Ye Olde Harvest Festival, a new rendition of Homer’s Renaissance Fair, will take place at Karen Hornaday Park this weekend, Oct. 5-6 from noon to 7 p.m.
This year’s event is being coordinated by Sage Anderson and will feature food and beverages, music, games, performances and craft events. A masquerade ball is scheduled for Saturday evening after the vendors are finished at 7 p.m.
Some of the visiting artists and small tour options are coming to Homer from the Anchorage 3 Barons Renaissance Fair.
One that Anderson noted in particular was the “Fractured Fairy Tale” event hosted by Bob and Sharon Thomas from Anchorage. During their performances, they request audience members to call out a fairy tale and then perform it in a three-minute puppet show with whatever puppet might be available, such as a dragon or squid, instead of the actual character.
Another feature on loan from Anchorage will be the Black Pearl, a 30-foot boat equipped with cannons and sails. This will serve as the stage for the puppets, Anderson said.
There will be a 16th century game booth available on loan from the Red Court at the 3 Barons Fair.
The event will include a costume contest and eating contest for children and adults on each day. There is also a heraldry contest; some of the heralds will be submitted early but people attending the event can make one there as well.
Heraldry is essentially related to a structured coat of arms. Participants can choose to design one based on family or independent values, achievements or just general interests. Anderson explained a herald as a symbol with different bands and crests that help express personality. “It’s a fun thing to explore who you are and what you find to be important; I’m excited to see what people come up with,” she said.
In order to participate in the contest, these need to be finished by Saturday at the latest, Anderson said.
There will be a tavern sponsored by Kharacters that will include beverages from Odin Meadery and the Homer Brewing Company and a variety of food stands. There will be some local produce.
There will be a LARPing (live action role play) session with Homer’s local group, the Barony of IceFire Bay. That organization is helping coordinate the “Quest” event. The event, which has a $20 participation fee, sends participants on a search of items at various locations throughout the event.
Once the items are found, participants trade those in for a sword to fight monsters. “So it gives an example of the questing that we do on that throughout the year,” Anderson said.
There will also be a sparkling cove with a mermaid grotto and a queen mermaid for people to visit, a giant chess set, a gaming booth and card game tournaments for both Saturday and Sunday.
Other musicians will include Cody Burch, English John and Cave Sayer and Smoke in the Trees.
The festival ends at 7 p.m. on Sunday.
