The 23rd annual IOWA RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL & Gathering o'Celts will expand its grounds this year to create more room for large living history demonstrations and games of skill activities.
>    It will run on all three days of Memorial Day Weekend, May 24-25-26th, from 11am to 6pm. It takes place at the pastoral and shaded Middle Amana community park in the heart of the Amana Colonies.
>    This year will also see an added performance space and additional artisan merchants, along with several new food stalls. All of the novelty foods, drinks and treats booths will return, along with the beer garden.
>    The hi-lights of the entertainment roster will be Joust Evolution's latest equestrian arena spectacular, Clann Tartan's large outdoor museum & living history village, three children's shows including the Jester Puppet's "Punch & Judy" show which earned 'Best New Act' at the festival last year, the Blue Rose Mermaid in her pond, two new celtic bands -- Clearly Guilty from Kansas City and Silverthorn from eastern Iowa, the living statue performance artist Katelyn McBurney, Have Court Will Travel royal entourage, Shattock Schoole of Defense and Sons of the Mist.
>    Added to the games and activities roster will be the public participatory sword fencing challenge, DaVinci's bubble machine and a treasure hunt.
>    One of the featured aspects of the event are the 60 artisan crafts merchants who will be demonstrating their skills and offering for sale unique items that usually can only be found at a Renaissance Faire.
>    The Iowa Renaissance Festival, known as 'Iowa's Best Family Fest', has grown into a regional event drawing repeat patrons from neighboring states.
>    Admission will remain $10 for adults, $6 for kids from ages 6 to 13 and free for children 5 and under. Parking is free. All tickets can be obtained at the entrance gate.
>    For location and direction information go to www.amanacolonies.com. For details about the festival see the new website layout at www.iowarenfest.com or contact greg@festint.com (641) 357-5177.
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> CONTACT: Greg Schmidt                                
>                 641-357-5177
>                 greg@festint.com

The 22nd annual IOWA RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL & Gathering o'Celts will be enhanced this year with additional components, since it will be the final production for its originator Gregory Schmidt.
     On Memorial Day Weekend, May 25-26-27th (11am to 6pm), armies of performers, edutainers and educators will converge onto the grounds and six stages of Middle Amana Park in the heart of the Amana Colonies. All of the participants have been recruited or developed through the years by Greg Schmidt, producer-director of numerous special events.
     "I wanted this to be a showcasing of many of our most popular Iowa Renaissance Festival acts, since it will be my grand finale' of sorts," Schmidt laments.
     The popular festival, which will be operated by another local production group in the future, will maintain its look as has been presented by Schmidt's Iowa-based Festivals International.
     Some of the unique hi-lights are the equestrian spectacle Joust Evolution, Shattock Schoole of Defense comedy theater, Brotherhood of Steel from Kansas City, Have Court Will Travel from Des Moines, The Horsemen fairy tale theater from Nebraska, and Clan MacSwade's highland games demonstrations.
     There will also be a variety of other regional acts and village characters newly added to the festival roster, such as the Hardtack Jack pub band from Minnesota, the Fabulous Fantastic Flying Fratellis from Omaha, Swords and Shenanigans, Rolling Hills Stables pony ride, and the premiere of Punch & Judy Puppet Show.
     In all there will be 58 scheduled stage shows daily with some 200 costumed village minstrels and strolling characters.
     The merchant's bazaar will be enhanced with ten additional artisan vendors, which will make for the largest shopping village the festival has ever had. This will include everything from custom-made jewelry to collector weapons. Most of the unique hand-made goods available can only be found at a regional Renaissance faire, with many of the artisans demonstrating their skills.
     Crane Winery will be added to the Royal Pavilion beer garden. Plus, an additional Mediterranean food stall will be added to the outside food court.
     Living history encampment groups, such as Warwick and Guardians of the Black Forest, will fill the rolling meadow of the park with a variety of folk life exhibits and combat shows.
     Plus, there will be hands-on activities such as knife-tossing and public archery.
     Admission costs for the Iowa Renaissance Festival will remain the same at $10 for adults, $6 for kids from 6 to 13, with tots free. The two-day pass will be $17, and the three-day pass will be $22. Group discounts are available. Parking is free.
     For location info and directions go to www.amanacolonies.com and for event details go to www.iowarenfest.com or greg@festint.com (641) 357-5177.
     *Gregory Schmidt, known as Sir William Rogers at the faire, will be spending the future producing Iowa interest documentaries, running his new charity Quarters for Quarters and promoting the Plant Your Parking front lawn gardening movement.