Today was the last day of the season for the stellar Maryland Rennaissance Festival. More fondly known as the Renn Fest, people near and far gather at Revel Grove each weekend for nine weeks to enjoy the celebration.
The highlight of this weekend is their Jousting Competition, where jousters from around the country join the Free Lancers Jousting Company in a number of jousting challenges.
With great fanfare, ten knights on horseback garbed in full armor and bright colors lined up in formal ceremony to begin the event.
In the jousting world “Injuries in jousting are extremely rare. Bumps, bruises, cuts, contusions, strains, sprains, and minor breaks do not count as injuries.”
A full contact sport, with moving animals, long spears and tough armor this is the game of champions. So, let the games begin!
Getting geared up with lance in hand, the knights start on opposing sides of a lane and gallop towards each other.
The BAM !! Lances hit with a metal clank.
Sometimes they miss, sometimes the impact is strong enough for the lance to break.
Such bravery, such strength, such noble creatures and honorable knights.
Oh to have a shining Knight in Armor on a white steed.
Emily Carter ~ Nature as Art 
How fun to watch!!!!
OH it was wonderful ! When you heard the clank, it was always surprising.
We have one on Cape Cod for the month of September and October weekends King Richards Fair Love going to them!
OH MY GOODNESS !! Cape May in the fall with King Richard’s Fair??? That is perfection.
Champagne with strawberries turkey legs men dressed in cute outfits first time I went I was young and riding a Harley and they were falling on the ground professing their LOVE lol now I would really be focusing the lens on their faces 🙂
What a minute?? Why am I not there right now??? We would be swarmed by the Knaves.
🙂
The expression on the horse’s face in the fourth photo down is priceless!
Pray tell Your Highness, just what constitutes a minor break vs a major break?
LOL ! Humm…maybe a little finger versus an arm? The horses were huge, wish I had one.
Nice series. I’ve tried photographing this sort of event myself…..and it’s not easy….😊
Thanks Mark ! I’ve got to thank the birds for these images. Much bigger targets.
how awesone! very well captured! have a great week emily 🙂
I love seeing you back Evi. Thank you so much and hope you’re week is going well too.
Excellent! Obviously there are a lot of these events in the UK each year and I have been to several of them…the excitement is tremendous. These pictures really sum up the day. Many years ago I belonged to the ‘Sealed Knot Society’ which re-enacted medieval battles…I got hit on the head storming Scarborough castle and had to spend the rest of the day in the beer tent – recovering you understand
Oh wow..head bump = time at the pub. What a rough life. How I would have loved to see you in the re-enactments. They sound fantastic!
Looks like you had a great time! great shots! glad to see they are continuing the traditions of the old days 😀
Something tells me you would have had a blast at this renn fest. Thanks Andy.
I’d be cheering and totally loving it 🙂 lol
And drinking and dancing and flirting. It’s all part of the package.
Absolutely! XD
Looks like great fun!
It really is. I always find the Renn Fest so liberating and fun.
You have great jousting riders too. Nice to see!
It almost makes me want to joust Bente. Although I’m not too keen on being hit.
Still catching up with mail. These are FAB!
You are so sweet to bother – I loved being at the Renn Fest that day.