Hear ye, hear ye! First Honoka‘a Renaissance Faire cometh

Hear ye, hear ye! All lords and ladies of the Big Island realm are invited to a festive faire in Honoka‘a Town.

The Honoka‘a Business Association is putting on the first Honoka‘a Renaissance Faire from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 12, with activities at Honoka‘a Union Hall and throughout the community. The event is open to all ages and free to attend.

“After a plague, isn’t it time to have some fun?” Honoka‘a Business Association President Michelle Hartman and one of the event’s co-chairs asked in a press release. “We think so.”

The all-day faire will host an array of wondrous sights from local artisans peddling crafted wares and meals, medieval-themed games for all ages, a garden for parched guests to refresh themselves with mead or ale, and a stage that is sure to impress with all manner of arts throughout the day.

There will be sword demonstrations, fire dancing and short plays. There also will be “Dungeons and Dragons” campaigns running during the day, sword and shield decorating, a tomato (or possibly guava) throw, forges, witches, face painters, card readers and much more.

Two free showings of “The Princess Bride” will be at 2 and 7 p.m. at Honoka‘a People’s Theatre. The showings are open to the public and sponsored by Honoka‘a macadamia nut producer Ahualoa Family Farms.

“If this generation or anyone you know hasn’t seen it, then they should because it’s awesome,” Hartman said on Tuesday.

Whether it be treasures found, games won, sights seen or photos taken, all those who attend are sure to make everlasting memories.

“We aim to host a vibrant, all-ages celebration of a global resurgence in art, music, costume, community and culture,” Krista Graves, the other co-chair for the event, added in the press release.

Graves’ 15-year-old son suggested the idea of a Renaissance Faire. He studied the Renaissance period in his program at Keystone Waldorf Homeschool in Honoka‘a and was fascinated by it. Her daughter coincidentally was studying the Renaissance this year in the same program.

So, Graves pitched the idea to Hartman. She said once the idea was put out there, “a lot of interest gathered around it really quickly, so we ran with it.”

They also thought the timing would be perfect.

“We could all really use an opportunity to celebrate a time of revival after the darkness of the past few years,” Graves said on Tuesday. “The faire is meant to be a celebration of the light of the Renaissance through artistry, music, costume and community in a more global sense, not just a Eurocentric historical one.”

While many of the activities will be located at Honoka‘a Union Hall, there will be plenty to see throughout town with the local shopkeepers embracing the Renaissance theme. A great quest sponsored by The Friends of the Libraries of Hāmākua will test the cunning and cleverness of the brave, taking guests on an adventure in search of powerful ancient symbols from around the world.

“I think it’s gonna be a super fun day for people of all ages to experience the small town, big aloha of Honoka‘a,” Hartman said.

So don your festive garb, whether ye be a knight, fairy, pirate or other classic character, and come out for the fun.

The Honoka‘a Renaissance Faire is made possible through a partnership between the Honoka‘a Business Association, the Honoka‘a Heritage Center, Honoka‘a Union Hall, Keystone Waldorf Homeschool, Friends of the Libraries of Hāmākua, Waimea Community Theatre, Hawai‘i County Council District 1, Hāmākua-Kohala Health, Boy Scouts of America Aloha Council Troop 1 and many others.

Volunteers to help with the event are also welcome. Anyone who wants to volunteer can click here to apply.

Donations and contributions for the event are being accepted as well. To make a financial contribution, visit the Renaissance Faire’s GoFundMe page.

For questions about the event, contact Hartman by at 808-775-9777 or via email at honokaarenfaire@gmail.com. You can also follow the faire on Facebook and Instagram. There also is a Facebook event page.

For more information about the Honoka‘a Business Association, click here.