History in full action at the Maryland Renaissance Festival

For all of us who have yet to outgrow dreams of fair princesses and gallant knights, there remains a place where you can still play make-believe for a day. The annual Maryland Renaissance Festival is underway in its 25th year of fun and fantasy, Henry XIII-style.

Just an hour's drive away in Annapolis, the festival is laid out over two acres of forest and field, encircled by gigantic castle walls and surrounded by the hoards of parked cars that visitors flee every October weekend in search of more romantic chariots within.

There's one more stop before the drawbridge where you have to fork over about $15 in order to enter this privately-funded fair, but that's the last reminder that you are of this era. After the ticket line, you're in 15th-century England until the last bugle call.

From the moment you step in, dirt paths lead off in more directions than you can possibly decide from. But don't let that overwhelm you: if you can't decide between the jousting arena, the court jester's show, the carnival mud fights, or the giant turkey leg for lunch, take a stop in the dressing room first. For a small fee, you can rent a fantastic period costume that will not only transform your exterior, but will bring your mindset to the way things were back then, when all you had to worry about was the time of day.

Now in the dress of a king, or a damsel, or Shakespeare himself, you can set out to explore the town. And if you think I'm just kidding about this dressing-up thing, I'm not: Fair employees have spent years assembling the perfect outfit - you can see in their faces that they love their job, and visitors go all out, many even bringing their own gear complete with accessory swords, capes, hats and staffs.

The Renaissance town is a celebration of the senses. If ever a history textbook bored you with the facts and feats of the 15th century, then this festival is here to enamor you permanently to this vibrant time period. Here, history is very, very not-dead. This town is alive in living color.

Jostling your way through the crowds, you'll find everything from clothing shops to food stalls to fair games to sword-smiths. In the streets, vendors hawk fresh flowered hair wreaths, mysterious potpourri medicine pouches on leather strings, jester sticks and pocket knives. In the clothing stalls, only the price tag of the incredible hand-made garments might dim your shining eyes - umm. anyone for a $1,500 fur cape? Moving on, hit the crafts village, where you'll find more skilled craftsman to outfit you head to toe, depending on the size of your wallet. You'll find shoemakers at work fitting shoes for those who indulge in their fine leatherwork. Armor makers, too, will size you and personally hand-link chain-mail anything for you - and I mean anything. That includes the iron Madonna bra I saw one woman trying on, and the chain-link panties that another guy was buying for his girlfriend. Weapon stalls make authentic swords, maces and knives. To top it off, visit the hat store for crowns, tiaras and wide-brim woolen traveling hats. They range from sterling silver with real gems to affordable silken creations.

And that's not all. The festival is also out to disprove any presumptions that the Renaissance era was about being bored or eating badly. Hourly jousting tournaments draw crowds to the stands to cheer on professional jousters from across the state - jousting is Maryland's state sport, you know! Street-side pavilions offer a rotating program of jesters, troubadours, magicians, dancers, singers and Shakespearean theater. Off in the "other side" of town, you'll find mud fights, "dunk-a-wench" and fool's ladder games to play - try climbing a rope ladder that's strung between the ground and a post by only one rope without tipping over and the money's yours.

As for food, basically, Henry XIII knew how to eat. Feast it yourself, Renaissance-style, with giant turkey legs, steak-on-a-stick, bean broth and tons of meade, the beer of the times. There's much to be had all around, and it's all good.

So head out to the Renaissance Festival this weekend before the fun leaves you Oct. 21. The fair is open weekends from10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. every weekend until then.

Go and remember how much fun dress-up was and still is. Merry olde England is awaiting you. And hey, where else do you get to see Maryland's state sport in action? Come on, guys, it's JOUSTING!