The 35th Anniversary of King Richard’s Faire

Jousting at King Richard's Faire
If you read my post a couple of weeks ago about the Silver Kingdom Renaissance Festival, you probably already know that King Richard’s Faire is right around the corner. In fact, if you’re a renaissance fan who’s been counting down the days to one of the largest and longest-running renaissance festivals in the area, you’ll be happy to know that the wait is finally over. This is because King Richard’s faire will open its gates for the 35th time tomorrow (Saturday, September 3, 2016) at approximately 10:30 A.M. This year’s Faire will feature some new acts plus all of the tried and true entertainment of years past, including acrobats, comedy acts, fire eaters, games, jugglers, jousting, magicians, minstrels, rides, tigers and more 16th-century style entertainment than you can shake a sword at. And, speaking of swords, the Faire will also feature a huge assortment of vendors that will allow you to purchase armor, weapons, and everything in between. Best of all, there are a number of coupons and discounts available for the Faire, including a Groupon that will allow you to save over 30% on admission for a group of two or four. For more information on King Richard’s Faire, which runs from September 3, 2016 to October 23, 2016, please visit the King Richard’s Faire website.

Photo credit: Wolfrage via Visualhunt.com / CC BY

The Silver Kingdom Renaissance Festival

A Renaissance Faire
King Richard’s Faire will open its doors to all of the renaissance fair fans out there in just a couple of weeks, but if you just can’t wait to grab your medieval finery or dress up as your favorite Game of Thrones character, fear not! It just so happens that the Silver Kingdom Renaissance Festival is scheduled to take place this Saturday and Sunday (August 20th and 21st, 2016) from 10:30 A.M. to 5:30 P.M. in Charlton, MA. This festival, which is definitely smaller than King Richard’s Faire (but also costs less than half the price), will feature comedy acts, costumes, dance performances, musical performances, historical weapon demonstrations (swords, guns, and cannons), stories, a bunch of merchants selling a wide variety of unusual items, and a whole lot more. Best of all, there’s currently a Groupon available that will let you purchase two tickets to the festival for $19, which is pretty hard to beat. For more information on the Silver Kingdom Renaissance Festival, which typically costs $15 for anyone over the age of 14 and $10 for children ages 6 to 14 (children under 6 are free), please visit the Silver Kingdom Renaissance Festival website.

Photo credit: WalterPro4755 via Visualhunt / CC BY

Great Musicians Through the Ages

Flaming GuitarIf you read my post from last week, you may have noticed that there are a fair number of musical events around this time of year. In fact, this is really the concert season, so if you’re looking for a way to listen to some great music without giving all of your money to the online ticket sellers of the world, then you’ve come to the right place. The only thing to remember is that with no shortage of concerts comes no shortage of choices, so if you’re one of those people that has an awful time making up your mind, it may be a little tough to decide on what to do this weekend. However, there are a few concerts that stand out from the rest, not only for the skill of the musicians involved but also for the limited impact they will have on your wallet.

As a result, if you’re a big fan of guitars and you would love to see the next generation of guitarists before they become the next big thing, you may want to check out Boston GuitarFest. Boston GuitarFest, which is hosted by the New England Conservatory and Northeastern University, is a series of workshops, competitions, and most importantly, concerts that are designed for young guitarists. These concerts not only feature some of the best emerging guitarists (both with acoustic and electric guitars) currently out there but also feature some of the best dancers, drummers, flutists, pianists, violinists, and other performers that you will ever see. Best of all, the price for most of the concerts is pretty reasonable, as each concert will typically fall into the $10 to $40 range. For more information on Boston Guitarfest, which runs until this Sunday (June 29, 2014), please visit the Official Boston GuitarFest website.

If, on the other hand, you’re not really into guitars or you like your musicians to have a little more experience, you may want to check out Pops on the Lawn. Pops on the Lawn is a concert at Sennott Park in Cambridge that will feature the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra. This concert will allow you and your family to listen to classical music, marches, movie themes, patriotic songs, show tunes, and other similar music designed for the whole family. However, the best part of this particular concert is the fact that it is absolutely free. For more information on Pops on the Lawn, please visit the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra’s Event page.

Finally, if you’re one of those people that thinks of a medieval ballad every time someone mentions classical music, you may want to head over to the Waltham Farmer’s Market this weekend. This is because the Waltham Farmer’s Market is hosting a performance by the Solstice Sackbuts from 11:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. tomorrow (June 28, 2014.) The Solstice Sackbuts are a trio of musicians that specialize in classical, medieval, and renaissance music with a little pop and jazz thrown in as well. These musicians, which have appeared at a number of different venues including King Richard’s Faire, will dazzle you with their musical talents while teaching you about composers throughout the ages. For more information on the Solstice Sackbuts Concert at the Waltham Farmer’s Market, which is absolutely free (unless you end up buying something at the market), please visit the Solstice Sackbuts website or the Waltham Farmer’s Market Concert page.

Photo credit: Yuri Samoilov Photo / Foter / Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)