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The 1997 Withrow Renaissance Festival at Huntsville, Arkansas, caught Ryleh completely by surprise. Although this year's Faire was many months in the planning, rumor of the event did not reach Ryleh until late in August--and then as only the barest whisper of a rumor at that. First one friend provided a name; then another, the location; yet another, a tenative schedule of events. Then suddenly in mid-September a full-sized billboard appeared next to the Sonic Drive-In near downtown Harrison, complete with name, telephone contact number and a larger-than-lifesize picture of two knights, jousting. Could Ryleh resist the temptation of a native Renaissance Faire less than an hour's drive away???!?
If your answer is anything but "Nay!", you don't know Ryleh!!!
Regretfully, Ryleh could only visit "Withrow Village" for a few brief hours on Opening Day (Friday, September 26), yet he came away most impressed: two stages hosting eleven different musical, comedy and juggling acts, 22 assorted craft vendors, a jousting arena, games and food booths plus an SCA (Society for Creative Anachronisms) encampment. Considering that Northwest Arkansas was nearly drowned by three days of torrential rain immediately preceding the event, it was an especially outstanding effort! It was so successful that, in fact, the Withrow Faire has already been scheduled to run again 9-11 October in 1998--with even more events, activities and pageantry (and a longer Faire "season" of two weekends) planned for '99!!!
Despite having to ride a shuttle bus to the site, Ryleh arrived in plenty of time to witness the "Grand March" which officially "opened" the festivities. First, the Royal Herald (played by Jim Frey) read the Royal Proclaimation of Welcome to all the assembled patrons; then joined Queen Elizabeth (played by Ann Nelson), the Duchess of Madison (Joan Dillon), the Queen's Ladies-in-Waiting (Jennifer Fee and Robin Milam), all proceeded by two Royal Guards (Cole Davis and Nate Frey), as the Royal Court made a stately and regal progress through the Faire, majestically greeting subjects and fairegoers alike.
Since Opening Day was also "Education Day", numerous busloads of local youngsters helped swell the festive throng, making it difficult to determine just how many of the adults in the crowd were actual Patrons and how many were chaperones for the day. Whichever, the crowd was gratifyingly large. Patrons and chaperones alike seemed to find the craft booths, stage shows and special events both interesting and entertaining, for none of the shows or events lacked an audience, while business ran brisk to steady all along Vendors' Row that morning!
Of course being the first day, the Faire was still getting organized when Ryleh arrived. Not all the rides were in place, a few of the vendors were still setting up their merchandise and some of the games were still being organized. At the "Spear Toss", for example, the "Master of the Game" first had to spray-paint a red bullseye on the target--a large bale of rolled hay--before the game could open. This proved only a minor delay--and would be considered "par for the course" for the first day of any Faire. However, the fact that the Withrow Village organizers set up the entire site--rides, circus tents, stages, jousting arena and all--during a constant, three-day heavy downpour prior to the Faire, made such small delays understandable. It was a most outstanding example of cooperation, team effort and community spirit by everyone involved which kept Withrow "on schedule" and running smoothly, from start to finish!
As an amusing aside: at this particular game, Ryleh observed one youth trying his hand at spear-throwing. The lad hefted his spear, raised it into position, took careful aim, then hurled his spear with all his might at the target. Whereupon his spear sailed completely over the bale of hay and disappeared into the empty woods beyond! It was the perfect moment for some backstage wit to scream "ArrrggGHHH!" (perhaps followed, after a brief pause, by "Eh! 'Tis only a flesh wound!"), but the opportunity passed to the young fellow's friends instead, who jibed him mercilessly for his spear-throwing "prowess"--or rather lack thereof!
One of the unique attractions at Withrow this year was the Punch & Judy puppet theater. Truly this might seem of little moment, but of all the RenFaires Ryleh has visited to date--including the "giants": Scarborough, Bristol and TRF--not one of them has yet offered Punch & Judy to the fairegoing publick! Fie and for shame: what could be more Renaissance than Punch & Judy, after all???!?
As performed by the "Scene and Sound Smiths" (Barbara and Dwayne Smith), the Withrow Punch & Judy show was presented in classic Italian Renaissance style. There was, for instance, the brightly-bedecked puppet booth with its black curtain behind which the puppteer (Barbara) stood while her puppets "played" in front, with Dwayne seated nearby as guitarist providing musical accompaniment. The play itself was classic Punch & Judy, too! At one point during the play, for example, P&J did a sprightly dance to Dwayne's strumming, then took a well-earned bow to the audience. After a couple of bows, Punch straightened up but Judy kept bowing...and bowing...and bowing...and bowing... Whereupon Punch, vastly annoyed, picked up a handy club and proceeded to thwack Judy repeatedly about the head and shoulders to make her stop!
Onstage violence against a member of the feminine gender in front of children--it was terribly incorrect politically-speaking, but with Punch & Judy you gotta love it!!!
After enjoying the Punch & Judy show, Ryleh proceeded straight to the craft booths along Vendors' Row. Now it must first be said that "Withrow Village" is strictly a "tent" Faire as there are no permanent structures on site: outside of Faire season it is a state park, after all! Which does make it difficult to "get into" the true Faire spirit, alas... Despite that, there were a myriad of temptations offered both to open--and lighten!--Ryleh's purse!
One booth, for instance, offered an excellent series of colorful Keltic knotwork designs (all suitably matted and framed, ready to hang) which tempted him mightily; nearby was a master swordsmith with a small but impressive selection of fine maces, axes and swords--all live steel: balanced, honed and oiled; and naught one being a "presentation" blade! Another artist offered an outstanding selection of black & white dragon prints: had they been in color, Ryleh would have gladly acquired one for his collection!
Ryleh's sales resistance broke down, however, at Eric's "Chainmaile" booth for among the rings, coifs and chainmail jewelry were a number of black leather skullcaps which immediately caught Ryleh's eye. The craftsmanship was excellent: each helm had leather reinforcing strips both along the sides and forming a cross to the crown, a short noseguard in the Norman style and shiny steel studs used both as decoration and to assemble each piece. Better yet, these skullcaps not only fit Ryleh's head but their price also fit Ryleh's purse right well, indeed!
There was, of course, an eminently practical consideration for Ryleh's interest in these helms. Due to Ryleh's natural "tonsure", he has come away from far too many Faires this past year (1997) with a sunburned head since the hood of his traveller's garb continuously slips down throughout the day. True, while a black leather cap could be hot under the Summer sun (especially in Texas), it does offer some protection from the sun's direct rays--and it can be removed for cooling anytime Ryleh finds shade...
Which is by far easier (and more comfortable) than trying to treat a sunburned pate after the fact!
Alas, grim reality recalled Ryleh to his mundane existence far too soon for his likes. There was barely enough time to enjoy the drumming and dancing of "Fire of the Opal" and catch a brief glimpse of a swordfighting demonstration before it was time to leave! In the week following the Faire, however, a number of Ryleh's informants reported their reactions to Withrow.
These reported that the jousting demonstrations by the Hanlon-Lee Action Theater were very good. Frank Hui, who did not attend the Withrow Festival but is familiar with the Action Theater from other Faires, said "(having) the Hanlon-Lee joust troup perform (at Withrow) is a real coup. They are one of the best joust troupes around and my favorite. They used to be a main staple up at Bristol! I found out to my pleasure that they perform at the Arizona festival to packed crowds in the special stadium. These guys emphasize intense theatrics with grisly effects more than accurate jousting techniques and style. The result is a very involving show!" --Master Hui
Others thought the armored/unarmored combat exhibitions with live steel were excellent and that Harmless T. Jester's daily performances of juggling, swordswallowing and fire-eating was outstanding. Still others enjoyed Jim Frey as "The Storyteller", who apparently improvised his tales as he went along. Which is a considerable talent in itself if you have never tried it personally!
Yet others spoke highly of the OK Trading Post, who offered rides on their Shetland ponies to fairegoing youngsters. By one report, the Trading Post also displayed a pure white Shetland pony at the Faire on Saturday. From the description given, this animal was absolutely gorgeous: a sleek and shiny coat; a well-groomed mane; all bathed to a dazzling whiteness. The only thing lacking, so Ryleh's informant said, was an ivory horn on her forehead....and that pony could easily have passed as a Unicorn!
Today, the Withrow Faire remains the most successful Renaissance Faire in Arkansas. A recent contender--Camelot--opened in the Summer of '94 near Blue Eye, Missouri; and lasted all of six weeks before closing, permanently! Camelot, however, was beset by difficulties almost from Day One. Prime among those was the promoters notion of a "Great Leap Forward": building a year 'round 365-day Faire with a physical plant rivaling Scarborough, Bristol or TRF in scope, straight up from our red, Ozark clay--and all within a year or less...
Needless to say, the promoters of Camelot met with the same notable lack of success as their Chinese counterparts half a world away!
The Withrow Renaissance Festival, on the other hand, enjoys several distinct advantages over the late Camelot. Chief among those is a 45-year-long history rich in tradition. The Faire grew out of The American Crossbow Association (ACA), which held its first crossbow tournament near Huntsville in 1953. Now Medieval pagaentry has always been a major hallmark of the ACA's annual competition from the very beginning, featuring costumed patrons and participants in attendance, craft vendors at the site and parades through downtown Huntsville marking the event. It is Ryleh's understanding that jousting demonstrations were even held as early as 1957 in conjunction with this pagaentry--which would easily make the contemporary Withrow Faire the oldest Renaissance Faire still in existence not just in Arkansas but in the United States at large!
Community support is another great advantage Withrow enjoys. According to one staffer manning the gate, the good ffolkes of Huntsville are enthusiatic about their Faire: making their own costumes, donating their talent and volunteering their free time in order to make Withrow work. For a Faire, their effort was outstanding! Finally and foremost, the Withrow Faire has a long-range plan for growth. This year, for instance, it ran only a single three-day weekend: 26-28 September. In 1998, however, the Faire will move to the second weekend in October, with plans to extend the Faire "run" to two Fall weekends in 1999. Thus, the Withrow Faire can simply add more weekends to their schedule as patronage grows over future years. And who knows where that may lead...?
Mayhap to a permanent site with a true "city gate", permanent vendor shops in "ye Olde Englishe" style, a castle (suitably "haunted" for Halloween!), improved paths and trails providing access both for baby carriages and wheelchairs, street performers doing "improv" bits, more stages, more entertainers...and even an alehouse or two for those truly unrepentant reprobates like Ryleh!
To the health of the Withrow Faire: HUZZAH!!!
1998 FAIRE INFORMATION here... 
more information on the Withrow Rennaisance Festival added 15 September 98
Standard Disclaimer: This webpage is strictly an *Unofficial* look at the Withrow Renaissance Festival held near Huntsville, Arkansas in September, 1997. The author of these pages is in no way, shape, manner or form connected with the Withrow Renaissance Festival, the American Crossbow Association, the Society for Creative Anachronisms, the Huntsville Chamber of Commerce 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 ©1997 by George Laking.
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