Within American history there is a strong spirit of re-enactment. This is particularly the case when it comes to the Civil War where many people spend a great deal of time, money and energy in re-living some of these key moments in American history. However, it doesn’t stop there as there has been an increasing interest in recent decades in the Renaissance, and in many parts of the United States it is now possible to attend or take part in a Renaissance Fair.

For those who are unsure exactly what the Renaissance was, it was in many ways a celebration of Europe coming out of the dark ages of the Middle Ages, starting in fourteenth century Italy and spreading around Europe by the end of the sixteenth century, but carrying on through most of the seventeenth century. Renaissance as a term is often widely (and sometimes incorrectly) used, but when we say The Renaissance, this period of time in Western Europe is what we mean, and of course also encompasses the period when the first of the settlers from Western Europe found their way over to America.

The Renaissance was seen as an area of considerable growth in areas of maths and study, and a rediscovery of Arabic and Greek cultural works that had considered to be lost, and whose rediscovery inspired art in many forms.

Renaissance Fairs in the United States have largely developed since the Second World War and have grown out of an interest in medieval culture in various forms (music, art, dress, literature etc.) There are some people who see Renaissance Fairs as an opportunity to re-enact as accurately as possibly period elements such as costume, music, dance and food, while for others they are primarily about entertainment rather than historical accuracy. Those who are heavily involved in the production of these fairs are more likely to fall into the historical accuracy camp (although not exclusively), while those who just come along are more likely to be interested in the entertainment side of things.

Renaissance Fairs typically have things to buy, things to see and things to do. There may well be shows provided by local or travelling performers, as well as plenty of hands-on activities (like being photographed in the stocks).

There are many Renaissance Fairs within the United States. Some of the bigger and more popular ones include the Bristol Renaissance Fair, which takes place in Wisconsin between June and September; the Renaissance Pleasure Fair (Southern California), and the Louisiana Renaissance Festival, in November and December in Hammond, Louisiana.

These festivals provide entertainment not only for visitors who come, but to the many thousands of people who provide significant amounts of time and effort in planning and producing such festivals. They are an opportunity to experience something different from modern life, and significantly different from what may be seen as the bland retail experience provided by a modern shopping mall.

A Renaissance Fair allows the participant to step back into a time and a place very different from their current time and place, and into a history that is different from the history of their own locale, as many American Renaissance Fairs are set within Elizabethan England or earlier, with its echoes of minstrels, knights and Shakespeare.

All this makes attendance at, or involvement in, a Renaissance Fair, an excellent opportunity to do something out of the ordinary, to explore a different period of history, and an excellent way of making new friends.

• A valuable discussion on Medieval Weapon Types