When I first saw the commercial for the Hoggetowne Medieval Faire, I laughed.
First: It’s a bizarre commercial. Watch for yourself. Second: What the hell is a Medieval fair? I’ve been to Renaissance fairs before, and I get those. The Renaissance was a sudden emergence of science and art that began that modern era, but Medieval times? All that makes me think of is the bubonic plague and feudalism. Just skim the Wikipedia page and you’ll see it’s filled with depressing terms like “barbarian invasion,” “famine” and “plague.” Not exactly sexy.
My friend asked if I wanted to go, and up for anything on a lazy Sunday, I quickly wrote back,”I feel like it’s a shit show. Let’s go.” And you know what? I was wrong. It was not a shit show. It was a lot of fun.
As you walk into the fair, a man atop a tall bridge greets you in Old English, and to your immediate right is the stage where different acts perform throughout the day. The fair was packed, mostly with families, but it was poppin’ the entire time I was there.
Maybe it was because of my low expectations, but I have to say I was impressed by the whole thing. I didn’t think any of the acts would be good, but the acrobatics I saw were impressive (The jokes were lame, but they were for kids, ya know?), and the gypsy band had talent. Bizarre characters roam around waiting for you to take pictures with them, and the walking paths are lined with vendors selling everything from handmade jewelry to fried Oreos.
I probably should’ve realized this was a solid operation seeing as how it’s the 28th year the annual fair has been put on. Every detail is obviously thoroughly planned. The King and Queen sit on their thrones for you to talk to them, like a mall Santa, and they never break character. (Side Note: I got knighted.) The carnival-style games will make your friends nervous as you have a try at knife and axe throwing. They even have camel and elephant rides.
If you must have alcohol to enjoy yourself, they do serve alcohol. The beer pavilion has a great selection that will satisfy most beer snobs, and you can even get mead, if you wanna stay in-theme. But please throw your axes and ride the elephant before you start toasting to Beowolf.
The crowd is mostly made up of families, but that’s what you’d expect at an event like this. A Gainesville tradition located far off the beaten path populated by UF, the Hoggetown Medieval Faire is an escape from the college world. The Medieval Faire was last weekend but will also be at the Alachua County Fairgrounds this weekend, too, from January 31 to February 2. Go check it out for yourself. It’s a great way to kill a weekend afternoon. Whether you’re on a date, recovering from the night before, or just want to do something different, the Hoggetowne Medieval Faire is just fun.
