There is only one spot this weekend where you can converse with a 
troll, dine on a roasted turkey leg and be presented to royalty: The Alabama Renaissance Faire in downtown Florence. And, why, you may ask, does Florence host the official Alabama Renaissance Faire? Well, for one thing, Ferdinand Sannoner, an Italian who helped surveyed the town in 1818, named it after Firenze, the beautiful Italian Renaissance city built around the River Arno just as the present-day Florence is situated on the Tennessee River. And for another, this is Ren Faire Alabama-family-style. There’s no drinking and no R-rated entertainment. You can bring both your grandmother and your grandchildren here without fear of embarrassment. In fact, education is a major part of the faire. Throughout October (and really all year long), Ren Faire volunteers visit local schools and give programs on life in Renaissance times. There are art, sonnet and chess contests for students, and high-schoolers get to help out at the faire for extra credit. Plus, the Faire is free, it’s in a small confined space — downtown’s Wilson Park, turned into the Fountain-on-the-Green for the duration — and it’s full of child-friendly crafts, food and fun. If you’ve ever shied away from a Ren Faire because you envisioned drunken pirates and way-too-buxom maidens running around, then this is the place you need to be — 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 24 and noon to 6 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 25. Go to http://www.alarenfaire.org/ for more info on the Alabama Renaissance Faire.
Coffee with Cathy
Pour a cup & take a break
Coffee with Cathy 
Looks like a fun time! We have a Ren festival here, but I haven’t gone in years.. I need to!
🙂
Yes, you need to, Tabitha! I love all sorts of Ren Faires, and ours is especially fun and family-friendly. The Tennessee Renaissance Faire, which is every weekend in May, is a little more R-rated — with beer on tap and some slightly risque comedy and musical acts. But it’s all good!
I highly recommend this!
It is a Fun faire. I’ll be there this weekend.
I love going to the ALaRF! wonderful venue and season!
I do, however, have to disagree with the Shoalswriter that TNRF is more R-rated. Yes, there is beer on tap, but the owners have strived to keep the venue more family-friendly. We have a rating on every show, so the wrong age may not wander in, and I do not know if we even have a show that is R-rated this year. Well worth the trip for kids of all ages!
Alicia – Thank you so much for reading and taking the time to comment here. You are so right that the TNRF is a family activity for all ages. I probably overstated the “R” rating! I just wanted folks who are used to the Alabama faire to be prepared for the more adult aspects (draft beer, R-rated shows and a tendency toward more revealing costumes)of the Tennessee version.