Moscow Renaissance Fair to be held Saturday and Sunday at East City Park
The Moscow Renaissance Fair is an annual tradition in Moscow, and this year it looks to be bright and sunny, said LuAnn Scott, president of the fair’s planning committee.
“We’re gonna have great weather this weekend,” Scott said. “It’s going to be just like this, mid-60s and sunny. It’s always an iffy time of year to have a fair, but we always do it the first weekend of May, and it’s rain or shine.”
The fair will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at East City Park. Admission is free and open to the public.
“On Saturday, the booths close around 5 p.m., but the music goes until after dark,” Scott said.
Scott said this year marks the fair’s 43rd year. Entertainment will include live music, including local bands, and community members unable to attend can tune in on the radio.
“The music from the main stage is streamed live on student radio KUOI, 89.3,” Scott said.
One of the highlights of the fair is a large children’s area, which features entertainment for children.
“Half of East City Park is filled with activities for children, and this year there are going to be about 35 different activities and workshops,” Scott said. “There’s a stage for just the kids, where they have a lot of young people entertaining, violinists and dancers.”
The Renaissance Fair will include food and craft vendors. Scott said the food vendors are all local nonprofits that sell food at the fair as a fundraiser. The craft vendors at the fair will sell homemade items.
” Vendors from all over the Northwest come to Moscow for this event,” Scott said. “I think we have close to 15 new vendors this year that have never been here before.”
One of the traditions of the fair is recognizing the royalty. The fair royalty this year are two local business owners, Arlene Falcon, owner of Tye Dye Everything, and Louise Todd, co-owner of Mikey’s Gyro’s. Scott said although the royalty previously featured a king and a queen, this year the royalty consists of two queens.
Arlene Falcon said she asked Louise Todd because she knew her and thought she deserved to be recognized.
“When LuAnn asked me to be queen, I couldn’t really think of a male counterpart necessarily,” Falcon said. “And so I thought, ‘Let’s change it up,’ and I asked my friend Louise, who I see every day here in the building … We have a community connection in a deep way, and it was a good way to honor that.”
Other events at the fair will include maypole dances and a parade.
“There’s a big parade, this weekend it’s going to be at 3:15 p.m. on Saturday, and it’s led by the Border Highlanders pipe and drum group, and the queens will lead with the Border Highlanders,” Scott said.
Scott said everyone should come and enjoy the unique experience of the fair. “You should come and treat yourself, have some great food, listen to music, hang out with your friends in the sun, it’s going to be a beautiful weekend,” she said.
[box size=”large” style=”rounded” border=”full”]More information about the fair, including a schedule and a list of bands, can be found at the fair’s website, moscowrenfair.org.[/box]
Corey Bowes can be reached at [email protected]