Renaissance reenactment is an excit-ing way to involve friends and family in the history and culture of the past. The Fourth Annual Fort Bragg Renaissance Fairee will be held on Sept. 20 and 21 starting at 10 a.m.

Renaissaince Faires include a number of activities that engage performers and audiences to interact with one another. Activities will include: Paragon Jousting, which actually pits warriors against each other on horse-back. If the joust gets your blood stirring, you can participate in swordsmanship classes. If, on the other hand, fighting isn’t your thing, you can stroll through the Marketplace, where you will find handcrafted clothing, candles and jewelry, hand-forged medieval cloak pins, ladles, cutlery sets, chainmail and fire pokers.

The Faire runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday. At 4:30 p.m., there is a masquerade ball, followed by a Pub Sing. On Sunday, activities will begin at 10 a.m. and conclude at 5 p.m. There is an “Are you smarter than a royal?” competition at 4 p.m., also followed by a Pub Sing.

During the Faire, attendees are asked to refrain from using cell phones on site and encouraged to dress the part if able. This creates a more realis-tic environment and adds to the fun.

The absence of technology gives everyone a chance to experience life as an everyday person during the time period. This also is an educational opportunity for children to learn about history and to delve into the event without distraction.

The Faire will offer roasted turkey legs, beverages and treats while magi-cians, musicians and dancers entertain the public. To reenact this age, the Medieval Fantasies Company travels statewide so everyone can experience and be involved in rebirth.

Chris and Mia Pugh founded the company in 2003 where they conduct a number of medieval and renaissance themed services.

“We are dedicated to offering family-friendly events filled with appropriate entertainment and educational opportunities. While our Faires are not strictly living history, we strive to offer performers that provide high quality historical demonstrations,” said Chris Pugh.

After doing some digging into his family tree, Pugh found that his family was actually a part of the Renaissance and the Middle Ages.

“We are shaped by those who have come before us — our values, talents and faults are as much a part of us as they are of our ancestors. It is our responsibility to pass on this history to those who follow us. Not only for our children, but those who we meet everyday,” he said.

Renaissance Faires are outdoor events held to enlighten the commu-nity about the rebirth stage, which occurred roughly from the 14th to the 17th century. The Dark Ages were an era of war and disease before the re-birth period. Before the people where given the rebirth of their freedoms they suffered through times of oppres-sion. The Renaissance period brought forth more freedom and access to art, religion, science and music.

“I am a United States Air Force veteran, and as such, I know how important programs such as the Faire are for our service members and their families,” he said. “It is an honor and a privilege…to provide a place for them to set aside their cares and respon-sibilities for a short while. To enter a world where they can relax, have fun and truly enjoy their time at Fairee is our ultimate goal.”

The Renaissance Faire is at the Smith Lake Recreation Area, 1200 Honeycutt Road. Entrance to Smith Lake Recreation Area is accessible off of Honeycutt Road onto Smith Lake Road. The access road off of Murchi-son Road is now permanently closed. Admission is $ 5 per carload. For more information, visit the Fort Bragg MWR website at www.fortbraggmwr.com or www.medievalfanta-siesco.com.