The Valhalla Renaissance Faire, Lake Tahoe, Activities, things to do

Army of Dalkeith
Scottsih Border Calvary lead by Lord Dalkeith. the last of the Douglas Warlords "Schools of Knighthood" Miltiary Encampment, Hot Trods, Battle Pageant, Catholic supporters of Queen Mary, respected within English court as the last of the Noble "Black Douglas Clan"

Brotherhood Of The Black Flag
Welcome one and all, to the Porker's Sterne. An infamous dockside tavern, populated by all manor of outlaws, rogues, and miscreants. The most notorious of all being, of course, The Brotherhood Of The Black Flag. From the dark and mysterious glens of the Scottish highlands to the dangerous sea inlets of the Caribbean Islands, whether roving plunderer or a Barbary corsair, these members of the B.B.F. have found a home at the Porker's Sterne. A place where you can enjoy the serene live music from a table full of musicians playing a large selection from lilting Irish melodies to rowdy drinking songs. A place where patrons may break into uncanny melees of outstanding swordsmanship at any given time. A place where all manner of characters, some of world renown repute, others of the highest refinements, and others..well...not so much, come to congregate. And the wenches. Ah, don't forget the fine collection of bawdy and buxom wenches...

Castlewood Re-enactment Guild
Castlewood re-enactment guild portrays the household of Anthony Browne, Viscount Montague and his family. A noble must travel in style and that entails a large establishment all working to maintain the comfort and appearances of their masters. From the Lord to the scullery maid, everyone knows their place and their duties to maintain the proper order of life and society.

Clan Iain Abrach
Clan Iain Abrach is a Renaissance Guild specializing in 16th Century Highland Historical Re-enactment. We excel in portraying everyday life. We have many artisans and crafts people in our group. Our home is based in the San Francisco East Bay. In a Faire Season, we participate in many events throughout California and Nevada. We are family oriented, with a very strong cohesive house.

Court of St. Aidans
We're an English styled court. Through much comedy (and, when needed, some seriousness), we mediate disputes between patrons, guilds, Rennies, and anyone else who is seeking justice, which is often served cold and swift, with an occasional, "naughty, naughty, naughty." We are an extremely interactive guild, and greatly involve fair patrons in our shenanigans. Our bailiffs are made up of peasants, the most beautiful of wenches, Scots, Irishmen, Englishmen, upper-middle class, and others wishing to see justice served in the shire.

Friends of Faire
Friends of Faire is a Membership organization. Friends of Faire is a support organization dedicated to encouraging and supporting Faire patrons wanting to become more fully involved with the Renaissance Faire. Faire patrons, through their membership, are afforded many opportunities. The FOF Garden maybe used solely as a private sociable area within the Faire or for those wishing to become more closely involved: FOF offers many varied experiences and options. FOF members desiring to be even more immersed in a Faire are afforded a myriad of volunteer activities.

Merrie Pryanksters
We perform English country dance in the street and on stage. We usually do this as 2 to 3 stage shows and 1 or 2 street sets in a day. However, we are also happy doing all street shows in a day, in which case we try and spread them out through the day. We are upper peasant class to lower middle class in dress.

Ottoman Traders' Guild
We portray and Ottoman Turkish trading caravan of the mid-1500's. During the Renaissance, for our purposes 1520 - 1600, trade was happening either through walking caravans traveling from city to city or by merchant ship. Our caravan travels established trade routes starting in Constantinople and traveling "around the known world". We are primarily a Trading Caravan and represent the several different classes: merchant traders, entertainers, fighting men, slaves, and thieves, that would have joined on caravan. We have an established stage show that includes mid-eastern music and dancing, and also teach the public in our encampment.

Out of Scoil Players
We are a group of traveling players. We were originally an Irish performing arts school but have been stranded in England and have added several English to our group. We act English so as to fit in, though some members cling to their Irish heritage. We run the Adam's Ale Inn as a place to perform in each town.

Peasant Rats
Peasants who love to interact with everyone around them. Kind-Hearted, Filthy, Street-smart folk who are just making there way in life. Living their days on the road and making stories along the way. Knowing what we desire in life one peanut at a time (or whatever food we can get our hands on).

Royal White Eagle
Royal White Eagle presents historic events and the way of life of Polish aristocrats of the mid-1500s. We re-create the lifestyle of traveling noblemen of the era: the people, ideas and passions of the times. The talented cast combines theatrical skills with historic research to bring a small piece of Renaissance court to visitors of Renaissance-themed events.

Saint Genieve
St Genieve's is a street improvisational group of English middle class and peasant women. You can see them go about their daily activities of producting their crafts, gossiping, planning and plotting community activities, and exploring the travelers in our village.

St Patrick
We are a guild portraying the Irish septs of Queen Elizabeth I's reign. Equipped with livery to play the O'Niel, O'Donnell, and O'Rourke clans, we chiefly enact the life and times of Brian O'Rourke and his retainers while he is in England, recieving his education at Cambridge University. While a self-contained yard, we stress both playing the street and audience participation for both entertainment and educational value.

St. Blaise Town Criers
Our Guild of Saint Blaise is an historical re-enactment troupe based out of Northern California. We portray the sons and daughters of the middle-class, trying to make a living as minor officials of Renaissance England. Our guild includes messengers, scribes, escorts, announcers, and more! We are the media of the Renaissance!

St. Helenas
Elizabethan peasants. Mostly husbandmen, huswives, minor craftsmen, and swine heards (pigfarkers). We will sing and dance and spin you a yarn while carrying our farm tools and discussing the finer pointes o' husbandry and hand crafts. We'll invite you to play games with us ranging from nine mans morris to thrash the chicken.

St. Maximilian Landsknecht Re-Enactment Guild
Saint Maximilian Landsknecht Re-enactment Guild portrays mercenaries from the Holy Roman Empire, which occupied modern-day Germany, Austria, Hungry, and northern Italy. Our goal is to bring the year 1536 to life by matching period sources as close as possible, demonstrating historical martial life, and explaining our lives in character.

The Trayn'd Bande of the Blackfriars
Some of the most accomplished swordsmen in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth could be found in a place called the Blackfriars. Once a Dominican monastery, the estates of the priory came to be commonly known as "Blackfriars" due to the black vestments of the Dominican monks. The friars had gained permission from the London City authorities to have the whole of the Blackfriars precinct be named a "liberty", and therefore outside City jurisdiction, even though within the City walls. In the Blackfriars many swordsman found the freedom to practice swordsmanship outside the regulations set down by the London masters of defence. It was quite common to see Italian, German or Spanish styles of swordplay being practiced in the Blackfriars along with traditional English swordsmanship. Because of the renown of the swordsmen who frequent the Blackfriars, the Queen has tasked them with the responsibility of testing the capabilities of England’s militia and introducing the militia to the latest fighting techniques and weapons forms. Thus was born “The Trayn’d Bande of the Blackfriars”. During the course of testing the Blackfriars can be seen using such weapons forms as; sword and buckler (a common battlefield combination), rapier and dagger (common with civil attire), and maybe even longsword.

The Villayge Idyots
We are a group of street entertainers bent on causing all kinds of entertaining "trouble" in the streets of faire. Made up of peasants (and a handful of pirates!) from mixed nationalities (mostly English and Scottish), our sole purpose is to bring laughter and merriment throughout the streets of the faire by playing dozens of games and performing dozens of humorous acts that are sure to have visitors and patrons alike clutching their sides in laughter. We leave almost no stone unturned, but are sure to keep it appropriate for the wee ones as well. A handful of our members are also crew members of the pirate ship Reaper, the nemesis crew of the Privateers of the Dauntless who, when the Dauntless is in attendance at a faire, provide a massive crowd-drawing act of peril, tragedy, and comedy for an unforgettable event that thousands have loved and thousands more are sure to enjoy.