The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

    December closes Renaissance Festival season

    Crafters and artisans come together once a year for the Louisiana Renaissance Festival in Hammond. It runs six weekends in a row, all of November and the first two weeks of December.  By having original renaissance inspired art,  food and theatre shows the actors invite patrons to join them in the fun.

    Crafters and artisans come together once a year for the Louisiana Renaissance Festival in Hammond. It runs six weekends in a row, all of November and the first two weeks of December.  By having original renaissance inspired art,  food and theatre shows the actors invite patrons to join them in the fun.
    Tiffany Nesbit/The Lion's Roar

    The “Village of Albright” was open for the Louisiana Renaissance Festival. 

    LARF took place from the first weekend in November to the second weekend in December. There was a multitude of vendors, showcases and performances. 

    LARF had over 600 vendors from those selling turkey legs to belly dancers. Each weekend had a different theme. Guests had the option of dressing in costumes but dressing up was not required. Vendors, professional actors and the like were spread out over the 16 acres of village that makes up the LARF grounds. Guests were able to buy jewelry, food, swords and other weapons, clothing and miscellaneous objects.  

    Ordo Procinctus, an active sword fighting group, was able to showcase their talents at the Renaissance Festival. They had a series of tournaments for full body contact sword fighting. Guests were able to view and cheer for the armored fighters.  

    “We’re an active organization all year round,” said actor Sir Dallas Vance Meana, a member of Ordo Procinctus. “So, the Ren Fest is a good place for us to expose what we do and recruit for new fighters.” 

    Pam Brownlee and her husband Steven Brownlee are bagpipe and drum duo “Haggis Rampant.” They have played at the LARF since the last couple weekends in 2000 Ren Fest. Recently, they have put on a sanctioned competition.

    “Basically, the owner had been asking to have a bagpipe competition here,” said Pam Brownlee, drummer for “Haggis Rampant.” “We kind of argued about it because a bagpipe competition is real and it’s very serious. A Renaissance Fest is not real and it’s very fun. So, it’s kind of an unusual venue, but he talked us into it.”

    She continued to describe what the bagpipe group does at LARF and how it affects the bagpipers.

    “This is our third year of having a sanctioned competition, which means the points the competitors earn count towards them advancing,” said Pam Brownlee. “It’s pretty cool. So, we have a bagpipe and drum competition and its been growing every year.”

    Steven Brownlee gave a description of how LARF affects the people in it, even after the festival is over.

    “As we’re nearing the end, it’s always a bitter sweet thing,” said Steven Brownlee, head of “Haggis Rampant” and professional bagpiper. “It’s very very tiring to play an entire run. The players get tired, I certainly get tired, the bagpipe is not an easy instrument. So, we’re really glad it’s over but then you miss the people you’re friends with at the fair that you can’t see any other time of the year because they’re at different places and different fairs.”

     

    Crafters and artisans come together once a year for the Louisiana Renaissance Festival in Hammond. It runs six weekends in a row, all of November and the first two weeks of December.  By having original renaissance inspired art,  food and theatre shows the actors invite patrons to join them in the fun.

    Crafters and artisans come together once a year for the Louisiana Renaissance Festival in Hammond. It runs six weekends in a row, all of November and the first two weeks of December.  By having original renaissance inspired art,  food and theatre shows the actors invite patrons to join them in the fun.
    Tiffany Nesbit/The Lion's Roar

     

     

     

    Crafters and artisans come together once a year for the Louisiana Renaissance Festival in Hammond. It runs six weekends in a row, all of November and the first two weeks of December.  By having original renaissance inspired art,  food and theatre shows the actors invite patrons to join them in the fun.

    Crafters and artisans come together once a year for the Louisiana Renaissance Festival in Hammond. It runs six weekends in a row, all of November and the first two weeks of December.  By having original renaissance inspired art,  food and theatre shows the actors invite patrons to join them in the fun.
    Tiffany Nesbit/The Lion's Roar

     

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