Renaissance faires in Oregon

Oregon's scene is anchored by one of its most durable traditions: the Sherwood Robin Hood Festival, established in 1954 after a group of World War II veterans in Sherwood began calling themselves Robin Hood and his Merry Men, and described by one local account as the longest-running festival in Oregon. In 1956 Sherwood challenged Nottingham, England, to an archery competition, a tradition that has continued and grown over the decades; the festival is produced today by the Sherwood Robin Hood Festival Association, a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, and draws nearly 20,000 attendees each summer. In the Willamette Valley, the Shrewsbury Renaissance Faire in Kings Valley stages an Elizabethan-era village billed as featuring over 100 artisan stalls and 1,000 costumed players. The Canterbury Renaissance Faire near Silverton has recreated a circa-1500s shire since 2009 and is run by Whitewind Productions LLC. The Oregon Renaissance Faire, presented by Wandering In Time Productions, launched in 2016 at the Clackamas County Fairgrounds in Canby, about 25 miles south of Portland, and has grown to eight stages of performances. Oregon's coast adds a piratical flavor: the Pirates of the Pacific Festival in the Brookings-Harbor area, created by Bruce Ellis and Mike Moran, runs on the second weekend in August and brings over 20,000 locals and tourists to the Port each year.

Sources: Sherwood Robin Hood Festival (official site) · Ziply Fiber — Robin Hood Festival history · Visit Corvallis — Shrewsbury Renaissance Faire · Oregon Renaissance Faire — Faire History & Event Details · RenFaire.com — Canterbury Renaissance Faire · Curry Coastal Pilot — Pirate Fest raids Curry County for another year