Gainesville is preparing to step back in time this weekend with the return of the Hoggetowne Medieval Faire, which is celebrating its 39th year.
The fair, which is free and open to the public, will take place Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Depot Park.
Although the fair traditionally runs for three weekends, since its relocation in 2024, it has been condensed to a single weekend, a change that has brought both opportunities and challenges for organizers, artists, participants and vendors.
For Gainesville residents Katie Robinson, 40, and her 11-year-old daughter, Hendrix Robinson, attending the fair has become a longtime family tradition. During the recent Sneak Peek Preview on Saturday, Jan. 17, both said it was special to be able to watch the full story of the Living Chessboard, one of the event’s most popular attractions.
“I’ve been going to the medieval fair as long as I can remember, and it’s hard to get all of the different scenes of the Living Chessboard,” Katie Robinson said. “So we thought it was really cool to be able to see them all in order and get the continuity of the story.”
They said the preview is especially helpful now that the event lasts only one weekend. However, they also noted that the new location has changed the overall experience.
“Personally, I miss the rides. They took away literally all the rides and it made me super sad,” said Hendrix Robinson.
From the organizing side, Lili Tzou, 27, event coordinator for the City of Gainesville and assistant fair director, said hosting the fair at Depot Park requires adapting to several spatial limitations.
Although she acknowledged the park is smaller and has restrictions because it is a Brownfield site, she said the team has found ways to make it work.
“It’s a little more difficult to get everyone to fit in there because there’s a lot of trees at Depot Park, a lot of curving winding sidewalks. We can’t take anything into the ground at Depot Park,” Tzou said.
She added that in many ways the location has worked well, noting that vendors have easier access to water and electricity and that, despite being different from past venues, the team has been able to “keep the Hoggetowne Medieval spirit alive.”
Despite initial concerns, she said vendors have earned nearly the same revenue as in previous years.
“For the past two years, our vendors have actually made as much, or at least almost as much as they would usually make for three weekends, but in one weekend,” said Tzou.
This year’s Hoggetowne Medieval Faire will feature six stages of entertainment, including medieval music, dance, aerial acrobatics and live combat. Visitors can also watch a Living Chess Match at the Tournament Field and meet the King and Queen at the Royal Pavilion.
Roaming performers such as minstrels, dancers and stilt walkers will bring the streets of Hoggetowne to life, alongside themed food, artisan vendors and interactive experiences throughout the weekend.
Frank Edmondson, the faire’s entertainment director, said the preview event has helped spark interest in the upcoming fair, especially as more people stop by, get a glimpse of the entertainment and leave feeling excited about what they might experience during the full event.
“It’s been really nice to see people come out and everyone seems to have a smile on their face and everyone seems to be happy about what’s going on and what we’re doing out here,” said Edmondson.
Although organizers continue searching for a venue that would allow the fair to expand again, they remain committed to serving the community.
“Without having a fair where we can actually charge ticket prices and do the full span of three weekends, we had to pare down entertainment, the food and the vendors, but we still want to give people something to be able to do and see on that weekend, so that's the reason why we're continuing to push for the fair,” Edmondson said.
Because the event now runs for only one weekend, the preview event was created to give performers, like the Living Chessboard cast, an extra opportunity to perform.
“I think three weekends is important to the fair because people want to see and do, and it’s hard to do everything in one weekend,” Edmondson said.
Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward said that despite concerns about space, the city decided to keep the event at Depot Park due to its positive impact on the community.
“We would love to be able to expand it. We’re doing everything we can. The staff is doing all they can. We have funding set aside to purchase a larger space. We just haven’t found the space yet,” Mayor Ward said.
He also acknowledged that the city continues searching for a larger long-term location.
As Gainesville prepares to welcome the fair once again, organizers, artists and attendees share one belief, the Hoggetowne Medieval Faire remains a living tradition, even as the city continues searching for its permanent home.