Throughout each weekend in the month of August, The Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire (WMRF) returned with a host of activities all centered at The Kelley Farm in Bonney Lake, Washington. The location was perfect with free parking, easy to find with help from Google Maps app, and a rustic atmosphere. Very warm (read as HOT!) weather graced us especially during my Saturday, August 13th visit. It hit at least 90 degrees that day and I physically melted. Melted! The heat plus humidity that day was a bit much for me but I had a terrific time watching, mingling, eating, and shopping at the Faire.
I arrived around 11 a.m. after a reasonable wait in line to turn my car into the dusty and grassy Kelley Farm parking lot. WMRF was already open to the public as of 10 a.m. and bustling by the time I got there. Parking was so easy with the help of the park lot guides. My entrance was discounted through a Groupon offer and I am grateful for that offer. This was my first visit to the Faire and it was a great “try me” offer for first time attendees and great for returning attendees. The ticketing windows were aplenty including specific windows for electronic tickets (online orders & electronic daily deal vouchers). Entering the venue itself was easy with in-and-out privileges via a stamp on the hand on the way out. Lively actors were there to greet you and warn you of dragons nearby…
Once you are inside the entrance, the marketplace, food court, entertainment, and rest areas were spread throughout the grounds. The set up was all out in the open, no roof or tent for the event aside from the vendors, eating area, and some covered seating at the entertainment venues. It is a very walkable event but in the heat, it was very challenging. One of the wonderful vendors was so concerned for me and invited me to sit inside the tent to cool off. I explained I was fine but she advised I head to the first aid tent for water at the least. I headed over with my friend and there was a line. The water was running out but they were expediting resources to the tent as fast as possible. It was nice to see the first aid tent equipped with cots, as needed. The water mister next to the tent was not spraying well and if you were petite like my friend and me, the misting water bypasses you especially if there are taller people in front of you. We moved in the direction of the mist each time it changed in hopes of cooling off but it wasn’t very helpful. There wasn’t enough shade given the number of people and the temperatures in August, especially the weekend I attended and following Saturday. I brought an umbrella in my car but I opted to buy a parasol from one of the vendors since it was a good price and cute. Definitely something I would use many times over. WMRF had their own parasols but they sold out. Parasols were a hot item throughout the Faire that day and I’m sure the weekend. Funny enough, here in the Pacific Northwest, we typically use our umbrellas to protect ourselves from the sun and not the rain.
Aside from the heat (not sure if I mentioned the heat already…), this was a very fun event! The jousting, musicians, actors, troupes, and vendors were very entertaining. They all fit in with the Renaissance theme in dress, products, services, etc. I watched a few musical acts, a jousting tournament (very cool!), browsed the vendors, and ate some tasty food. The prices for food and drink were in line with event and festival pricing so finding something to eat was easy as long as you were familiar with event pricing. I purchased a delicious grilled Polish sausage for $8 and a friend told me the turkey legs were going for $12 as of this year’s WMRF. (Bring foil, zippered bag, or some sort of container for the turkey leg if you don’t finish it. I was told they didn’t have anything available to wrap leftovers in. It took this friend and her daughter to finish the leg. It’s a tasty and big portion which I will try next year.) The lines for the food moved pretty well and there were multiple beverage stations throughout the grounds offering water or soda for $2/can. They ran out of cold bottles of water at the stand I visited but they were quickly getting some from another stand or somewhere else. Overall, this was a well-run event. I will definitely return!
I rambled a bit but there was a lot of information. In summary, the WMRF is an event I can see myself doing every year. I recommend checking it out at least once. You just might become a fan if you aren’t already a fan of the Renaissance Era. Despite the hot weather that made me melt, I plan to spend a weekend camping on the farm next year because I had so much fun at this event. WMRF offers camping packages and that’s a great option especially if you are driving from a distance and want a different experience than staying at a hotel or driving back and forth from home. Bonney Lake is a beautiful area and you will be greeted with a view of Mount Rainier upon your arrival into town. The drive was pretty easy and not too far off the freeway depending on which direction you travel.
Recommendations:
- Bring water with you
- Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated if the weather is warmer than you are accustomed to
- Umbrella for shade
- Protection (lotion or clothing) from the sun and it could rain – weather can be unpredictable
- Money – we used cash but the vendors we purchased from accepted cards
- Foil/Large Zippered Bag/Container for leftover food in case vendors don’t have anything available (Those turkey legs are big)
- Comfortable shoes (your shoes & feet will get dirty from the dusty ground)
- Rest and take your take walking the grounds
- Camera
- Pet friendly venue
- Feel free to wear a costume – Each weekend is themed. I went during Faerie and Fantasy Weekend.
- Stay posted to the daily deal sites for any future Faire offers. I purchased mine in June of this year for the August event.
For more photos from this event, you can find them on my Facebook page:
Thank you for stopping by!
Links:
The Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire http://www.washingtonfaire.com/
The Kelley Farm http://www.thekelleyfarm.com/history
Bonney Lake, Weather in August 2016 http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/bonney-lake-wa/98391/august-weather/331377
EstellaPNW 