissance fair are grounded in the radically welcoming and open-minded counterculture of 1960s California.

The atmosphere and the historical context surrounding the Starland Faire make it a one-of-a-kind annual event – one that I’m sure I will visit in the future. Even though Savannah’s Renaissance fair is humble in comparison to other Renaissance fairs all across the States, it is just as enthusiastic and welcoming. A rare opportunity of renaissance escapism, the Starland Ren Faire will leave you full of good food, fulfilling conversation and a bag of fun handcrafted goodies.

Shops from the Starland Faire that you should check out :