I am Blackwolf the Dragonmaster: it is my pleasure to guide you through the ins, outs and related good stuff pertaining to this humble hamlet some 35 miles away from the realm referred to by you Mortals as New York City.

Firstly, it is imperative that I bring thee "up to speed," to quote one of the more popular phrases in the Mundane tongue. Know, then, that it is the summer of 1589--and here in the Shire of Sterling, the populace is abuzz with anticipation. For it has been decreed that the town is to receive a visit from Her Most Glorious Majesty, Queen Winifred. This visit is part of a Royal Progress from Lincolnshire to Sussex, with Sterling falling just somewhere in between the overall route.

The visit to Sterling was suggested to Her Majesty by the Queen's half-sister, Eleanor, Duchess of York--whom the Crown had recently acknowledged as the daughter of the late King Edmund the Bold. But let this chart give you a better idea as to the line of succession to the throne:

As for me, I was there not so much to be a part of the Court intrigue as to explore the lay of the lands. To successfully maintain a proper hold on my exploratory genes--and so travel through Sterling unmolested--I assumed the form of the Mortal, Richard Washington; and, armed only with young Richard's mighty camera (OK, so it was one of those bloody cheap cameras. Big deal!), I managed to capture some of the fun and frivolity of a day in Sterling.

The following pictures were taken by Richard Washington during one of seven weekends--July 27 to September 17, 1996--of the 19th New York Renaissance Faire, the first to be developed and produced by Creative Faires, Ltd. under that company's status as a subsidiary of Renaissance Entertainment Corporation. Please be advised (as usual) that these pages are graphick intense and may take some time to download. If your enjoyment of these pictures has, in some small measure, encouraged you to want to attend the 1998 New York Renaissance Faire Sterling Forest, then indeed I shall be very grateful.

But enough of long-winded introductions: On to the Faire!

Right off the bat (as they say in the Mundane tongue), here she is: Her Majesty Queen Winifred of England! Huzzah! Her Majesty is joined by Lord Reginald Cheeke, Lord Chancellor of the Realm (he's the fellow holding the book). When Squire Washington first made up his mind to journey to the Shire of Sterling, one of the reasons he cited was the opportunity to have a few minutes in the Royal Presence--and, perhaps, to take a photo of Her Majesty. As you can see, the lad got both his wishes granted. Now if only Aubrey Llewellyn, the Archbishop of Canterbury--whose mitre you can partially see here--had not been completely obscured by Her Majesty's ravishing regalia!

Two more shining examples of Queen Winifred's Court: Lady Penelope Devereaux, Senior Lady-in-Waiting to Her Majesty; and Lord Edward DeVere, Earl of Oxford. They were the first costumed Nobles our Squire encountered on his adventure; accordingly, by his taking this picture of them, Lord Edward and Lady Penelope were likewise introduced to 20th Century technology! "Turnabout is fair play," Squire Richard is fond of saying--and after all, this being the Renaissance period, faire play is doubtless the name of the game.

From left to right: Dennis Shearin, bazuk; Rosemary Birard, bodhran; Brahm Stuart, fiddle--three of the many strolling minstrels and troubadors making musical merry throughout the Shire. Dennis also plays fiddle, mandolin, guitar and hammered dulcimer; and frequently makes appearances at various New York Faires, among them Sterling Forest and Fort Tryon Park. Dennis and Rosemary were members of the Shire of Sterling's Gypsy Camp Band at the time this picture was taken. The other members were: Bob LaPre, timpani, percussion, pipe and tabor; and John Scarpelli, guitar. Brahm, together with his guitarist wife, Deirdre, are the duo called "Shaman".

Hammered dulcimer and acoustic guitar combine to form a delightful afternoon's duet. Alas, I know not the names of this happy twosome! So if either or both of you see this, you are invited to identify yourselves in Ryleh's "Book of Guests" so that we may know who you are.

From the Squire's tiny vantage point we watch the Gypsy Tinkers, choreographed by Lori Jorgensen Fischer, presenting a program of country, court and folk dancing from all over the world. Shaman and the Gypsy Camp Band provide the musical accompaniment. The Tinkers also specialize in flag corps demonstrations based upon an ancient code of Italian military drills known as the "Colorati Festivi".

The Chess Board--where this performance took place--is also home to the "Living Chess Game." With Queen Winifred and her Court presiding, the spectators watched in awe during Faire '96 as Robin Hood and the Sheriff matched their intellectual wits--and the Merry Men and the Sheriff's forces squared off in somewhat extremely harsh combat! Of course, no one gets killed here in Sterling. There are, however, several major "boo-boos" commited in the Shire. Like your Dragonmaster, Her Majesty frowns on "boo-boos"!

And of course Robin has his work cut out for him as he battles to stop the Sheriff's nasty scheme to rob the Lord of Locksley of his lands, his titles and his life! Boo hiss! And of course we watch as Maid Marion marries the right man. In green tights, naturally.

Here's a view of the Children's Parade. Snoot, Her Majesty's Court Jester, invites the young and young-at-heart of all ages to follow him in a joyous procession dedicated to the spirit of tomfoolery and childhood. Even in my 4000 years of lifetime, tomfoolery and childhood are items that continue to be part of my vocabulary. A wise wizard, you see, learns after a thousand years or so to appreciate the power that comes from using one's imagination, as well as the ability to wield that power responsibly. There is simply no stronger reminder of this truth than seeing the world through the eyes of a child.

Here is a portrait of the Storybook Stage--no matter that I somehow noticed the little fellow in the lower-right corner. At least you can see here the full spectrum of the Stage itself. Here, the StoryTyme Players--who serve double-duty as villagers of Sterling--share stories, songs and plays from the four corners of the globe about wizards, warriors and wanderers. Also, the audience members help each new story along! (Editor's Note: Ryleh's scanner failed to capture the crisp sharpness of Squire Washington's original photo of the Storybook Stage. The text in the photo reads: "Once upon a time in the beautiful Shire of Sterling Forest, where Folk befriended Frogs, Frogs turned into princes and princes courted peasant maidens. This cheerful repose, that cast care away, came to be known as The Storybook Stage. So come and join in the play! It is here in a far, far away land, back in the days of yore where our story begins. There is one thing that tender young hearts can always be sure of... here, everyone lives happily ever after.")

And here are two of the villagers who help take part in the storytelling activities: Thomas Mutton, village butcher and cook; and Maggie Pye, the village baker. Visitors to Sterling who wear 20th Century garb--which is to say, you Mortals--can also interact and even strike up a friendly conversation with, not only Master Mutton and/or Mistress Pye...but several of the other denizens of Sterling as well.

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Standard Disclaimer: This webpage is strictly an *Unofficial* look at the New York Renaissance Festival Sterling Forest held near New York City, New York in 1996. The author of these pages is in no way, shape, manner or form connected with the New York Renaissance Festival Sterling Forest, Creative Faires, Ltd., Renaissance Entertainment Corporation and/or any of the sponsors associated with this event. All opinions expressed are strictly this author's own. Unless noted otherwise, all photographs are copyright ©1998 by Richard Washington.

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