New York Renaissance Faire

The New York Renaissance Faire is a Renaissance faire located in Tuxedo, New York off New York State Route 17A. In 2022, the faire celebrated its 45th season.[1] The 65-acre (260,000 m2) faire[2] comprises permanent structures and has twenty stages and more than 100 shops.[3] The fair runs seven weekends (Saturdays and Sundays) beginning in late August, plus Labor Day Monday. The COVID-19 pandemic caused the 2020 fair to be cancelled.

New York Renaissance Faire
Entry gate to the New York Renaissance Faire
GenreRenaissance fair
DatesAugust - October
Location(s)Tuxedo, New York
Inaugurated1977
Attendance160,000 (average)
Area65 acres (260,000 m2)
Stages20
Websitewww.renfair.com/ny/

History

The New York Renaissance Faire was originally created 1977. In 1996, Barbara Hope and Donald Gaiti, Renaissance Entertainment Corp. acquired Creative Faires Ltd., the company who owned and operated the faire.[4] The faire is the fifth to be owned by the corporation.[4]

With the COVID-19 pandemic causing the 2020 faire to be cancelled, the 43rd season was deferred to 2021.[5][6]

Attractions
Ann Alford as Queen Elizabeth I at the New York Renaissance Faire.

Like many other faires, the faire has a different storyline that changes with each year. Some weekends are themed, such as one aimed towards pirates.[7]

The faire is a training ground for stage and screen actors who use the opportunity to grow in their careers.[8] The actors spend two months preparing for the faire.[8] The faire is also known for its charity work in reading programs and blood donations.[9]

Several weeks after the faire ends, the fairgrounds can be changed to a Halloween-themed event called the Forest of Fear. It runs every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night in October.[10] In 2018, the primary building for this event sustained damage from heavy rains. The Forest of Fear facebook page announced to fans that they would not operate that year.[11][12] The attraction has not run since. The website appears to be down for maintenance. [13]

Allegations of hostile workplace environment

In Fall 2019, News 12 ran a segment on Turn To Tara covering the allegedly hostile work environment. News 12 obtained a leaked copy of the directors' daily discrepancy reports from the summer 2018 season. The segment describes allegations from previous and present works that "sexual misconduct, performer in-fighting and substance abuse are rampant." Management did not comment.[14]

In January 2020, News 12 again covered this issue, airing an interview with a former performer and manager who was responsible for a 30-person cast the summer of 2019. She alleges a hostile and unsafe working environment, saying "a lot of the women would often, when we got together, would share things that were said to us, inappropriate things." A striking example: "there was a 17-year-old cast member who came to me because one of the directors there said something that was sexually suggestive. She was humiliated by it and didn't know how to ask for help. I feel like it was behavior tolerated for so long it just became accepted."[15]

The leadership team did not comment directly. Their lawyer, in a letter to News 12, describes this as a non-story. They wrote, "The culture at NYRF is anything but sexually hostile. The NYRF has a strong anti-sexual harassment policy, and provides comprehensive sexual harassment training.” [15]

See also

References
  1. Sunkin, Alyssa (6 August 2010). "Renaissance Faire's returning, forsooth!". Times Herald-Record. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
  2. Graeber, Laurel (1997-09-12). "For Children - 20th Annual New York Renaissance Faire". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-08-21.
  3. Rovito, Lisa Marie (2006). Frommer's Great Escapes From NYC Without Wheels. John Wiley and Sons. p. 255. ISBN 0-7645-9829-5.
  4. Accola, John (1996-02-17). "Renaissance Buys New York Fair\Boulder Company Adds One of Oldest Elizabethan Festivals To ITs Acquisitions". Rocky Mountain News.
  5. "Frequently Asked Questions". New York Renaissance Faire. Archived from the original on August 3, 2020. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  6. "The Faire - New York Renaissance Faire". 2021-01-23. Archived from the original on 2021-01-23. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
  7. "Special Theme Weekends & Events for 2009". Renaissance Entertainment Corp. Archived from the original on August 7, 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-21.
  8. Minor, E. Kyle (2000-08-20). "The Performers Behind the Costumes". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-08-21.
  9. Pologruto, Jessica (2008-08-22). "Forsooth! Characters of old address new needs". NBC News. Retrieved 2009-08-21.
  10. Charles, Eleanor (1995-10-01). "Westchester Guide". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-08-21.
  11. "Popular Hudson Valley Haunted House Will Not Open This Year". 101.5 WPDH. August 23, 2018. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
  12. "Forest of Fear – #1 Scariest Haunt in New York". 2018-09-10. Archived from the original on 2018-09-10. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
  13. "Website is under construction". 2021-01-22. Archived from the original on 2021-01-22. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
  14. "Turn to Tara: Leaked documents allege misconduct at Renaissance Faire". News 12 - Westchester. September 19, 2019. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
  15. "NY Renaissance Faire employee: 'People are terrified of speaking out ... being blacklisted or fired'". News 12 - The Bronx. January 21, 2020. Retrieved 2021-03-24.

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