by Garrett Piersa

The fourth annual Courtland Renaissance Faire will be held at the Walter Cecil Rawls Library and Rawls Museum 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 14.

The planning committee has been hard at work. The props have been gathered, costumes made, performances rehearsed and everyone is ready to put on a grand show this spring.

The planning committee in collaboration with the Friends of the Rawls Library is very excited to present the faire this year and has many new and exciting activities planned.

Every April, the village of Coureading — representative of “Courtland Reading” because of its location on library grounds — comes to life in a magical display of history, depicting a span of time ranging from the High Middle Ages to the Elizabethan Era.

In the living history section of the Courtland Faire, guests will find the Adrian Empire and the Society for Creative Anachronism as well as other re-enactors. In this part of the faire, guests will be able to enjoy watching armor and chain-mail being made, fighters in full regalia participating in live-action sword and steel fighting tournaments, artisans demonstrating their crafts and more.

Throughout the festival there also will be a colorful array of period merchants selling their various wares. Here, guests will be able to purchase garb, accessories, gifts, toys and other items of that time.

At varying times throughout the day, there will be different performances as well from period dance to the Queen’s Court Jester and the Village Minstrel.

On the other side of things, there will be the magical land of the Fairies Realm. Guests can step into a world of wonder and folklore, and experience the stories and little people of Medieval Europe, as well as meet the Fairy Queen and her sister, the Lady of the Lake.

They also will be able to enjoy a slew of games complete with a fun, educational Quest through the Village.

The Courtland Renaissance Faire is a fun, educational, non-profit event. There is no admission fee, and there will be food for sale during lunch. Everyone is welcome to join in the excitement.

For more information visit www.medievalsouthampton.yolasite.com, find us on Facebook, or call 653-2821.

GARRETT PIERSA is an 18-year-old Courtland resident and student at Paul D. Camp Community College. He is a historical re-enactor and member of the Friends of the Rawls Library as well as the planning committee for the Courtland Renaissance Faire. He can be reached at gchevolazski@yahoo.com.