Every year a crew of actors and artisans revive a themed village on the outskirts of Phoenix, and The Arizona Renaissance Festival comes to life. With jousting tournaments, comedy acts, street performers, artisans, food, games, rides, and more, the Festival is literally a full day of fun for the whole family. It’s a particularly memorable place for me because I watched my brother propose to his wife at the Festival (in front of a huge crowd and at the request of the king, no less).

The Festival can help your child envision what life may have been like for the characters in one of our favorite books, Princess Academy. Though the book isn’t necessarily set in the Renaissance period, the descriptions of life on the slopes of Mount Eskel seem to hearken back to a Medieval Era. The villagers go through their own form of awakening and enlightenment that felt to us like a localized version of the Renaissance. Besides the lack of technology, your little reader will find other similarities between the Festival and events in the book, including the singing, dancing, craftsmanship, and (of course) the life of royalty!

The Book

Title: Princess Academy

Click here to get this and other Shannon Hale books in our Amazon store.

Author: Shannon Hale

Recommended Age: 9-12

Book Brief: High on the slopes of Mount Eskel, Miri’s family has lived forever, pounding a meager living from the stone of the mountain itself. Miri dreams of working alongside the others in the quarry, but she has never been allowed to work there – perhaps, she thinks, because she is so small.

Then word comes from the lowlands: the king’s priests have divined that the prince’s bride-to-be – the next princess – will come from Mount Eskel. The prince himself will travel to the village to choose his bride, but first all eligible girls must attend a makeshift academy to prepare for royal lowlander life.

At the school, Miri finds herself confronting both bitter competitin among the girls and her own conflicted desires to be chosen. Yet when danger comes to the academy, it is Miri, named for a tiny mountain flower, who must find a way to save her classmates – and the chance for the future that each of them is eager to secure as her own.

From acclaimed author Shannon Hale comes a richly imagined novel about would-be princesses and the destiny of one small but determined girl.

About the Author: Shannon Hale started writing books at age ten and has never stopped. With an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Montana, she published The Goose Girl and its companion, Enna Burning, to critical acclaim. She lives in Salt Lake City with her husband and their son, Max. Learn more about Shannon Hale at www.shannonhale.com.

The Blast

Arizona Renaissance Festival

Dates & Times:

Saturdays and Sundays through March 29th, 2009

10AM-6PM

Location: 12601 East Highway 60, Apache Junction (7 miles east of Apache Junction on Highway 60)

Parking is free

Website: http://www.royalfaires.com/arizona/

Cost:

Online or at box office -

Adults – $20

Children (5-12 years) – $10 (under 5 are free)

Seniors (60+ years) – $17

It’s a Blast! The Arizona Renaissance Festival is a medieval amusement park, a 12-stage theater, a 30-acre circus, an arts and crafts fair, a jousting tournament and a feast — all rolled into one non-stop, day-long family adventure!

The Marketplace features over 200 artisans displaying a variety of unique, hand-made wares.  Watch as the ancient skills of glassblowing, leatherwork, weaving, woodcarving, blacksmithing, candlemaking and pottery are displayed…IT IS A TREASURE TROVE!

Soar into the sky on the Assault Catapult, ride The Piccolo Pony – the world’s largest rocking horse, take a spin on Da Vinci’s Flying Machine or sail the high seas on the Voyage to the New World.  The Festival’s unique “people-powered” rides provide merriment for the entire family!

Test your abilities at the Festival’s many games:  target-shooting with bow or crossbow, storming the castle in a paintball battle, or throw a tomato at an insulting peasant at Vegetable Justice.  For those patrons in the mood for an extreme challange you can test your physical mettle at the Climbing Tower or show your warrior side throwing a battle axe.

The Festival has 12 stages of continuous, live entertainment, each packed with a unique mix of comedy, music and mischievous antics! You never know what is going to happen, on stage or off . . . Rub shoulders with the King & Queen, banter with the village fool, watch the Birds of Prey or dance with the gypsies! Enjoy swordplay, wordplay, raucous music and roaring comedy at The Renaissance Festival!

Extra tips for a Good Time:

• Admission includes free parking and all entertainment shows, including the Tournament Jousting and Birds of Prey show.  You may choose to purchase arts and crafts items, food or beverage, or enjoy some rides and games (costs vary) – so bring some extra cash!
• No outside food and drink is permitted through the Festival Main Gate, so if you plan to bring some food you’ll need to leave it in the car.
• You can leave and come back in the same day, if you need to. As you exit the front gate, you may have your hand stamped in order to re-enter the Festival that same day.
• Strollers, wheelchairs, wagons, and motorized scooters are available to rent, on a first-come, first-served basis, at the costume rental shop located just outside the Festival Main Gate.
• No pets!
• You are welcome to come dressed in costume and costumes are available for rental.  Costumes are available for rental at the Costume Shoppe located behind the box office prior to entrance to the Festival.  Prices vary based upon costume choice.  Costume swords and daggers are permitted as long as they are properly sheathed and peace tied.
• To help plan your day, check out the schedule of events before you go.