The Bay Area Renaissance Festival was one of the few lucky spring events that Tampa was able to experience in 2020.
While it was cut short due to precautions surrounding Coronavirus, the multi week event did go on for several of its scheduled weekends until its untimely shut-down.
The Faire was kicked off on Feb. 15 and lasted through the following weekends until its cancellation was announced on March 17.
Fondly acronymized as BARF, the Faire attracted large crowds of families, cosplayers, beer connoisseurs and lovers of all things medieval. Nestled underneath towering oak trees, the grounds truly transported guests back in time as they took in everything this yearly event had to offer.
There were knife jugglers, bagpipe players, and beautiful singing merfolk. Dancers frolicked around the maypole, occasionally causing mischief. In the distance, a crowd cheered for knights as they competed in a joust. The smell of roasting turkey legs wafted through the air.
The event featured a number of unique vendors, peddling treasures like tiaras, jewelry, paintings, garb, toys, and even Bonsai trees. Most of the merchants have been part of BARF for years.
Ana Mailler has acted as sort of a jack-of-all-trades throughout her many years at the Faire, taking part in jobs such as first aid, ticket sales, vending, and participating in the Society for Creative Anachronism’s reenactment camp. The SCA is a living history group that brings pre 1600s European history to life.
“For me, it’s been bouncing between camps and vendors and hearing the stories and learning new skills,” she said of her favorite things to do at the Faire.
For Mailler and many others like Max and Michelle Valentonis, the Faire is like an extension of their family. The Valentonises, along with their son Alexander, have been part of the Wyrdwood Vikings for four years. The younger members lovingly refer to Michelle as “Mom” and Alexander has formed bonds with his Viking “brothers” as he learned how to sword fight.
“BARF is a chance to spend an entire weekend with people who are like family, dressed up in costume, living like a different time and sharing your historical knowledge with all the visitors,” Michelle said.
The Faire is not only a celebration of medieval history, but a place where people can truly express themselves and connect with others over shared interests. Guests can buy collectible cards from games like Magic the Gathering and even play in a Dungeons & Dragons campaign.
It is typical to see people from all over the country in attendance, cosplaying as their favorite characters in homemade costumes, sporting colorful Pride gear, and ultimately being their best selves.
Sandy Russello has been taking the LGBTQ Pride group she sponsors at a Hernando county school to the Faire over the past couple of years. She feels it’s one of the few places the kids can truly be themselves and not be considered “outsiders”.
“It lets them feel more comfortable to be themselves since there’s always somebody flashier around,” Russello added, referring to all of the interesting characters you are likely to encounter at BARF.
She’s right. A quick stroll around the festival grounds revealed a knight with chainmail made entirely of Yuengling bottle caps, a gigantic court jester, and a large man who bellowed something about pickles for sale at the top of his lungs.
The event offered something different for everyone with each themed weekend, like Barbarian Brew Fest and Pirates and Pups.
It’s clear that since its start in Largo in 1979, this Bay Area tradition has been bringing joy and culture to guests of all ages. This area is fortunate to have been hosting BARF since 2004 and hopefully, the tradition will continue for decades to come.
The Faire will be back in 2021, so be sure to make plans for a visit next February and March when it comes gallivanting back into town.
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