Thrill of Renaissance Fairs, Winter Carnivals and Purim

By Aimee Mahmoud

Admittedly, some of us hardcore Halloween fanatics often find ourselves wishing that the time for dress-up fun came about more than one evening out of the year, and sometimes even going as far as to mark a countdown 'till next year's Halloween! Sadly, so few us realize the opportunities available to get our masquerade-kicks without having to wait until October - just by delving into our local community activities!

On a historical note, the Venetian Carnival season originated in the 13th century as a celebration to commemorate the city-state's triumph over the tyrannical Ulrich II of Aquileia, and in time became a strong symbol of Venetian cultural identity, till being banned in 1797 under the rule of the Habsburg Austrians, and the public use of masks became strictly forbidden. The festival tradition did not widely re-emerge until 1979, at the behest of the Venice city council, looking to cash in on public activities that would draw in tourist money. Today, approximately 3 million visitors from all over the world flock to the Venice Carnivals, which are held roughly between mid-February, ending on Ash Wednesday, before the Roman Catholic observation of Lent. Carnival-goers often attend in full costume, and contests are held with prizes for the best masks and costumes. In North America, Venetian-style carnivals are held across major cities in the U.S. and Canada with a large population of Italian expatriates, and Venetian masks and masquerade-type costumes feature prominently in Mardi Gras festivities, also held before Ash Wednesday.

Renaissance fairs are largely an American phenomenon, one that seeks to incorporate "living history" with lively forms of entertainment like jousting, archery, storytelling, and acrobatics. Most Renaissance fairs are set in an imaginary village in 16th century England, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, as this period is generally considered to be the English Renaissance. Vendors, performers, and costumed actors gather together to entertain crowds with reenactments of what are commonly presumed to be Elizabethan personalities. Fair-goers are encouraged to attend in costume to give the entertainment a more authentic feel. There's also usually a Queen or King or both who serve as the "mistress/master of ceremonies", and many festivals seek to incorporate elements of fantasy and mythology, such as centaurs and fairies, into their aesthetic scheme. In the words of Chicago journalist Neil Steinberg,

If theme parks, with their pasteboard main streets, reek of a bland, safe, homogenized, whitebread America, the Renaissance Faire is at the other end of the social spectrum, a whiff of the occult, a flash of danger and a hint of the erotic. Here, they let you throw axes. Here are more beer and bosoms than you'll find in all of Disney World.

Purim celebrations in Jewish communities are equally lively spectacles, as they seek to honor the Biblical tale of Queen Esther and her uncle Mordecai, who saved ancient Persia's Jews from annihilation by King Xerxes' duplicitous adviser, Haman. Jewish communities take part in customs such as Purim plays and songs, street parades, donating to charity, the eating of fruit pastries in the shape of ears known as "Haman's ears", and of course, masquerade. The tradition of Purim dress-up arose in the 15th century by Italian Jews inspired by Venice Carnivals, and the trend spread throughout the rest of European Purimfests. Nowadays, people of all faiths in major cities across the world with large Jewish populations are welcomed to take part in the fun

And let's not forget...Cosplay! The recent trend of dressing up as your favorite popular culture character and attending fan conventions has become a world-wide phenomenon, with some fans going as far as crafting their own theatrical-quality costumes by hand! Some will even invest thousands of dollars towards the perfect get-up. Devoted cosplayers can be seen at widely-known fan conventions like Comic-Con, Dragon Con, Florida Supercon, to name a few.

A bit of body glitter here, a dash of fake blood there...Masquerading is without a doubt one of the most enjoyable forms of entertainment a person can take part in; Especially when followed by a good party in the company of good friends and loved ones. It's one of the things that makes Halloween such a hit holiday, but so few of us rarely take the time to realize the numerous amount of year-round costume occasions right in our own backyards.