By JUNE SULLIVAN
Ever since story tellers regaled listeners with the chivalrous Sir Lancelot, the doomed King Arthur and his knight-smitten Queen Guenevere, women have dreamt of saviors in shining armor, while men have thought of slaying dragons and combat - staged or otherwise. Whatever twists your myth, however, September promises two different time tunnels through which to escape and briefly live the legend.
Sands Point Preserve, Long Island
On September 16, 17 and 23, 24, tours of "Failaise" at Sands Point Preserve (Castlegould and Falaise) will be closed when their grounds are home to Long Island's popular Medieval Festival.
Bill Mahr would certainly approve since there will be no political correctness here. Knights in shining armor and damsels-in-distress will be the fashion, if only for a few hours. From 11 A.M. to 5 P.M. visitors to Sands Point's spectacular grounds will watch jousting, archery and other tournaments, hear music and drink in the colorful period costumes worn by Festival participants and by many visitors.
A Norman-style mansion, Falaise was the 1923 estate of Harry F. Guggenheim, and its 26 rooms in this manor house have 13th to 16th Century furnishings. Nearby Castlegould was built in 1902 and was once the carriage house of Howard Gould's estate.
Sands Points' over 200 acres of natural and landscaped meadows and lawns, its fresh water pond and its forests, all strung along shore cliffs, offer a perfect spot for imagining yesteryear.
Renaissance Faire, Tuxedo, NY
Those who would like to add a longer trip to their day, may want to experience the New York Renaissance Faire, Saturdays and Sundays, through September 17th, in upstate Sterling Forest, Tuxedo.
"For twenty three years the New York Renaissance Faire has provided patrons with an unparalleled experience: a lighthearted escape in an 'age-gone-by' atmosphere of romance and adventure." says Festival General Manager David Casey. "This year's slogan, 'Legends, Lore and Laughter,'" he continues, "describes that experience perfectly."
According to organizers, all day long the eleven main stages of the Faire will be alive with shows of spectacle, comedy, pageantry, dance and music. New attractions include a special adaptation of Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew," the illusions of Magical Mystical Michael, two swashbuckling Living Chess Games. Children will not be forgotten either, and should enjoy the performances of 'Faerie Lore' in the Faerie Kingdom.
Other kidstuff includes storytellers, magicians, minstrels, jugglers, tightrope walkers, witches, rogues, joining Robin Hood's Band, Maypole dances, rides and games and , of course, face painting.
Visitors won't miss out on September's many craft shows either. Organizers promise over "100 permanent craft shoppes that make up this bustling Medieval Village, each filled with one-of-a-kind treasures."
Returning favorites such as Full-Contact Jousting, the Unbalanced Theatrix of Dextre Tripp, Ask the Village Idiot, the Sturdy Beggar's Mud Show, and the high flying feats of Earthquest's Birds of Prey are sure to leave audiences calling for more.
Organizers also promise that patrons - who are commanded to "Eat, Drink and be Merry!" - may be required to run a culinary gauntlet but the available fare for sale is worth the exercise: Char-broiled Turkey Legs, Sizzling Steak-on-a-Stake, Juicy Sausages, Stuffed Spuds, Fish and Chips, Roasted Boar, and Summer Salads sound tempting enough for any modern day Guenevere or Arthur.
The New York Renaissance Faire also offers all those would-be Sir Lancelots and extra brave damsels the chance to revel in games of skill such as archery, knife, ax and star throw, Jacob's Ladder, nyne pins, Chinese crossbows and dart tosses.
Sands Point Preserve Medieval Festival: 95 Middle Neck Rd., Sands Point. (516) 571-7900. September 16-17 and 23-24, 11 A.M. - 5 P.M. Fee: $5, $3 for children 5-12.
New York Renaissance Faire "Legends, Lore and Laughter", 600 Route 17A (just off Route 17) in Sterling Forest, Tuxedo, NY. Saturdays, Sundays through September 17. 10:30 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. Gate admission: $16.50 adults, $7 children ages 5-12, under 5 free. (Advance discount tickets available at ShopRite stores.) Information: (845) 351-5174.
