Rosenvolk Renaissance Faire: Live the medieval life for a weekend

The world was once a very different place in ways that are difficult to fathom today.

Think what life must have been like as the late Middle Ages converged into the Renaissance period, around 1500 AD.

Transportation would have been on foot or in wagons. Communities as close as Jasper and Ferdinand might have been bitter rivals, with one waging war on the other to gain control.

There was no such thing as a middle class — everyone was either wealthy (as in lords or other royalty) or poor.

Famine, plague and war decimated the population.

Most people worked every day just to survive — including children. There was no telephone, no television, no movies, no internet. Need to get a message to someone living over the mountain? Send it verbally, possibly via a chain of travelers because most folks couldn’t read or write and hopefully the messenger would survive to deliver it.

It’s hard to imagine a world without Pampers or flu shots or Wal-Mart, harder still to picture anyone living to age 50 as being the rarity. Got sick? Common wisdom of the period called for the ill to be cut so leeches could be attached and the blood sucked from their bodies to remove the illness.

Most people lost their teeth quite early, or wore them down from eating gritty bread baked from grain that had been roughly ground.

Bad eyesight? Good luck with that, although maybe most folks didn’t see straight anyway as they consumed hefty quantities of wine or beer because the water would have made them sick.

What about the wealthy folks?

Life was a little easier, but being a noble had its consequences. Marriages for this class were often arranged. The girls generally wed around age 12 and the boys at 14.

The future United States did not exist in the eyes of Europeans who barely traveled from home unless they were Crusaders set on turning the masses in distant lands into Christians.

So what did people do for fun?

Well, there was the church, a constant in their lives. For entertainment and a bit of revelry, they shared music, told stories and looked forward to annual faires that would bring relief from the monotony of daily life. These faires would often be the highlight of the year.

Those who would like to experience life in an earlier and very different age will have the opportunity Saturday and Sunday, October 17 and 18, during the Rosenvolk German Medieval Festival, to be held on the north grounds of Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand. The grounds will be transformed into the “Village of Grünwald”, with a storyline about Queen Beatrice and her suitors that will continue throughout the weekend.

Friday, October 16 has been reserved for school groups.

Dr. Mark Ginter and Dan and Katherine LeBlanc are organizing this faire as a fundraiser for three local organizations: John Paul the Great Home School Coop, St. John Bosco Youth Ministry and St. Ferdinand/St. Henry Youth Ministry.

The LeBlancs are seasoned Renaissance Faire attendees and even got married at one. There are over 300 permanent Renaissance Faires in the United States alone but none have ever featured a German theme and nary a one has been held at an actual monastery.

The Rosenvolk German Medieval Festival attracted the attention of America’s Family Network that promotes family-oriented events throughout the nation. Visit USFamilyGuide.com for their take on the event.

One of the highlights of the weekend will be a masquerade ball on Saturday night, from 7 p.m. until midnight.

Attendees over the weekend can expect to be royally entertained and enlightened. Invited re-enactor/entertainers include:

•Knights of Valour ~ skill-at-arms jousting team.

• Landsknechts ~ re-enactors teaching about the Landsknechts’ role in medieval Germany.

• Society for Creative Anachronism ~ teaching children about the Middle Ages through reenactment.

•Queen Beatrice and her Royal Entourage.

•Ric Rock Zoo ~ Village idiot who performs an array of skills, juggling, stilt walking, fire breathing, crowd entertainment.

•Idiot Jamboree and D’lerio Dell A’rte ~ a variation of early pantomime “Commedia dell’art” that started in Italy during the 16th Century. The masks they wear are character masks from that era.

•Crossroads Mystic Show – a Houdini-type illusionist who uses chains, ropes, jackets, fire and water.

•Chris Ivanovich ~ a slight of hand magician who is actually German.

•Wonder Elixir of Life Show ~ a type of old style vaudeville act but with a medieval twist — comedic, snake oil  salespeople.

•Mousetrap Productions ~ one of the best Punch and Judy shows in the US.

•Charlene Weldon ~ Mother of all Dragons Puppet Show. Her favorite dragon, Hemlock, will teach the kids how easy it is to train a dragon.

•Bounding Main ~ an indemand group around the Renaissance Faire Circuit. They were on America’s Got Talent and toured in Germany and around Europe.

•Three Pints Gone~ sings rousing songs and tells tales. •Off Keel ~ a duo that sings 100 + year old nautical songs and both play multiple instruments.

•Martha Jones ~ sings and plays lots of entrancing music on the hand harp.

•Jesse Linder ~ sings beautiful ballads and plays the guitar as a solo musician, but is also part of a troupe.

•Rusty Mudd ~ plays the tin whistle and will delight children in the streets of Grunwald with his playful antics.

•Brian “Tinker” Leo ~ sings 500-year-old folk tunes that retell old events in history. He also likes to involve the audience in his songs (see more on Brian in a separate article).

•Zingari Tribal ~ a Middle Eastern style dance troupe. The main dancer, Claudia Zambianco, was born and raised in Germany and speaks fluent German.

•Brother Donald ~ monk and master storyteller, retelling obscure tales of old.

• Lord Ebenezer Grumpypants ~ a Scottish Bogel, he delights children with stories of the Emerald Isles and the mystical folk that inhabit the lands.

•Thee BlueBeard ~ a pirate who travels around the country delighting children with his antics and fun.

In addition, find food booths and vendors selling everything from mead, gourmet teas and turkey legs to medieval masks, swords and etched glass.

The cost to attend on Friday (school day), October 16 is $5 for students and $5 after 5 p.m.

On October 17 or 18, admission is $12.50 for adults, $10 for ages 6-13, free for those under six and a family price of $30.

The masquerade ball Saturday night costs $5.

Those who wish to purchase a weekend pass may do so for $17.50 (adults) and $15 (6-13) or $40 for a family.

More information can be found on Facebook or by visiting www.rosenvolkfestival.webstarts.com.