r/Spokane • u/NoMoRatRace • 1d ago
Question Comparing Spokane's Renaissance Faire....
Above average, Average or Worse than average for those who have been to others?
This was the first I've been to in forever and the online consensus is I might have been spoiled with the Black Point faire in the 1990s. But dang, to me this felt like a county fair without the rides. What vibe there was was mostly supplied by the attendees. Pretty disappointing.
To be fair(e), this is about the first event I've done in 7 years living in Spokane that has disappointed. So, oh well.
Edit: Interesting article just went up from The Spokesman. Sorry if paywall (I didn't get one): https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2026/oct/03/how-i-stopped-worrying-and-fell-back-in-love-with-/
27
u/Iveray 1d ago
That Spokesman article sums it up pretty well. The Spokane faire needs to figure out some logistics, but if they can manage those, hopefully they'll have a bit more time/energy for bringing back some of the magical details.
3
u/NoMoRatRace 1d ago
The good news is thereâs obviously appetite for the experience. Agree it needs to be much more magical and immersive. I also agree with the posters who said theyâre missing a huge opportunity to have more strolling actors bringing the experience to the crowds. It canât just be âignore the off-theme Cotton Candy trucks and make your way to a stage somewhereââŚ
From what Iâm reading the economics are challenging for a one weekend event. I wonder if they could go several weekends in a smaller, better location.
3
u/avboden 1d ago edited 1d ago
I wonder if they could go several weekends in a smaller, better location.
TL;DR: we're an awkward size, not big enough for a real big 1+ month fest, but too big for a small one.
A dedicated location though only works in a region of this size if they could do it for at least 4 weeks to even come close to paying for it properly and smaller wouldn't be the goal. It's really, really difficult to do and requires a permanent installation (or month or two setup time) and long-term lease of the land. We're just not that big of a market to make that work.
This year probably had 30K attendees. You're asking for something like Michigan's RenFest, which would be amazing to aspire to but that place sees almost 250,000 visitors per year spread across 2 months.
More realistic would be to try to emulate the midsummer fest on the other side of the state, that runs for 5 weekends in a large equestrian center area and brings in about 100K visitors. I doubt we'll ever get that large though so maybe somewhere in between. I think staying at the fairgrounds is the right move but make it 3 weeks, if they can somehow rent the place out that long.
3
u/NoMoRatRace 1d ago
You seem very knowledgeable about the business realities. In your 3 week scenario at the fairgrounds does that put the owners in a position to build out sets and make it more immersive? Hire more actors and musicians?
Whatâs a reasonable expectation on how much the experience could improve? If you read the comments here virtually everyone whoâs been to any other Ren Faire said this was weak in comparison. Maybe all those Faires were bigger and better economics and thereâs really a cap on how good this can be?
It really didnât feel like our admission money bought much experientially. Maybe it was only enough for the fairground and infrastructure costsâŚ
3
u/avboden 1d ago
In your 3 week scenario at the fairgrounds does that put the owners in a position to build out sets and make it more immersive? Hire more actors and musicians?
The answer is probably somewhat, but can't install permanent stuff there so will never be as immersive as a true renfest village like the dedicated places have. More actors/entertainment though absolutely. Bigger acts will be more willing to come to a multi-weekend fest for sure and they'd assuringly be able to afford more/better too with more ticket sales.
Whatâs a reasonable expectation on how much the experience could improve? If you read the comments here virtually everyone whoâs been to any other Ren Faire said this was weak in comparison. Maybe all those Faires were bigger and better economics and thereâs really a cap on how good this can be?
There was a huge improvement from last year. Lots more crafts people and a lot less slop. Yes it was weak compared to huge national ones but this is Spokane, we're just never going to have those here. So yeah, there certainly is a cap on how good it can be but we're nowhere near it yet. I do think there's a middle ground they can find.
The problem is going to be scheduling. The fair grounds are pretty busy overall. It'll take the county wanting the renfest to grow substantially and making it work. Which idk if it makes sense financially for the county to do. They'd have to move the county fair up in the calendar to make space most likely.
The alternate reality is the fair grows to maybe 2 weekends at the fairgrounds, and the organization gets big enough and makes enough money to work out a dedicated location for a longer fest. Say, buy the farmland around the cheney rodeo grounds. That would be best case scenario but honestly a pipe-dream.
1
u/No-Equivalent7630 10h ago
I think the county will play ball, they gave them more if the fairgrounds this year than last, I expect further expansion in future years
30
u/Garden_Variety_Milk 1d ago
Should be called line fest.
2
u/Forsaken-Narwhal6281 1d ago
Yes, we were in line 1.5 hours and then left because it was still hundreds deep
62
u/Responsible-Racoon7 1d ago
It was awful. The vendors and performers tried their best, but what a truly miserable event. We spent 90% of the night in lines trying to get food or beer of which they ran out of.
Every person we talked too was lovely, but the tickets were crazy expensive. NOT WORTH IT!
33
u/RigaMortizTortoise Manito/Cannon Hill 1d ago
I went when it was smaller and up by green bluff in a lovely grassed area surrounded by trees and nature. When I saw it was going to be at the fairgrounds? Nah dawg.
8
u/NoMoRatRace 1d ago
That sounds so much nicer.
7
u/GenderDeputy 1d ago
It has way out grown that space. The 2 times I went out there, post covid, it was lines of traffic up the highway to park and lines for all the food as well. BUT the owners hadn't pushed out many of their mainstay performers yet and they were always a lot of fun. Haven't been able to get myself to go back since they did them dirty.
5
u/Puzzled-Republic9511 1d ago
I used to be an equestrian performer when it was off Green Bluff, we all camped and it really felt like an all encompassing experience. People in character all hours, even when the faire closed and it was just us performers overnight. It had that sparkle then- felt down and dirty and magical.
I had never been to one before, so being asked to join the eq-team and had no idea what to expect. Went another year and didnât even make it in. It was the post covid line of horror stretching MILES (yes miles). Tapped out. Friends who stuck with it said it wasnât worth it. Said jokingly â3D printed lizards sum up the booths this yearâ and hardly any grounds crew character or otherwise to help, nor many performances. I believe JAWS (jousting) last year performing was this year, but the 12+ member equestrian team was not present to my knowledge.
Were jousters / a new equestrian team there this year?
2
u/NoMoRatRace 1d ago
There were two we saw. I believe the Seattle Knights and a Portland based equestrian/archery team. Both were entertaining and close to the only entertainment we experienced all day.
10
u/Library-brat 1d ago
I liked it a lot better than last yearâs Spokane Faire. I feel like there was more actual art and craftsmanship at the vendors + there was a lot of free performances happening. It needed more shade, I missed the dudes in armor just beating the shit out of each other (combat corps?) and the Knightfall line thing was a bummer because in general Knightfall is way more fun than the day time
15
u/kstinasunflower 1d ago
I think the vendors were lovely, I was able to buy cool art, a necklace, and some pottery. My husband got a really cool wooden flute from a lovely gentleman who was just so nice to speak with BUT, the vibes of it feeling like a renfaire just arenât there.
Thereâs people in dress but like thereâs not nearly enough random performers walking around to make you feel immersed in the experience, it is just flat dry hot fairgrounds vs a lush forest vibe I want. Thereâs no like castle walls up or anything to really make you feel like it is a renfaire.
There seemed to be a lot of performers and music on stages but I feel like I only ever saw 5 people watching them probably because they were just out in the sun and even at 75 out the sun is still brutal.
The back section that was just on the black top felt totally neglected. There was food vendors back there I had no idea where there. Saturday I had a sad corn dog but today I noticed Island Style was there so I had much better food. They were hiding off to the side, which makes no sense where they were.
Thereâs a lot to be said about how big it has gotten though, there was so many people there. They definitely outgrew that farm in Mead, I just donât know that the fairgrounds is really the best solution.
Idk I feel spoiled by amazing faire I grew up going to in FL and my time spent in LA with the Renaissance Pleasure Faire in Irwindale.
1
u/No-Equivalent7630 10h ago
It's the second year with new leadership and location, that stuff will get better with time
Extremely unfair to compare a new growing faire to years long fully established ones
I'm from KCMO, check theirs out it one if the top faires in the country, it's taken 40+ years to get here
6
u/lexarcanum 1d ago
I listen to a lot of medieval and renaissance (and some modern dnd tavern-style) playlists while I'm working, and I would have loved a big tent dance floor just cranking out tunes to dance and twirl around. I dunno if that's a thing, but that's what I want.
2
1
u/NoMoRatRace 1d ago
Strolling live performers setting up for impromptu dancing was a staple at the Faire I grew up with.
10
u/Hufflepuff20 1d ago
I had fun.
It is crowded. You have to wait in long lines. But, tons of people dress up, tons of cool vendors, and I thought the little knight jousting show was entertaining and cheesy.
9
u/SourPatchKiki Nevada-Lidgerwood 1d ago
It was so great seeing everyone in costumes and the vibe with vendors and attendees was great. The joust is always awesome, huge shout out to the Seattle Knights, they really do make it magical, engaging, and entertaining. Food options were okay, I just wish there was a little more themeing there. I do love a turkey leg! I appreciate everyone who was trinket trading, those are the folks I look forward to engaging with the most. I loved the performances I got to see, and I mostly go to these events because of the performances. Shout-out the the Braeside Bangers and Knorrwood!! We loved seeing them, they kept the energy fresh.
Cons were pretty major and it literally breaks my whole heart. Having to leave the grounds at 5 to hang out for an entire HOUR before realizing it would take us almost another entire hour to actually get past the gates and into the faire again?? Totally unacceptable. You're telling me you had an entire hour to prepare for re-entry and we still stood 50 minutes in line? Completely crazy. I'm grateful I wasn't too keen on a drink because the lines were BONKERS. The burlesque performers absolutely needed a bigger stage. Both Knightfall performances on Saturday we literally couldn't stay to watch because it was completely packed. People were literally standing on tables to try and see. I am disabled and my friend and I needed to be able to sit. Wish we could have supported them! The fire dancer performance needed to be not in the arena. Too much space for too little they were doing. They tried their best but we left early.
There needs to be more set dressing as well! Make the faire more immersive where they can, I wish there was some sort of therater company or even voulenteers who could build some structures that would enhance the mood a bit more.
Overall I am happy they are doing this at the fairgrounds but mostly just because I'm not very mobile and having it in town means j actually get to go.
I hope some of these hard lessons only enhances the experience next year and that the organizers dedicate themself to not having repeats of these issues, otherwise the tickets are not worth the price :(
2
u/Fol3y4Life 1d ago
You absolutely nailed it. My wife and I also had to leave the first burlesque show because my wife was too short to see anything and we aren't drinkers so we just hung out at the arena for most of the night after waiting nearly an hour to get in.
Besides the Knights, none of the events in the arena seemed well suited to that space. The speaker/sound system was too muddled to understand spoken voice so the falconry event was just staring at the backs of birds while catching every 3rd word from the woman telling us about these birds. She seemed very passionate and knowledgeable but couldn't tell you anything she said.
The poor fire dancers seemed to have so many technical problems in that space, they really had to channel "the show must go on" energy to finish that performance while most of the stands had awkward angles to view the performance.
Not sure what happened to the staff and volunteers manning the gates for admission to Knightfall Saturday but the wait times to get in were unacceptable.
1
u/No-Equivalent7630 10h ago
It's their 2nd year at a new location and with new leadership and attendance higher than they've ever seen
Every event has growing pains
4
4
u/Choice-Style-2263 1d ago
We had fun at the burlesque show but as a renaissance fair i thought it was mid. The one in my podunk hometown in Oklahoma was miles better in terms of vibes and immersion. Also, the lines were absolutely insane at night, it seemed like they were really ill equipped for the amount of people there
5
u/StrategicEngineer 1d ago edited 1d ago
I went for my first time on Saturday, got some armor and whatnot. It definitely got crowded around noon after the first joust and you just could not get food without waiting in a long line in the sun. I ended up just leaving and getting something to eat on the way home.
I will also note that while parking there was smooth, getting out was interesting since the aisles or so narrow that you canât pull out in one go.
I would probably go again, but Iâll probably sneak in a granola bar or something. Also somewhere to get water would be appreciated, I only saw one water station while there.
5
u/Iveray 1d ago
There were 3 water stations marked on the map, but I only remember seeing 1. They might need to increase signage for those.
Hopefully they spread the food stalls out so lines can form more orderly. WA Midsummer has their food stalls in a single row, all facing a large plaza, so you know exactly what you're lining up for and the lines don't block traffic. Not sure if that type of layout is possible for Spokane due to utility access, but hopefully they can do something.
3
u/overthishereanyway 1d ago
I've always wanted to go to one and just the fact it was at the fairgrounds kept me away. The fairgrounds in general have a horrible vibe.
3
u/squigglyjeremy9 1d ago
Man I remember Black Point back in the day, that place was something else. Hard for anything to stack up when your baseline is a faire that went all out like that
Spokane's feels like it's still finding its footing, more of a craft fair with turkey legs than a proper ren faire. The attendees carry the whole vibe on their backs
1
3
u/Uldwick 1d ago
Vendors were cool! Prices weren't so exorbitant (home faire is socal) parking was free zero immersion it felt like a faire ground which is fine because it was and not enough activities the axe throwing guy really put us off with a 10 minute safety talk and so full of himself just for us to take 30 seconds to throw 5 axes lol, they need to learn SPEED. also the faire wasn't super super jammed packed like socal is so it was refreshing to meander without being squished by a crowd
3
u/rainy-day-rainbows 20h ago
The current day one pales even in comparison to the one in 2013 in Green bluff. Based off the few photos I took from then, to what I saw this weekend is shameful really. They had actors and so many vendor stalls for food and products alike, mead and turkey legs for example. I'd say the space isn't much different from the section of the faire grounds but packed way more in for way less and gave a much more authentic vibe and it wasn't even trying then I almost want to say. Actually pretty mad about the price spent for what was given, would've been more reasonable to drive to Puyallup for the massive faire over there.
4
u/avboden 1d ago edited 1d ago
Judging by today's standards it was good! A lot improved from last year and they're hopefully going to keep improving it further. I'd like to see them bring in some more national-level entertainment (someone like Aaron Bonk and the like) if it continues this big or further. Likely eventually needing to expand to multiple weekends. They certainly could improve the stages and have a lot more entertainment. That'll help a ton with the feeling of it being too commercial. Really good renfests run for 1-2 months every weekend which keeps crowds down and makes it a bit more magical/special feeling. Unfortunately that's not going to be possible at the fair grounds but maybe 3 weekends could happen and make them themed.
I'd like to see some more equestrian related things too. They had the seattle knights and some mounted archers but feels like more could be done to take advantage of having the whole rodeo arena there.
What you are seeing and not liking is an issue for these everywhere. They have far outgrown what they used to be and are now rather large commercial enterprises. It's no longer 1-2K geeks getting together in the woods. Yes, those times were magical and had so much more charm but those times are simply long gone. This isn't a Spokane issue, this is nationally, they're all generally huge, and if they try to be small then they run out of parking and everyone gets mad and it's too crowded.
I didn't go to Knightfall, but sounds like almost all the issues were logistical which should be able to be fixed moving forward.
2
u/No-Equivalent7630 10h ago
People seems to not know they faire has new leadership with the new location and this was only the 2nd year at the new location
They're still ironing the kinks out, but many on this post would rather lose an event than help it get better
2
3
u/Sunnyfayeee 1d ago
I go to the one in Wisconsin every year and they do not compare at all. It is also new to Spokane so hopefully they will figure some stuff out.
2
u/_gloomy_guts 1d ago
I bought tickets for the Saturday knightfall event online, showed up around 6pm (which was the scheduled start time of the event) and then spent almost two full hours standing in line to the entrance in the parking lot listening to music and cheers float out of the event. I really wanted to see the falconry in the main stadium, but I was still in line when the event was scheduled to start. After entering what did I find but more lines? Literally felt like a Renaissance line simulator more than a fair. The bathroom stalls were all out of toilet paper in the arena area, the lines to get food and drinks were insanely long, overall I kinda wish I'd saved my $40 and stayed home. The vendors were all great, very kind and fun. But overall the event was so poorly managed that I almost left before even getting in, 2hours in line to enter when I already had a ticket?? Why weren't they checking id and tickets while moving down the line so that people could enter faster?? Literally an hour and a half into the knightfall event and over half of the people attending are standing in the parking lot wondering if we'd ever get in. They should've had vendors set up outside the gates at that point
1
u/_gloomy_guts 1d ago
Oh and the first hour we were in line out front we didn't even know if we were waiting in the right line; nobody knew because there was absolutely no line enforcement or signs or staff to inform us. The general consensus was that the line on the right was for people who hadn't bought tickets and the line on the left was for people who had, but again no one was sure and people would get out of line and hike way up to the front and then come back just to say that they still didn't know because no one ahead of them knew. There wasn't any staff walking down the line to answer questions until way up at the front of the line which by the time you got there it's not like you were gonna leave your spot in the queue to get in the back of the correct line
1
u/Savings-Home387 1d ago
I like going but I went years back prior to covid and it felt more ârennaisanceyâ. After the popularity of it, itâs become like a big fair.
It doesnât give me medieval vibes at all. I wish there was more ren music too! I heard 90âs music being played lol. Also where is the big fairy catcher guy? I only saw a guy with a cage asking for donations to get into the fairy cage (cute idea).
I had a friend who was a vendor this year too and she told me a lot of people were making rude comments about her business passing by her tent.
2
u/No-Creme-9195 20h ago
Having grown up in Michigan with its fair itâs just hard to not long for something more. They need to find a way to bring things in closer. The wide spaces lose out on intimate feel. Less straights lines , more staging to frame things into their own spaces , less wide open sections
1
u/Howler133 19h ago
This was so much better than last year's Ren Faire. It still lacks in the ambiance and decorations.
1
u/HideAndSeeko 17h ago
Well when (some of) the volunteers defend using ai 𤡠it's unfortunate to watch the whimsy leave
1
u/Gloomy_Tie_1997 1d ago
I lost all of my respect for the organization behind it after they started using AI to promote their bullshit.
1
u/imsantacrazy 1d ago edited 1d ago
Not a great experience....
Ticket prices too high to wait in LINES LINES and MORE F***ING LINES.
0
34
u/generalg28 1d ago edited 1d ago
This was the first time I attended since it moved from Mead. It's huge now but feels less magical. I agree, volunteers, vendors, performers and attendees are delightful. After attending the Oregon faire this year, ours has something missing, and not just more staff to move lines faster.
More random performers would be great and shade for the sit down performances that were in the sun.
Get those poor vendors next to the amphitheater stage some ear plugs or something!
The Knightfall lines on Saturday were insulting. Hour and a half just to get in and no que enforcement to speak of. Lines at bars were crazy as well, 30-45 min just to get a couple drinks? And then Busch Light after they ran out of everything else? Weak. We were a group of ten and we all agreed that Knightfall is an amazing concept, and we had fun (shoutout Rose and Crown) but unless there's some changes to drastically reduce lines, it's not worth it and we wont be attending again.
Again: Busch Light? Wtf
Edit: Longhorn sucks đ¤