Located approximately 40 miles from Seattle in Bonney Lake, All’s Faire is an official sponsor of the Wounded Warrior Project charity organization. The festival takes place one weekend each June. The small but well-run faire is highly interactive, allowing attendees to take part in dance, crafts and even a warrior quest. Unusual for Renaissance festivals, All’s Faire has a board game area where all the games have a medieval or steampunk -- a form of fantasy -- twist. A separate children’s area is provided, and a long list of vendors are on hand selling souvenirs from handcrafted weapons to custom jewelry.
Also in Bonney Lake, the Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire is held three weekends during August. Each weekend is themed to a different part of historical or fantasy lore, such as pirates or faeries. The festival is packed with performers from musicians and storytellers to jesters and puppeteers. Sideshow acts including sword fighters and magicians also perform throughout the festival grounds. One of the highlights is full-contact jousting. More than five dozen merchants sell such items as chainmail, custom leather clothing, candles and handmade pottery. A variety of food and beverage vendors capture the Renaissance spirit with traditional dishes and ales. Both tent and RV camping are permitted on-site.
Less than 30 miles from Seattle, Camlann Medieval Village is a living history center that represents life in England circa 1376. Open weekends from May through September, Camlann also hosts a variety of festivals throughout the year. The largest is the Summer Village Festival, which runs every weekend from late July through late August. In addition to the village’s regular lineup of entertainers and artisans, the Summer Village Festival brings in additional minstrels, archery and sword fighting experts, shepherds and craftspeople. The on-site restaurant is open for highly themed traditional medieval dining.
Although not technically Renaissance festivals, Scottish Highland Games share an overlapping audience of fans. At the Seattle Games, held over a weekend in late July, the national championships for traditional Scottish athletics are just one part of the fun. The Games also play host to a variety of musical championships including harp, bagpipe and drums, as well as a Highland dance competition. Additional attractions include a Scottish cattle and horse farm, numerous vendors selling traditional wares, a steel combat troupe and two pubs specializing in Scottish ales. The Games are held in Enumclaw, an hour’s drive from Seattle.
