As with every event I attend, I prepared meticulously for the trip up to Lebanon with my friend Pete. I left nothing to chance. We had a relatively flawless trip going from I-95 to I-91, then at some points route 66 & 3 as I best recall! A few traffic slow-downs on the way, but nothing bad. Faire time at last on a warm, clear Saturday afternoon!
The grounds in Lebanon are fairly huge. Expansive. There were lots of paths covered with gravel and the occasional medium-sized stones & a few exposed tree roots. It made for strenuous going in my wheelchair. Pete helped & pushed some of the time, but I pushed myself quite a bit. Just goes with being wheelchair-bound no matter the place. Nothing unexpected and I was able to navigate all but a few areas.
I was wearing a red & white striped cap and a pirate t-shirt to go along with one of the themes for the day. I saw lots of pirates of all ages have a great time! Lots of dogs, as well. I met & petted quite a few over the course of the day. Beautiful horses were there as well. Most unusual, or shall I say unexpected animal was a lovely python named Lola who I also petted. Lola felt supple & smooth!
There were about 8 zillion vendors at the faire. Oodles of handcrafted items. Massages, henna art, and tons of food (literally!). Of course, they had huge smoked turkey legs - that's a given. But it only scratches the surface. So many sweet and savory choices including Polish food! This Wilcox is part Polish, you know!
Lots of couples and many families with small fry. Introducing kids to ren faires at an early age is great. It sparks creativity & imagination and experience hands-on aspects of the past first hand! I'm sure the dogs all enjoyed the faire as well!I am also happy to report that I was but 1 of many folks in wheelchairs. I had a bright & lovely chat with one of them and she seemed to be enjoying the faire every bit as much as I was!
As I mentioned before, on that day pirates were a secondary theme for the day. So were Vikings. I saw lots of Vikings. As I sat near a shady tree, a whole group of them gathered for a rousing speech by their leader. He stoked their fervor and they all took off, ready for unimagined adventures! I also saw a royal procession pass with jesters, knights, and royalty on horses. Fabulous stuff!
Over the course of the afternoon I heard several minstrels and a passel of deliberately bad old jokes. Hey, it's a ren faire so the jokes should be ancient! I took 306 photos (!!!!), and I met dozens and dozens of folks of all ages. We each had our own adventures and quests. Which is as it should be. The commonality was fun. I'd add generosity to that. And community. Many ideas and ideals joined at the heart. A quest that need never end. The Connecticut Renaissance Faire accommodates your needs and desires. I remember, ages ago, "Choose your own adventure" books. The faire is that brought to life. Buy some spices. Eat some great food. Watch some Shakespeare. Listen to music. Find new friends. Cheer on the jousting! The possibilities are endless!
As I mentioned earlier, I took 306 photos. I couldn't use them all. My apologies to those not in this review. I did my best to share a good cross-section that represent the feel of the day! With my afternoon concluded, my friend & I headed for dinner at Carini's in Wallingford, then back to our respective homes. I'm already gearing up for 2026 if they'll have me back!
None of this would have been possible with the good graces of Brian and Eric. A hearty "HUZZAH!!" to you both! Love to all the vendors, performers & fellow attendees for an unforgettable day! Speaking of which...YOU still have 2 weekends to craft your own faire memories! Purchase your tickets here: Connecticut Renaissance Faire Adventure awaits!
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