PHOTO STORY: Niles Renaissance Faire sees success in its third year
Published 2:56 pm Monday, May 17, 2021
Jeremiah Diaz, of Niles, Mark Rough, of Niles, Cameron and Caitlin Coburn, of Sister Lakes, JoAnne Pitcher, of Sister Lakes, met up to enjoy the entertainment at the 2021 Niles Renaissance Faire. Diaz, though not in costume, said he was a time traveler for the day. (Leader photo/CHRISTINA CLARK)
Mitch Nyenhuis, of Holland, and Russ Foster, of South Haven, enjoyed the Niles Renaissance Faire on Saturday. Nyenhuis is the husband to the faire’s queen, Carrie. (Leader photo/CHRISTINA CLARK)
Jeremy Depriest, of South Bend, breathed fire as part of his fiery flow performance on Saturday. Depriest performed fire poi and breathed fire throughout his set. (Leader photo/CHRISTINA CLARK)
Second in from the left, Kelly Weinberg, stands with her jail crew at the Niles Renaissance Faire on Saturday. Weinberg fell in love with Renaissance Faires after attending her first one, and has been making being a part of them a part of her life ever since. (Leader photo/CHRISTINA CLARK)
McKenna Murray, and Jayde Nyenhuis with dog, BB, of Holland, attended the Niles Renaissance Faire on Saturday. (Leader photo/CHRISTINA CLARK)
Kyla Caparell, of South Bend, enjoys seeking out area Renaissance fairs. Caparell attended the Niles Renaissance Faire on Saturday fully dressed for the occasion. (Leader photo/CHRISTINA CLARK)
Jerry Berg, of Comstock Park, center, stands with representatives of both the Swordsmanship Museum and Academy and Corvus Cohort, two educational attractions at the Niles Renaissance Faire this year. This year marked
The royal court, led by Niles Renaissance Faire organizer and queen, Carrie Nyenhuis, had a tent tucked into the corner of the event on Saturday. Attendees, citizens of the realm and children were encouraged to visit to pay respects – as well as to get a token for the scavenger hunt. (Leader photo/CHRISTINA CLARK)
Members of the Corvus Cohort recreated snippets of life from the 16th century for attendees of the Niles Renaissance Faire on Saturday and Sunday. The Corvus Cohort educate and interact with audience members as they perform tasks and battles. (Leader photo/CHRISTINA CLARK)
A performance by Bell, Book and Canto, including members Jenn Jones and Ananda Guthrie, at the Niles Renaissance Faire on Saturday. The troupe performed music and comedic sketches for the crowd. (Leader photo/CHRISTINA CLARK)
Unchoreographed combat was performed by Kalamazoo-based Swords of Valour on Saturday at the Niles Renaissance Faire. Multiple one-on-one battles, and a battle royale with on fighter taking on four others, were among entertainment for onlookers. (Leader photo/CHRISTINA CLARK)
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NILES – Over the weekend, Plym Park was transformed into Queen Kiriel’s grounds for the third annual Niles Renaissance Faire.
Bards, knights, Vikings, fighters, jailers, dragons, a royal court and more transformed the grounds into a step back into a realm where magic exists. Multiple stages around the park hosted entertainers, sword fights, comedy, story time and musicians.
In her royal tent, Queen Kiriel, also known as faire organizer Carrie Nyenhuis, sat with her royal court all dressed in period appropriate attire. She said the event on Saturday was “fabulous.”
“We printed 200 pages of scavenger hunts, and we are already out,” Nyenhuis said midday on Saturday. “It’s been huge. People have been here all day, and we had a line where people were waiting to get in. The turnout is way better than I expected.”
In the queen’s tent were prizes to be given out to young attendees who had collected “dragon eggs” from around the vendor booths throughout the faire, encouraging guests to seek out what each vendor offered.
Just over the way in the center of the faire, voices announcing the Swords of Valour’s announcer “Haven the Hare,” also known as Allen Bernstein, announced the beginning of their unchoreographed stage combat show.
“Today, we’ll be performing to you using live steel,” Bernstein said.
The words drew a crowd.
After the multiple duels, Bernstein said he had been working at festivals since he was 10 years old, when his stepmother worked a festival.
“When I became older, I found this troupe and joined up with them. I’ve been sword fighting with this group for 15 years,” Bernstein said.
Last year, Bernstein said there was a Viking-themed festival in mid-Michigan in February before COVID-19 put a pause on all over events the troupe had booked. This year, things are looking better, even with his smaller crew due to COVID-19 limitations members have faced.
Another member connected to the group, Kelly Weinberg, was happy to be running the jail attraction at the festival again.
The jail aims to show that everyone is guilty of something, and to be humble, Weinberg said. The jail includes a stage where members of the public may have to suffer such punishments as performing the hokey pokey, singing a song, or following a Simon-says type instruction.
“It’s all fun, we try bring other vendors into it to be involved,” Weinberg said.
While the Corvus Cohort had attended the Niles Renaissance Faire in the past, it was flanked by a white tent full of historical artifacts and reproductions. The Swordsmanship Museum and Academy had its inaugural year with the faire, said Jerry Berg, the attraction’s director and educator. Through running the Corvus Cohort, which reenacts daily moments from the 16th century, including weaponry and battle, blacksmithing and encampments, Berg also has launched the museum. The museum hosted swords from the Civil War to historical Japanese weapons.
“People have a natural interest in swords. You go to any kid, they pick up a stick, and swing it like a sword,” Berg said. “We would love to take that inherent curiosity and interest in history and teach people about history and culture. It’s ironic the weapons that split us apart in our mind, are the things that will bring us together.”
