Hello my darlings!

Let me tell you about something that keeps cropping up in my conversations with both festival management and eager vendors alike:

🎨 “Why are the colors of Renfaire buildings such a big deal?”

I hear it constantly: “Why not let vendors get creative with bright colors to make their shops stand out? Isn’t that good for business?”

📺 Well, today on Rhonni TV, I’m diving deep into this theatre design question – and trust me, after 30+ years in this industry, I’ve seen firsthand what happens when a cohesive village aesthetic falls apart at the seams.

In this episode, I’m unpacking:

🎲 The domino effect of Renfaire aesthetics (or how one neon blue building can undermine years of careful theming)
🧠 Smart strategies to help a building stand out without resorting to historically jarring color schemes (there are dozens of better ways!)
📏The crucial reasons why every Renfaire needs clear aesthetic parameters from day one.

Here’s a truth I’ve learned in my decades of festival building:

🪞Vendors will absolutely reflect back to you YOUR expectations.

If those expectations are low, vague, or “up for interpretation,” that’s precisely what you’ll get – a hodgepodge village that looks like it was assembled by accident rather than built with intention.

🎪 At the Georgia Renaissance Festival, when I was working as Building Coordinator during their site relocation, we had strict guidelines for every structure.

Was it sometimes a battle? You bet your leather tankard it was!

⚜️But the result was a cohesive village that transported visitors the moment they walked through the gates.

At the end of the day, we’re all striving for that magical moment when a guest rounds a corner and gasps at the beauty of what we’ve collectively created. That doesn’t happen by accident – it happens through carefully crafted aesthetics that work together rather than against each other. 😉

📺 Hit play and grab your quill and parchment – these tips are essential for anyone serious about creating or maintaining an authentic Renaissance village experience!

👇🏼 Come join the conversation in the comments! I’d love to hear your thoughts, insights, or questions about maintaining period aesthetics while still allowing for creative expression.

(And yes, I’ve got solutions for those of you struggling with vendors who insist their turquoise building is “absolutely medieval”! 🫠)

Yours in Medieval Merriment,

Rhonni