"Find your heart's content here": Renaissance Festival welcomes thousands of visitors
SHAKOPEE, Minn. -- Thousands of patrons passed through the gates of one of Minnesota's greatest time traveling experiences Sunday.
With just a handful of weeks remaining, the 2022 Renaissance Festival has already welcomed in tens of thousands of guests, but Sunday's crowd saw even more visit the grounds.
"You can dress up, you can come as yourself, you can come as how you feel and how you wish," said an in-character King Henry. "It's all inclusive and accepting."
The King plays a center role of the show, attempting to use the festival to win over the happiness of the queen.
"Unfortunately, the queen has lost her mirth," he said. "Most people think it could be my fault, maybe partly, probably definitely, so I'm throwing a festival for her!"
"I'm excited to see all the shops and the olden day and stuff like that," said Dorthea Johnson, who visited from Hudson with her mom Anna. The Johnsons visited with friends Denise and Erin Anderson.
"(I love) all of the people, and the costumes and the ambiance," Denise Anderson said.
"We're going to go out, probably buy a sword and eat like 8,000 pickles, it's going to be good," said Alex Reynolds, visiting with a group of friends.
Sunday's theme was "Middle Eastern Bazaar" featuring shops and belly dancing performances.
More than anything, characters in the performance say they love seeing newcomers develop a love for what the festival has to offer.
"For me, that is the magic of this place," said the King. "That is the joy that this festival brings. You can be extroverted as they say, you can be introverted, you can find your heart's content here."
The Renaissance Festival continues the weekend of Sept. 24 and 25 before coming to a close the first weekend in October.
Additional details regarding tickets can be found on the Renaissance Festival's website.
