Huzzah! Yuma faire returns Friday

Experience an “olde world” village this weekend, complete with lords and ladies, swordsmen, jugglers, belly dancers, minstrels and magicians, at the Seventh Annual Two Rivers Renaissance Faire Pirate and Faerie Festival.

Guests will be able to watch performers on four stages (see list below), visit some 50 merchants and enjoy medieval food and drink.

The festival will take place 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at West Wetlands Park (1st Street to 12th Avenue).

Jim and Desi Foster, who have been organizing the Yuma fair for seven years, promise a better fair (“everything's better with pirates and faeries”) and “unparalleled” entertainment, including more entertainment for adults and longer hours.

Performers include the band The Whiskey Bards; The Duelists, a swordfighting and comedy duo; A Fool & His Family, a comedy troupe; Fowl Tales, a parrot comedy show; The Merry Wives Of Windsor, a singing group; and The Dread Crew of Oddwood, a pirate-themed band.

The faire will also include local favorites such as the Banat Tabla belly dancers.

Captain Jack Sparrow will be there, telling stories and leading treasure hunts.

“We're bringing in a pirate guild, one with cannons, so we'll be booming, we'll be making a little noise,” Desi said.

Children's games will be hosted by SPLAT — Society of Performers and Live Action Theatre. However, some of the more adult games have been moved to Sir Jeffery's Pub.

While some shows are fun for kids and adults, for example, The Universe According to Galileo Show, some are geared toward adults, such as Adam The Bawdy Juggler, who will perform on the pub stage.

“Last year we stayed open until after dark, 8 p.m., and it went so well, this year we'll be open until 10 p.m., when the kids have gone home and it's time for the adults to have a little more fun,” Desi explained.

The Saturday Night Party at the Pub (not suitable for kids) will take place from 6-10 p.m. The dark will make some shows, like David Chang's spinning fire poi, more dramatic.

Favorites, such as the rocking horse chair, the equivalent of an old-time amusement park ride, will also return this year.

Vendors will be hawking their wares, from leather works and jewelry to belly dancing clothing and Renaissance-era costumes.

For the first time, the Fosters will be part of the nobility, as Lord James and Lady Desiree, “protectors” of the village.

Their hope is that in the future they can also present a Spanish court. “We'll have a Spanish court on one side, and an English court on the opposite side,” Desi said.

A Spanish court is more historically accurate for the region, she noted. “Yuma has more historical ties with Spain, not the English, with its large Hispanic population.”

The Fosters have been smitten with Renaissance fairs since they attended their first 25 years ago.

“I love the openness and frivolity of it,” Desi said. “It's a fun, unique experience. Everybody dresses up, there's a king and a queen, jousts ...

“Our fair is small, we're not quite there yet.”

Nevertheless, the event is already receiving national recognition. Renaissance Magazine named it as one of the Top 100 fairs in the country in 2012.

And the fair keeps growing year after year. It's not surprising considering how much work the Fosters and their troupe of volunteers put into.

“It's a labor of love. Jim and I absolutely love it. We love all the people who populate it and the vendors, many who have been with us since the beginning,” Desi said.

She invites community members to experience that labor of love. “This is your fair. It belongs to Yuma.”

Ticket prices range from $5 to $40, with weekend and family passes and military discounts available. Tickets can be bought online at www.TwoRiversFaire.com or at the gate.

Friday will be school day, with $1 admission for students, teachers and chaperones.

For more information and a schedule of events, go to www.TwoRiversFaire.com or visit the fair's Facebook page.

Performers:

• The Whiskey Bards

• The Duelists

• Adam The Bawdy Juggler

• Myth & Magic

• A Fool & His Family

• Fowl Tales

• The Merry Wives Of Windsor

• Garry Siler

• The Dread Crew of Oddwood

• Banat Tabla

• The Galileo Show

• Barleybone

• William The Adequate

• Sea Shanty & Sandy

• Vince Barteleone

•The Nightingale

• David Chang