LEWISBURG, W.V. (LOOTPRESS) – The 2021 West Virginia Renaissance Festival has come to an end, leaving performers time to reflect on a successful year of bringing magic to the people of southern West Virginia.
Tucked in the hills of Greenbrier County sits a castle-esque enclosure where for four weekends out of the year, Hanlon-Lees Action Theater presents the West Virginia Renaissance Festival- a place where people can dress up in medieval fashion, don an old English accent and be transported in time to a land of kings, queens, fairies, jousting and more.
While the event is full of interesting art, weapons, food and more, it’s the performers and actors who really make the difference.
One performer, who goes by the name Ichabod Wainwright the Master of Momentum, spends his days juggling flaming axes and performing acrobatic feats on insanity on his 30-foot-tall spinning Wheel of Death.
Although he was born into traveling and has been performing in shows for nearly a decade, this was only Ichabod’s second season performing at the West Virginia Renaissance Festival.
In his short time with the festival, he has learned what keeps bringing people back.
“I think it’s just the fact that the West Virginia Renaissance Festival is trying to expand on the Lewisburg area’s events so hard. They are really putting a lot of effort into it. They are trying to make this small little area and expand upon the events that are happening in it to give the community something to do, and I think that makes it a really special show.”
A young actor guised as a plague doctor said he has been acting at the West Virginia Renaissance Festival since its first year. He said his love for the event is what brings him back year after year to act as different magical beings, characters of history, etc.
“This is my home festival; it’s the only one I have done,” he said. “I came here as a patron when it first opened here and I fell in love with the place. I just thought, wow, I’d love to work here.”
Executive Director of the Greenbrier County Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) Kara Dense says that, while they cannot give specific statistics on an increase in foot traffic or tourism to the area as a result of the Renaissance Festival, they can see a difference the event has made.
“We totally believe that it has brought people to the area and has had an impact,” Dense said. “We are blessed to have a lot of wonderful tourist attractions in the area, so to be able to add the Renaissance fair to them and have it this year is always good. There is a buzz around town; visitors are coming in just to attend the festival, so it’s definitely been good for us and made a difference in our business here.”
“Like with any other festivals, we are always excited for the energy that the festival brings,” added Lewisburg City Manager Misty Hill. “We love anything creative, and when something like that comes to town, it’s exciting.”
Leaders and residents in the City of Lewisburg aren’t the only ones who think the Renaissance Festival is an entertaining and enjoyable place to be.
Owner of the West Virginia Renaissance Fair Taso Stavrakis says the response from the community was amazing this year.
Stavrakis stated that, unlike in the past when the festival only saw visitors from neighboring states, this year, the festival’s advertising reached into several states along the east coast and even into the Midwest.
“…the numbers have been great,” he said of ticket sales. “It just seems like people are really, really happy to be back out.”
Stavrakis and the other performances believe this year’s season was even more successful due to the event’s cancellation last year.
Although the pandemic devastated the country and caused nearly every summer event to shut down, Ichabod says it helped him realize just how much performing means to him.
“I missed the audiences. I just missed what I did,” he said. “I like making people laugh, and if I can’t make people laugh, then I don’t feel happy. I get to make people laugh and smile and be happy, and that is something I think we did learn is a necessary thing for people to have.”
On the last weekend of the festival, Ichabod stood by the castle’s front gate and watched as delighted visitors crowded in while being serenaded by lute music and the taunts of the village executioner.
“Attendance just keeps climbing. People are super excited to show up and be here. It’s the magic of the Renaissance Fair,” he explained. “There’s a great community of people who are here to make just you happy. It doesn’t matter how many people come through the gate. They see you and they want to make just you happy that day, and I think that is a really great job.”
The West Virginia Renaissance Festival will return in 2022.