Inland 360 file
Forest Druid Allix Juarez poses for a photo after competing in the costume contest May 6, 2023, at the 50th annual Moscow Renaissance Fair at East City Park.
The Kids Village gets a boost for the 51st Moscow Renaissance Fair this weekend at East City Park, 900 E. Third St.
Performances by the University of Idaho’s new Aerial Arts Club are slated for 1-3 p.m. and 3-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and petting stations with ponies and bunnies will be available courtesy of Palouse Paws and Black Ridge Farms.
Among the returning Kids Village activities is the Kingdom Over the Hill, with medieval reenactment group Realms of Avalon offering Renaissance-themed activities.
The free fair, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, includes more than 100 craft vendors, food vendors and a beer garden, by Shattuck Brewing Company.
Food vendors this year will be a combination of nonprofit fundraising booths and commercial vendors, to help meet the demand for concessions, longtime organizer Arlene Falcon shared in a Ren Fair news release. The fair’s zero-waste goal remains, with food vendors required to use compostable serving products.
Music, always a staple of the event, will go on, even with the bandshell disassembled after it was discovered to be in need of major repairs. The Peter Basoa Memorial Stage is still functional, according to the news release, with the city of Moscow assisting with a canopy, in case of rain.
More than a dozen musicians and musical groups are set to entertain throughout the fair, including bluegrass, country, rock ’n’ roll and Americana (see schedule below).
The traditional maypole dance will happen at 1 p.m. both days, followed by a costume contest at 1:45, with cash prizes.
More details are at moscowrenfair.org.
Moscow Ren Fair music schedule
Saturday
10:20 a.m. Katie Ludwig, singer-songwriter
11 a.m. Robert Eggplant, ambient guitar
Noon Range Benders, Americana folk
1 p.m. Maypole dance with Old Time Music Group
2:30 p.m. Ice Cream Band, old time, Irish and bluegrass
4 p.m. Hurricane Surfers, rock ’n’ roll
6 p.m. Bridge Jumpers, bluegrass, dance, rock
Sunday
10 a.m. Frogtown, folk
11 a.m. Monopines, electric soundscape
Noon Blaine Ross and The Contraband Cowboys, outlaw country
1 p.m. Maypole dance with Old Time Music Group
2:30 p.m. Andru Gomez, singer-songwriter
3 p.m. Lonesome Jetboat Ramblers, high-energy old-time and bluegrass
