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The Greater Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival is now on line with their own official website. The page you are now viewing used to be my unofficial site to provide basic information about the festival, such as times, prices, and activities.
Now that the official site does that, I've changed this page to give you my own random thoughts and perhaps a review of the fair (assuming my wife and I make it there this year.)
The official website is at http://www.pgh-renfest.com/ .
The grounds are separated into two areas. I just call them the upper level and lower level, although the fair organizers probably have their own names for them (I don't remember).
The upper level is where most of the food is, along with the entrance to the fair. A good number of vendors also set up their tents around the edges. The area is wide-open, allowing plenty of room for kids to romp and blow off steam. The only trees are around the periphery, so it can be pretty dry and dusty on hot days. The jousting field is also at the upper level, as are one or two of the theater areas and the kids' rides. If you're going to a joust, go early to claim a good vantage point - the good ones go very fast!
The lower level is heavily wooded, a nice refuge from the heat. It has paths through the trees, paved with crushed rock. The paths are pretty wide, but there can still be a little traffic congestion from time to time. Many of the performance areas are in the lower level, each with its own benches. However, these often fill up quickly, so get there early if you want to be assured a seat.
There are many things to do, for both children and adults. In addition to a wide variety of food, you'll find vendors selling jewelry and craft items, jousting, rides for the children, and lots of live theater attractions. The musicians and actors earn much (or maybe all?) of their money by "passing the hat" after each performance, so it's a good idea to bring a lot of small bills for that.
I have kept my map online, just in case you're having problems reaching the official pages at the moment. Click here to see it.
If you like the music of the Renaissance, you should also check into The Renaissance & Baroque Society of Pittsburgh. The society offers a concert season of music from the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical periods, all played on period instruments using performance techniques of those times. You'll hear some music you've probably never heard before, along with some old favorites, all performed in the way the composers intended.
Each year the Scottish Clans gather on the Saturday after Labor Day at Idlewild Park, near Ligonier. Certainly there is plenty of piping and drumming, but that's not all. There are numerous vendors of all manner of Scottish-related items: books, CDs, clothing, food, art, and more. There are heavy athletic competition events, dancing contests, dog shows, and a demonstration of sheepdogs at work. The highlight of the event is the assembling of a mass band at the end of the day. If you have any interest in Scottish heritage, don't miss the Ligonier Highland Games.
Please note: I have no formal connection with the Renaissance Festival or the Ligonier Highland Games. (I am, however, a former member of the board of directors of the Renaissance & Baroque Society.) My wife and I enjoy the festival, and we just wanted to spread the word about it. Contact them directly if you have any other questions, or if you are interested in any kind of business relationship with the festival. Thank you!
This page last updated on 25 Oct 2001.
