Little Lark of London

“Where e’re you go, please hold this true / Crossford lives, yes Crossford lives in you”

Every year, the New Jersey Renaissance Faire transforms the Burlington County Fairegrounds into the “Shire of Crossford,” inviting visitors into a magical village full of performers, vendors, and food and drink. This year’s storyline follows The Three Musketeers, Athos (Ryan Duske), Porthos (Jeff Loftus), and Aramis (Blaine Stabe), as well as d’Artagnon (James Wulfgar Ramsey), as they face off against Cardinal Richelieu (Noah Brown) under the watchful eye of the Duke (Matt Celly) and Duchess (Katie Berben) of Crossford. Along with the storyline, there are also many performances throughout the day, neatly presented on a document on the website updated for each weekend.

The show is proudly “rain or shine,” and this is certainly true, even when the rain turns the ground into mud. Each of the performers had to adapt to work in the pouring rain, and it was interesting to see the different tactics that were used. A great example was watching a production of Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus, with the performers (Evelyn Izdepski, Devon Borkowski, Rebecca Madeira, Kaedon Knight, and Noah Brown) fully throwing themselves into the The Play That Goes Wrong-esque work, rolling around on the wet stage and joking about the rain representing all of the bloodshed in the play. 

It is impossible to see every show in one day, but that means that there are plenty of options for visitors to choose from. Whether it’s a musical performance at the Adventure Stage Barn, a human chess match at the Chess Board, or even a mixed martial arts show at the Evergreen Stage, visitors can wander around the space and choose what appeals to them. A particularly enjoyable performance came from the Battle of the Bards at the Repast Stage, where the French Queen and her court (Evelyn Izdepski, Piper Woods, and Rebecca Maderia) competed against English musicians (Christina Sunbury and Julia Bell with Kaedon Knight hosting) to win the favor of audience members.

A highlight of any Renaissance Faire is its vendors, who offer a range of wares to be purchased. There are plenty of places one can go to purchase clothing, with many offering a range of costume items to fit in with the residents of Crossford. Some standouts included Storybrook Hollow and its range of sculpture, Rigr Crafts & Viking Jerk’s, which had some lovely historical perfumes (especially The Scented Scribe II), and the Welsh Tea Shoppe, which offers authentic Welsh cakes! There is also a solid range of games and experiences, including an archery range, blacksmithing demos from Hebrew Hammer Blacksmithing, whiskey tasting, and even a Fairy Tea Party & Storytime for children. 

In terms of food and drink, there are quite a few options, but not many of them are very Renaissance-themed. One can find the classic turkey legs and mead, but alcohol sales are cash-only, and there is only one bar, meaning there is quite a queue to wait in throughout the day. The concept of a charcuterie board from The Ravenous Rogues was fun, but not exactly appealing in the rain! The offerings from Glam Gardner’s Botanical Bar seemed interesting, and it was quite entertaining to see the Pickle Priest (a viral sensation, as several Faire-goers mentioned) try one of their non-alcoholic shots. 

The “Day’s End” performance is a highlight, with the storyline coming to a close and a range of performers getting to show off their talents one last time before the gates close. Some of these include a number from Off the Cuff, an “improvised, hip-hop experience” from Dom Hernandez (Eros Strongbow), Naandi Jamison (Freki Stormriff), Matthew Levy (Bartram The Beige), Jay Rose (Verin On’Vial), a lovely bit from Bardy Pardy (Hannah Ward, Stephanie M. Krause, and Chelsea Carlson), and even an example of the “Human Blockhead” trick from Ses Carny! There are several songs that audience members are encouraged to sing along to – don’t worry, the choruses are very easy to pick up!

Ultimately, the New Jersey Renaissance Faire is a lovely day out for people of all ages, rain or shine (though one should hope the sun is out!). Whether one is a regular Faire-goer or a first-time visitor to any kind of “shire,” it is a nice way to spend a few hours in another world, singing with bards and dancing with fairies. 

The New Jersey Renaissance Faire runs on 23, 24, 30, and 31 May and 6, 7, 13, and 14 June. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.