Sixth-annual Tooele Renaissance Faire expects more than 5,000 guests

STANSBURY PARK — The sixth-annual Tooele Renaissance Faire will arrive in Stansbury Park on Friday, with organizers expecting more than 5,000 attendees coming to immerse themselves in something "totally out of the ordinary."

Wandering bards will travel throughout the Benson Grist Mill in Tooele for two days, serenading the attendees as they watch armored combat shows, jesters, musicians and fire-breathers perform their trades.

Many costumed performers will be in attendance, with some dressed as the royal court of the House of Tudor while others vendors hawk their wares to curious attendees.

Katrina Flores, director of the Tooele Renaissance Faire, said people come from all over Utah to attend the faire, sometimes traveling in from neighboring states. Last year, the event sold nearly 5,000 tickets, but Flores expects to break that record this year.

"It started off as a tiny event," Flores said, "and has grown into something the community expects every year."

Adult tickets cost $13 per day or $20 for a two-day pass. Children under 7 get in for free. Thanks to the free admission, Flores said ticket sales are not the best way to judge total attendance.

"Our attendance numbers are actually much higher," she said.

The Tooele Renaissance Faire is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the arts, craftsman, history and creativity. A portion of the ticket sales help fund preservation efforts at the historic Benson Grist Mill, where the event will take place.

"The most exciting part about the faire for me is the space," said Sam Raff, co-organizer of the Tooele Renaissance Faire. "It's beautiful and well kept, with a close enough proximity to everything that really makes the space come alive."

Flores agreed with Raff's description, explaining that the historic buildings help attendees feel like they are in a real old-world setting.

"When we open the gates, the faire somehow becomes alive with whimsy, magic and many other things that just make you feel exhilarated," she said.

The faire will begin at 1 p.m. on Friday and continue until 8 p.m. On Saturday, the faire will start at 10 a.m., also ending at 8 p.m. that night.

Those interested in the event can park in the lot in front of the venue, with additional parking also available nearby on the other side of Pole Canyon Road.

"One does not simply attend the faire; you become a part of it," Flores said.

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