Medieval Themes and Jousting in American Renaissance Fairs

About the Project

Working in partnership with the Oklahoma Oral History Research Program and Oklahoma State University History Department, this oral history collection was curated by Cate Kurtz as a part of research for their master’s thesis, “Chasing Chivalry: Revival and Reinvention of Chivalric Knights Throughout Twentieth and Twenty-First Century America.”

Renaissance Festivals and Medieval Fairs have been fixtures of American entertainment subculture and medieval fantasy media since their inception with the first festival organized by Phyllis and Ron Patterson in May 1963. Community gatherings incorporating medieval costuming, entertainment, and music have been hosted well before this first established fair across America, but the 1963 Renaissance Pleasure Faire marked the start of the contemporary Renaissance festival movement. Now, patrons can attend countless festivals held across the country, and experience multi-generational exhibits of craftsmanship, artistry, and performance. Theatrical jousting is one of the largest events held at these festivals, and it often closes the day’s festivities. Equestrian displays incorporating organized jousting entered the renaissance festival scene in the early 1980s with Hanlon-Lees Action Theater and now multiple jousting troupes joust at fairs. Blending historical techniques with modern stunt performances, scripted theatrical jousts are redefining contemporary understanding of the revived Medieval World.

Alongside their theatrical contemporaries, jousters outside of festivals compete in historical reenactments, sports jousting, and jousting at the rings. Enthusiasts formed the Maryland State Jousting Association in the 1950s, and Maryland joined them in officiating ring jousting as Maryland’s official state sport in 1962. Since then, the National Jousting Association was formed, and the official National Jousting Hall of Fame was introduced in 1979. Various jousting clubs have started over the years, with the National Jousting Association listing clubs from Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. Notably, the Natural Chimneys Club, who also hosts the Hall of Fame Tournament, celebrated its 200th year Ring Tournament on August 21, 2021. American jousters also compete internationally by representing America at sanctioned jousts abroad through the International Jousting Association and International Jousting League.

This collection houses interviews with five individuals tied to the various forms of contemporary jousting in America, as well as the craftsmanship of armor at the world’s largest Renaissance festival. Narrators were interviewed either virtually or in person, and digital media from a research trip to the Texas Renaissance Festival was collected to accompany these interviews. Oral history collected from these interviews vary in topic, and include insight into competitive jousting, theatrical jousting, reenactment jousting, and contemporary examples of crafting medieval armor blending techniques. Interviews were conducted across Fall 2024 in accordance with guidelines designated by the Institutional Review Board.

-Cate Kurtz

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Oklahoma Oral History Research Program
207 Edmon Low Library
Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, OK 74078
Phone: 405-744-7685
liboh@okstate.edu

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