5 Tips for Visiting King Richard's Faire with Teens

The following post contains sponsored content.

 Visiting King Richard's Faire in Carver, Massachusetts is a fall tradition for our family, like picking apples, except with far more fun, excitement, and laughter.  This year, our children are a bit older, with our oldest being just a few months shy of 15.  For the first time in 7 years, our children did not ask to go through M'Lady's Shady Maze.  It was the dawn of a new era.

For all you Renaissance faire goers who have older children, I've put together a few tips to help ensure a fun time is had by all.  Aside from common sense tips, like telling your teens to stay together, to keep their phones on and with them at all times, to not leave the faire, to stay away from axe and knife throwing, and to not take candy from strangers, these are some things we found to be helpful during our family's visit to King Richard's Faire this year . . .


5 Tips for Visiting King Richard's Faire with Teens:

1.  Renfaire t-shirts - If your children are getting older and are reluctant to dress-up in costumes, Renaissance faire-themed t-shirts are a great option. They are fun, festive, and comfortable to wear, especially if you plan to stay all day.  I purchased custom renfaire t-shirts from The Paisley Hanger Boutique because I couldn't find exactly what I wanted online.  It was super-easy to order once I decided what I wanted.   The three shirts below were created for me, my husband, and our daughter.  My husband received many thumbs ups throughout the day for his shirt.

I really love the way the 'warrior princess' t-shirt came out for my son's girlfriend.  The design was perfect for a teenage girl.

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A day at #krfaire is so much #funforteens! #renfaire #ad

A post shared by Karen Coutu (@karen3g2s) on Sep 15, 2018 at 11:16am PDT

2.  Enjoy some shows together as a family - Before you let your teens go off on their own, try to catch a few shows together.  We made a list of what acts everyone wanted to see and tried to time it so we could see as many as possible.  Believe it or not, being organized enough to get to each stage early enough to get good seats is not an easy feat.  For example, we missed The Great Cats of the World Show this year because we had to squeeze in a bathroom break.  By the time we got there, the audience was packed and we couldn't get near it.  Luckily, we were able to get great seats for some very fun, laugh-out-loud shows.  Part of what makes these shows great is they always ask for volunteers from the audience.


Our Teens' 3 Favorite Shows at King Richard's Faire 2018 . . . 

#1: Kevin Armour was new to King Richard's Faire this year with his 'Up in Arms' act.  Our usually not-easily-impressed teenage son declared this act to be his new favorite.

Yes, he does put his whole body through a tennis racket. 😮

Our daughter was selected to be one of the volunteers.  It was not her first time as an audience participant at King Richard's Faire.  She did great, and she got to keep a beautiful yellow rose as a souvenir.

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Our daughter got the best #krfaire souvenir at the Up In Arms show! #renfaire #ad

A post shared by Karen Coutu (@karen3g2s) on Sep 15, 2018 at 9:20am PDT

#2: Although the Washing Well Wenches are a King Richard's Faire classic, it was our first time watching their show.  I have to say that I have never laughed so hard in my entire life, and tears ran down my face more than once during the show.  Although there was no profanity, the humor is very suggestive and over-the-top.  You will need to decide when your children are mature enough for the Washing Well Wenches.

Gerty (pictured above) and Sprout (pictured below) were such animated, charismatic characters.  The entire family enjoyed the show immensely.

#3:  Jacques Ze Whipper has always been a favorite of the whole family.  We always watch his show at least once per visit to King Richard's Faire.  My husband secretly wishes to be chosen as a volunteer from the audience every year. Maybe next year . . .

3.  Set aside some free time - Be sure to set aside time when your teens can explore King Richard's Faire freely.  There is so much to discover between acts they've never seen and the many artisan shops.  This year, I feel like we did not leave enough time for exploration because we had to leave an hour before the faire closed for the day.  If possible, I recommend allowing two hours for your teens to walk around without being rushed.

4.  Make sure your teen has cash - Although most shops take credit or debit cards, some shops only take cash, and some only take cards with a minimum purchase.  In addition, all food vendors only take food tickets, which can only be purchased with cash.  All games and rides only accept cash, as well.

A new treat at King Richard's Faire this year are the 'unicorn donuts'.  They are delicious plain, but can be drizzled with maple glaze or the very special pink and blue unicorn glaze topped with edible glitter.

Some of the rides our teens chose this year, were the Pirate Ship Ride and the Pony Ride.

5.  Set a time and place to meet up - Set a time 10 or 15 minutes before you actually need to leave to all reconvene.  This builds in a buffer in case your teens lose track of time.  Also, set a meeting place that's easy to find, such as at the Remembrance Shoppe or at the SKY Chairs.  They can likely ask anyone at the faire how to get to either of these locations.

This year, King Richard's Faire is open every weekend between now and October 21st, 2018.  They are even open on Columbus Day!  Check out the schedule of themed weekends and special events to help you decide which weekend to attend.  You can purchase tickets online, which is what I recommend,  or at the gate.

See more photos from our 2018 visit here.

If you're a faire regular, let us know what tips you have to share for visiting King Richard's Faire

in a comment here.

King Richard's Faire: Holiday Gift Guide for Dragon-Lovers, Music-Lovers & Renaissance Collectors

This post has been sponsored by King Richard's Faire.  All opinions expressed are my own.

After souvenir hunting at Carver, Massachusetts' King Richards Faire for the 6th year, I just had to share some of the unique finds I've come across.  If you wait until the holiday shopping season officially starts in November, then you'll miss out on these unique gift ideas because this wildly popular Renaissance faire closes for the season on October 22nd.


Gifts for Dragon-Lovers . . .


Mardigan's Maile, who offers hand crafted chainmaile jewelry, also offers handpainted collectibles next door.  You are sure to find something for your dragon-lover here (young or old), as well as for fans of fairies and unicorns.

Here Be Dragons has a wide variety of ready-to-frame fantasy art prints that feature dragons and more.  A perfect gift idea for a cult movie fan or MTG enthusiast.

According to Uncommon Adornments, dragons are a symbol of wealth, power, and protection. Dragons are just a small sampling of the 40+ designs they sell.  Each piece of jewelry can be customized with one of twenty different stones.  Each symbol and stone have a unique meaning.  Creating a custom combination would make the perfect gift for someone special.

The Imaginarium Galleries is where my youngest son chose his King Richard's Faire souvenir last year.  This shoppe offers cable-controlled dragon puppets in all different colors and sizes.


Gifts for Music-Lovers . . .

Sunnyside Musical Creations is where my daughter chose her King Richard's Faire souvenir this year.  She actually saw these hand carved flutes last year, but had already chosen a portrait painting for her souvenir.  This year, she anxiously returned to try out the different flutes.  They were all unique in both look and sound, but ultimately, I convinced her she should select the flute that had the sound she loved the most.  The selection included regular flutes, recorders, pan flutes, and more.

Mystic Rhythms sells exotic drums and other handmade instruments.  I was enamored by the drums because, not only are they musical instruments that are fun to play, they are also works of art.

Magical Ocarinas . . . the name says it all.  This little clay flute is one of my son's favorite souvenirs from our past visits to King Richard's Faire.  The ocarinas are all unique and fairly easy to play, making them the perfect small gift or stocking stuffer for a child or an adult.


Gifts for Artisan-Made Collectors . . .

Ivy Rose Archery sells handcrafted archery bows and arrows.  Although those would make a great gift for anyone who is adventurous, what really caught my eye were the hand sculpted drinking horns. They would be a wonderful addition to a 3D art or drinkware collection.

Starfire Swords carries stage swords, daggers, and axes.  These pieces are crafted of real metal and are quite heavy.  Although the short swords and daggers I handled were not sharpened, they would most definitely look quite impressive on a wall display.

Mahinda's Mad Dog Pottery offers handspun pottery vases, mugs, bowls, and more.  I thought the Baby Bear Mugs and the Big Papa Bear Mugs would make perfect gifts for father and son.

We visit Staffs By Gust every year during our trip to King Richard's Faire, and every year my husband admires the craftsmanship of these walking staffs. No two are alike, and you can choose the height, color, and design to suit an individual's personality.  I'm so happy my husband finally treated himself to one this year.

Visit King Richard's Faire by October 22nd to start your holiday shopping early with over 80 different Artisans of the Realm!

Which favorite find from King Richard's Faire would you add to this gift guide?

Tell us in a comment here.

King Richard's Faire 2017: Old & New Favorites

We received passes for our family to attend King Richard's Faire 2017.  All opinions expressed are my own.

This was our 6th year returning to King Richard's Faire, a favorite tradition for our family, located in Carver, Massachusetts.  Through the years, we've come to accept that we will never be able to see everything this Renaissance faire has to offer in one visit.  Take a look at which favorites we just could not miss this year, and which new favorites we discovered . . .

Our Favorite Attractions at King Richard's Faire:

JACQUES ZE WHIPPER: He's been one of my family's favorites since our very first visit to King Richard's Faire.  Now, 6 years later, I think my oldest is starting to get some of Jacques' jokes.  My younger son dressed up like Jacques Ze Whipper last year, and was thrilled to death that the performer remembered him this year.

GREAT CATS OF THE WORLD SHOW: We missed this show last year, so we had to make sure we caught it this year.  We are a family of animal-lovers, my daughter especially.  She loves seeing all the great cats and how they share some similar behaviors with our own beloved cat.

M'LADY'S SHADY MAZE: Going through this maze and down the slide is a MUST for my children.  Some years, they even insist on going through multiple times.  I have a feeling it will still be so when they are all teenagers.  After all, it's tradition!  This year, we were able to enjoy part of the faire with good friends who have a 5 year old.  It was wonderful seeing the faire through his young eyes.  I bet if you asked him, he would say his favorite things about the faire were this slide and the kettle corn.

A post shared by Karen Coutu (@karen3g2s) on Sep 10, 2017 at 3:37pm PDT

New Favorites Discovered at King Richard's Faire:

KETTLE CORN: Speaking of kettle corn, we bought a bag for the first time ever this year.  Oh my goodness!  Was it delicious!!  One large bag was enough to share with family and friends for nearly the whole day.  This is going to be our first stop next year.

PIRATE SHIPS RIDE: This ride is not new to my children, however, they used to complain that it hurt their hands to pull on the ropes to make the ship swing to and fro.  Now that they are older, it's like a brand new ride to them.  They were able to ride with their friends, even the little 5 year old, without having a grown up along to power the ship for them.

SNORKEL THE TRAINED PIG!: As previously mentioned, we are a family of animal-lovers.  This addition to the King Richard's Faire line-up is a new favorite of ours, as Snorkel quickly won our hearts.  The husband/wife duo, Rick and Jan, offered an entertaining juggling act in addition to this charming pig showing the audience what he can do.  If you want to catch Snorkel at King Richard's Faire 2017, he will only be there this year through September 24th.

JOUST TO THE DEATH:  The joust at King Richard's Faire was not new to us, but this year is the first time our children were not too tired to stay for the last joust of the day, the 'Joust to the Death.'  If you can only catch one joust during your visit to the Faire, the 5pm joust is the one to watch.  The crowds were cheering enthusiastically for their brave knights as they waited to see which would be the last knight standing and the one to wake the sleeping princess.

Which attractions at King Richard's Faire are your family's favorites?

Tell us in a comment here.

Did you know you can buy your tickets online to King Richard's Faire and have them emailed to you?  Tickets can be used any weekend through October 22nd, so you can adjust your plans based on the weather.  Admission for children 3 and under is free, and group discounts are available.

2016 King Richard's Faire: Kids' Renaissance Costumes, Amazing Performers & Souvenir Finds

Creating priceless memories at King Richard's Faire

Thank you to King Richards Faire for providing passes for my family to attend the 2016 Renaissance faire and to Oriental Trading Company for providing some of the accessories to complete our children's Renaissance costumes.  All opinions expressed are my own.

One of the things my family looks forward to the most in the fall is visiting King Richard's Faire in Carver, Massachusetts.  This was our 4th year attending this Massachusetts Renaissance faire and it has become one of our family's fall traditions.  The memories we create at the faire each year are priceless and will stay with our children for the rest of their lives.  Hopefully, when they have children of their own, they will be carrying on this tradition.

Jacques Ze Whipper at the 2016 King Richard's Faire

This was the third year that our children dressed up for King Richard's Faire.  It's the Faire's 35th Anniversary, so dressing up was a must for them.  Our now 9 year old son has attended the faire as a knight and a wizard in the past.  This year, he wanted to dress up as his favorite King Richard's Faire performer, Jacques Ze Whipper.

DIY Child's Jacques Ze Whipper Costume

I think I lucked out because I found a boys dress vest in the exact blue that I needed for this costume.  Some items I especially had trouble finding were the red costume sash (something other than a $30 red silk scarf) and leather-like arm bracers for a child.  Oriental Trading Company actually saved the day!  The red sash, whip, and face crayon for the mustache were found among their huge selection of Halloween costume accessories.  But wait! I had another stroke of luck with our son's Halloween costume.  He had chosen a ninja costume to wear for Halloween from Oriental Trading that happened to have leather-looking bracers for his arms and legs.  All these things brought our Jacques Ze Whipper costume together perfectly.  Our son was just thrilled!

Jacques Ze Whipper Costume Accessories

For our 9 year old daughter, who has attended the fair as a maiden and as Juliet, she wanted to go as a princess.  After we finally found a dress that looked and fit great (and wasn't itchy), we finished her costume with a goldtone tiara, black crystal goldtone earrings, and stacking chevron rings.  What truly made her costume stand out was the black lace fan she  carried.  I just happened upon it when I was looking for accessories on the Oriental Trading website for our Jacques Ze Whipper costume.  Another stroke of luck!

Girl's Renaissance Princess Costume with Lace Fan

In addition, to dressing up this year, we vowed to make it a point to see at least one or two performers that we haven't seen during past visits.  We tend to make seeing our past favorites a priority, so we rarely have enough time to discover new shows.

The Squire of the Wire at the 2016 King Richard's Faire

Upon entering the Faire this year, we had the pleasure of meeting the Squire of the Wire.  He was so nice (and funny too) that we made an extra effort to catch his act.  I also had the pleasure of catching the graceful Draiku Aerial Show because I happened to be waiting nearby while my daughter was having her portrait painted.

Draiku Aerial Show at the 2016 King Richard's Faire

It is also a tradition of ours for each child to choose a souvenir to take home from King Richard's Faire each year.  Some years, the souvenir hunt was a little painful because my children can be quite indecisive.  This year, they each knew exactly what they wanted right away!

Monogrammed Medieval Staff Souvenir

We discovered a wonderful little shop called Seekers and Settlers!  I don't recall seeing it in past years, so perhaps it is new to King Richard's Faire?  It carried such charming wooden items, like staves, witches' brooms, magic wands, and more.  Our 12 year old son chose a staff for this year's souvenir.  When we got home he had the idea to tie a piece of suede cord around the wood near the top for each year he's attended the Faire and intends to bring the staff with him for future visits.  We also purchased a magic wand and sleeve for a birthday gift for my daughter's friend (huge Harry Potter fan).  Both the staff and the wand were monogrammed for us free of charge!

By the way, our son (pictured above) is wearing the chainmail bracelet he got for a souvenir during last year's visit to King Richard's Faire.

Animated Baby Dragon Puppet Souvenir

Our mini Jacques Ze Whipper chose a baby dragon puppet from Imaginarium Galleries.  These puppets are controlled by a cable that runs down your sleeve to your hand.  The cable is used to control the motion of the dragon's head.  This baby dragon is perfect for children.  There were much more detailed winged dragons for teens and adults that were extremely impressive to see.

Having Our Daughter's Portrait Painted at King Richard's Faire

For her souvenir, our daughter asked to have her portrait painted.  There were sketches offered that would take about 30 minutes, but she opted for the oil painting, which would take about an hour.  I was amazed at how well she did sitting still for the artist.  After about 40 minutes, he ended up being nice enough to take a photo of her (with his magical medieval tablet) to finish the remainder of the painting, so that she wouldn't need to sit for the whole hour.  We just needed to come back to pick up the painting before we left because the paint takes at least 2 full days to dry.

When we returned to pick up the painting, we were extremely pleased with the results.  Our daughter was so happy.  This might just be the best souvenir we've ever taken home from King Richard's Faire yet!  I highly recommend  having your or your child's portrait painted, especially if you are in costume.

Original Oil Painting Portrait Souvenir from King Richard's Faire

You can view more 2016 King Richard's Faire photos on our Facebook page.  Visit kingrichardsfaire.net to learn more about the performers and artisans, view the entertainment schedule, buy tickets, or get directions.  The 2016 season runs through October 23rd, so there is plenty of time for you to attend.  If your schedule allows, I recommend visiting more than once because it is impossible to see everything there is to offer in just one day.

What would you love to dress up as for your next visit to King Richard's Faire?

Share your ideas with us in a comment here.

Check out our past visits to King Richard's Faire . . . 

2012a

2012b

2013

2014

2015

Looking Forward To Fall and King Richard's Faire 2016

Photo provided by Dennehy PR

Sitting here in the 90 degree heat, I'm dreaming of fall and wishing it were September already.  What's not to love about fall after all?  It is my favorite season for many reasons.  School is back in session, the air is crisp and cool, and King Richard's Faire returns! My family has visited our local Renaissance faire in Carver, Massachusetts at least once every fall since 2012.  This year we will be returning again and will be receiving complimentary passes to continue on with this family tradition.

Having attended the past four seasons, one of the things we look forward to the most about King Richard's Faire is seeing the friendly and familiar faces.  That gypsy in the photo above read our children's fortunes last year.  We look forward to seeing the strapping fellow who pushes the Swan Swing and the guys over at M'Lady's Shady Maze.  Of course, we hope to catch a wave from Queen Anne and King Richard.  Our daughter was thrilled to have had her photo taken with the Queen two years ago.  Such awesome family memories are made every year!

Photo provided by Dennehy PR

What do you have to look forward to at King Richard's Faire this year?  Here is the special event schedule (free with admission), all held at 4pm EST on the King's Stage unless otherwise noted. The 2016 faire will be open September 3rd thru October 23rd.

Sat. 9/3: Carver Day - free admission for Carver residents with valid ID

Sun. 9/4: Military Appreciation Day - see website for details

Mon. 9/5: Open on Labor Day

Sat. 9/10: Annual Cleavage Contest

Sat. 9/17: Romance Is In The Air: Vow Renewal Ceremony

Sat. 9/24: Game of Thrones Costume and Trivia Contest

Sat. 10/1: Prince and Princess Parade and photos with the King and Queen

Sat. 10/8: Highland and Celtic Hunks Contest: Clash of the Tartans, Men In Kilts

Mon. 10/10: Open on Columbus Day

Sat. 10/15: Childrens’ Fairies & Pirates Parade and photos with the King and Queen

Sat. 10/22: Fantasy Finale Adult Costume/Cosplay/Time Travelers Contest

For more details on these events, including rain dates, or to purchase tickets, visit www.KingRichardsFaire.net.  You can also rub elbows with King Richard on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest!

Tell us what you're looking forward to the most about the upcoming King Richard's Faire in a comment here.