After a successful debut year, which exceeded expectations, Furnace Town’s Renaissance Faire is back for the second annual event. With a turnout of 4,000 guests last year, the faire is growing to meet the demand. More entertainment, more merchants, and more food trucks are coming together to bring something special to the Eastern Shore.
The event will be taking place across two days, Sept. 24 and 25, on the grounds of historic Furnace Town, located at 3816 Old Furnace Road in Snow Hill. The faire, running from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day is a celebration of the Renaissance period in Europe which occurred across the 14th through 16th centuries. Aspects of this time of royalty, new ideas, and art of all forms will be on display in many parts of the faire.
Faire attendees can shop “merchants,” eat at the “royal food court,” view and partake in festive entertainment, and enjoy demonstrations. Shop jewelry, crafts, fashions, art and more with over fifteen confirmed vendors—with more welcome to join, says Executive Director of Furnace Town Historical Site, Claudia Nagle.
More food trucks are confirmed for this year’s event after much feedback from 2021 made it clear; the more food, the merrier! Local sweet shop favorites, The Ugly Pie and Tiki Hut Shaved Ice, are signed on. Meanwhile, Sandys “Dog” Gone Good Eats and Ye Olde Furnace Towne Grille will be serving up the savory.
In between shopping and eating, get into the festivities with a plethora of entertainment and demonstrations. There will be music, magic, axe throwing, animals, games, fencing and swordsmanship, renaissance reenactment complete with a queen, and costumes galore. Faire-goers are encouraged to join in the fun and dress up in their finest Renaissance fashion.
“We’re just really trying to bring something a little different to the lower shore,” explains Nagle. “We had no idea we would have 4,000 people last year,” she shares, but says that this year they are more prepared and expecting a higher turnout.
A lot of hands are needed on deck to make an event like this one work, which means there are plenty of opportunities for volunteers. Around forty volunteers are needed for each day of the faire for a variety of tasks which Nagle says are, “all of those things that make a festival fun for everybody.” If making a unique event like this possible wasn’t incentive enough to volunteer some time, volunteers for this event will gain a ticket for admission to the other day of the faire they aren’t working to enjoy the festivities.
Ticket prices for adults are $15 for one day admission and $25 for both days. Children ages 5-14 cost $10 for admission. Visit the Furnace Town website at furnacetown.org to purchase tickets in advance. Also on the website is contact information for any queries. Beyond interested parties reaching out for volunteer opportunities, Nagle says, “we can always use more vendors and if somebody is interested in doing some performing, they can contact us.”
