COLORADO REN FAIRE REVIEW
by Jamie Pritchett, ATF reader

The Colorado Renaissance Festival recently concluded it's 25th season. Like most established faires, it is an attractive, well established and well attended faire.

All participants at the faire were well garbed, but the patrons (especially this last day of the season) mostly attend in street clothes, with the really "out there" patrons sporting a goth look. I had come all the way from Dallas, Texas to enjoy a day at faire in between our major faires: Scarborough Faire and Texas Renaissance Festival and hopefully enjoy some cooler temperatures. I was disappointed by the temperatures (in the 100's!) but pleased with the faire itself.

Many of the artists and entertainers I'm familiar with were in attendance, with some shows I'd never seen. "Puke and Snot" had a fabulously professional presentation and pulled off a humorous show with lots of ad lib and sword play. Ded Bob, the acid mouth puppet, never fails to entertain and was followed by an amazing hypnotist act. I saw some truly amazing things! The jousting was excellent, as well as the faire storyline, carrying throughout the faire. Isis and Rose, the Mud Show, and some artists of unusual skill and talent attended, although the stock was rather low on this closing weekend.

My only complaint would be lack of a season or two day pass, no patron camping and not a large amount of actors hired to "people" the fair. I will say that the costumes of the participants were excellent. I spent two days at the faire and camped conveniently at a well maintained KOA camp, just three miles north. Located between Denver and Colorado Springs, it is a fabulously beautiful drive if you have the time. The images of the mountains appearing through rain and fog still haunt me.