Pirates, fairies and knights, oh my! His majesty the king has summoned the very best firebreathers, jugglers, musicians, dancers, pipers from all across the realm to please the patrons of the Great Plains Renaissance Festival. Sword will ring upon shield as knights do battle for the honor of their lady fair, the royal falconer shall fly birds of prey, see slight of hand and feats of daring. Come one, come all! Check back often as the scribe shall be adding new names to the list of enchanting entertainers as they respond to the royal decree!
Entertainers
Joust Evolution in action
Joust Evolution – the perfect fusion of showmanship and the physical brutality of a full contact combat. Lances will shatter and sword will ring upon shield. May the most gallant knight win!
Laundry Lasses
New for 2011! Rub a dub, dub, the Laundry Lasses are here! One of the funniest shows we’ve seen, we are very pleased to have these ladies join us for some good clean fun! Laughter and Laundry, who says the two can’t mix! Come one, come all and come clean with the Laundry Lasses!
Didgeman & Scarlett
The didgeridoo (also known as a didjeridu or didge) is a wind instrument developed by Indigenous Australians at least 1,500 years ago and is still in widespread usage today both in Australia and around the world. It is sometimes described as a natural wooden trumpet or “drone pipe”. The Didgeman and Scarlett gets our vote for the coolest new act of 2010! Entertaining, educational and interactive is the best way we can describe it – but judge for yourself, this is one show you will not want to miss. Audience participation is key, don’t be surprised if the Didgeman has a tribe of musical perfomers on stage by the end of the show!
Featuring a wide array of authentic didgeridoos, tribal drums and the stunning stage performance of Scarlett! Appearing twice daily, don’t forget tips are appreciated if you like what you see and hear!
Royal Gauntlet Falconry
Royal Gauntlet Falconry
The Great Plains Renaissance Festival is proud to bring you Master Falconer Robert Aanonsen and the birds of The Royal Gauntlet. Historically, falconry was a popular sport and status symbol among the nobles of medieval Europe and the Middle East. Eggs and chicks of birds of prey were quite rare and expensive, and because the process of raising and training a hawk or falcon requires a great deal of time, money, and space, it was largely restricted to the noble classes. Be sure to catch one of Master Robert’s informative and entertaining shows, you’ll simply be amazed! Huzzah!
Peter Pixie
The prince of the pixies, the paramount of perfomers and the pride of the plains – Peter Pixie is the host with the most! Peter Pixie is a world famous “Ringmaster of Renown” and is our Master of Ceremonies for the 12th Annual Fall Great Plains Renaissance Festival.
- The Pirate Smoker
All Adult Comedy Show!
1 hour of all the jokes the Great Plains Renaissance Festival entertainers would get fired for doing in public! Not for the faint of heart!
4PM - 18 to enter, 21 to drink! $5 to enter, first come first serve seating
Featuring the some of the Great Plains Reniassance Festival’s best entertainers like The ScallyWags, the Musical Blades, The Laundry Lasses, and The Holy Goats!
Amira Dance Productions
These lovely and talented ladies have been with us since our very first year but still find new and exciting ways to delight and thrill the patrons of the Great Plains Renaissance Festival with their middle eastern dance performances! Sharing the joy of dance since 1974
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Flamgra' in Oolos
New for 2011! Blazing across the Midwest, Flamgra’ in Oolos, is quickly becoming a fan favorite with their fire and acrobatic wizardry. Troupe leader Tempest Storm and her Flamgra dancers dazzle young and old alike with their mezmerizing feats of daring, skill and flame! “Hottest” new act for 2011!
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Wichita Highland Games Caber Toss
Aye, time to put down your sabre and pick up the caber! Traditional Highland amuateur Caber Tossing Competition comes to the Great Plains Renaissance Festival! For centuries the Scottish soldiers would practice this important skill so that they could ford rivers quickly and keep their armies on the move. Today it is the most popular of all of the Highland Games events!
Marco of the Looking Glass Players
Medieval puppetry at it’s finest! The Looking Glass Players will be performing an authentic renaissance style puppet show several times each day. This year’s featured attraction – The Princess and the Pea. Oh yes, best watch out for Chanticleer the troll!
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The Musical Blades
The smell of rum, the sea, and black powder. The crashing of the waves and sails snapping in the wind. The creaking of timbers over the raucous laughter of gentlemen of fortune. You’re not at a Festival, Pub or Nightclub anymore, you’re there with the Musical Blades, and part of the crew now to boot!
Since the turn of the century, the Musical Blades have been transporting patrons into their hilarious world of witty dialog, and original maritime songs.
It began as a discussion between two piratical peers, over ales and grog, to find the perfect combination of music and comedy. And now, five distinct personalities, five aesthetic inputs, five pirates with WAY too much time on their hands have worked together to create an original experience in pirate entertainment! A crowd favorite, we are glad to have these pirates on board for the Great Plains Renaissance Festival!
Pirate Ship Seawolves
Yo ho maties, ever wonder what it would be like to roam the high seas in search of adventure and treasure. Well come aboard! The Seawolves will give you first hand look at the workings of real pirate ship, complete tour below includes the captains quarters, crew quarters and the brig!
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Mother Nature and a friend(photo by Maria McManamey)
Standing 8 feet tall, Mother Nature towers above all!
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Saltire Pipers
Pipe Major Ian Briggs previously played with the Pipe Band of the Scots Gaurd where he played regularly for the Changing of the Gaurd Ceremony at Buckingham Palace and he has travelled the world as a member of the British Airways Pipeband as well as winning numerous prestigious awards for his pipe playing. We are greatly honored to have Pipe Major Briggs and the other lads of the Saltire Pipers join us on the fields of the Great Plains Renaissance Festival!
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The Scallywags
This picture says a thousand words…you know these scoundrels can’t be up to any good!
Crazy Boy Coy
The world famous, the one and only Crazy Boy Coy! He’s no stranger to danger and is always sure to draw a crowd. See death defying fire eating, fire breathing, acrobatics and more!
The Smydgyn Flag
Our favorite singing pirates are back and better than ever! Aye maties, head on over to hear the dread songs of the sea! AARRRRGGGGG!!!!
The Holy Goats - get your goat here!
Come watch the travelling monastery of the Holy Goats, as they perform amazing acts of absolution, feats of forgiveness, and death defying deeds of drinking! Pray, Meditate, and Laugh alongside these monks of merriment as they fight the holy war against sobriety!
Merry Lad and Lass
New for 2011! Lad meets Lass, Lass meets Lad and beautiful music occurs – literally! Classically trained these two troubadors are here to delight you with their songs of legend, lore and chivalry!
The SCA
The SCA is an international organization dedicated to researching and re-creating the arts and skills of pre-17th-century Europe. The SCA “Known World” consists of 19 kingdoms, with over 30,000 members residing in countries around the world. Members, dressed in clothing of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, attend events which feature tournaments, royal courts, feasts, dancing, various classes & workshops, and more.
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Stormwrath of Dragorhir
Savage and warlike, the warriors of Stormwrath are here for one reason and one reason only – their love of battle! Sword will clash with shield and they will fight for honor and glory in the great arena – let the battles begin! May the best warrior win!
Antibus The Magician
Fire breathing, magic and slight of hand with the right touch of humor thrown in! You’ll be amazed!!!
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Acadame De Duello Flag
The Acadam’e de Duello is a renaissance fencing club dedicated to the teaching of Renaissance Fencing as used from 1450 to 1750 AD based in Wichita, Kansas. “What is renaissance fencing?” Simply put, the European martial art of rapier fighting. The rapier was an effective, lightweight civilian weapon worn by nobles and scoundrels alike. The fighting style used by Acadam’e de Duello fighting is more effective than the Hollywood versions…”
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Sahara Wind
A whisper of the Near East sets fire to the great plains! These talented ladies are a welcome addition to our 2010 Great Plains Renaissance Festival, Huzzah!
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Thorgrim The Viking
This viking can’t teach you how to train a dragon but we bet he can show you how to gnaw down a turkey leg or two!
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Chivalry for Children Logo
Chivalry for Children is a program to inspire, encourage, and guide children and young adults to seek within themselves the qualities of Chivalry which they possess; and teaches them how to develop exhibit those virtues, and to use them in their interactions with others. Go to their website for more info!
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Sir William Paulet
Chief Herald, Knight of the Realm and the self proclaimed King of Hospitality – it just wouldn’t be the Great Plains Renaissance Festival without our favorite ambassador of good will and cheer greeting our patrons as they enter the festival grounds. Here’s a tip – if your visiting us for the very first time be sure to say hello to Sir William – you are sure to get the royal treatment! Hip, hip Huzzah!
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Go Leor
Go Leor means literally: plenty, aplenty, and in abundance! When it comes to these talented ladies it may be an understatement! Talented musicians Devery Corteville and Emily Schlenker head up the band that explores the languages of Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, Wales, Cornwall, and Brittany; educating and entertaining the audience.
Devery was a founding member of the local Wichita Celtic band Claddagh Ring, and with it to the end. Considering herself mostly a singer, she dabbles at guitar, bodhran, tin whistle, flute, accordion…and has a couple of other instruments that may pop up eventually.
Emily is a fairly new convert to Celtic music, but well-versed in folk music in general, plus has an affinity for languages. After singing, Emily is concentrating mostly on bodhran, but is also picking up some whistle and accordion (and also has a couple of other instruments she’d like to add).
The new band has fewer voices and instruments (at this point) than Claddagh Ring did, but follows the same outlook, doing some of the old Claddagh Ring songs as well as exploring as many of the zillions of songs out there that we keep getting excited about! Mostly a cappella at the moment, Devery and Emily create variety through interesting arrangements and harmonies, and singing more songs in the Celtic languages (with plans to make several of these audience-participation songs, like Claddagh Ring did with La Ziguezon).
Raging Sea
Raging Sea’s music embodies a spirit that isn’t often seen in the urban streets where it is played, yet seems to lurk in all of us. You could know nothing of the land it hails from, and yet feel as though you belonged there yourself. It speaks and sings of timeless themes; of love and loss; of hope and heart; of fire and water, and feelings close even to modern souls. This music brings the light of the past into our future, and makes it ours.
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Commissioner John Bierens of Clan McPherson
Raiders and warriors, the Clan Macpherson hails from the Highlands of Scotland. Fear not though, the modern members of this ancient Scottish Clan are paying us a visit to share the richness and tradition of not only their own history but that of the ancient Highland way of life. You’ll be amazed at some of the very fine and rare Scottish antiques on display. Come be a Scott, even if your not! This is one group not to miss!
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Roscoe Riff, The Magician
The master of magic, sleight of hand, and wonderous wizardry! This is one medieval magician extraordinare!