The Oregon Renaissance Faire, a popular and growing annual event hosted at the Clackamas County Fairgrounds by the nonprofit Washington Renaissance Arts & Education Society (WRAES), will be postponed from its traditional setting in June to mid-September.
It will coincide with a new WRAES event that was already planned for the fairgrounds this year: the Oregon Celtic Festival.
“The world has changed due to COVID-19, and we have been watching closely to see where we are going in 2020,” the WRAES Board of Directors wrote in a message to employees, vendors and guests Monday. “We have talked to the county offices, the health department and to the people in charge of the venues we use … and have had to make some very tough decisions.”
The Oregon Celtic Festival, originally planned to be a very distinct event focused on Celtic music and culture, will now be a “unique combination” of the Celtic celebration and the Ren Faire. It will be held on one weekend, Sept. 18-20.
“WRAES and the production team will do everything possible to blend these two events in a cohesive manner and create an exciting event with something for all,” the board said. “WRAES will incorporate as many aspects of the Renaissance Faire as possible related to scheduling of performers and merchants.”
Organizers said they plan for the Oregon Ren Faire to return to its June weekends in 2021, with the dates of June 5-6 and June 12-13. The Second Oregon Celtic Fest will remain as a standalone event in September 2021.
In coming up with this plan for 2021, which affected not only their Oregon events but the even more popular ones they host in their home state of Washington, the board said they weighed their options and considered many things, “most importantly, the health and well-being of our Faire Family and the future of WRAES.”
“We have all worked very hard over the last 11 years and the Board of Directors will do everything in their power to see that we are successful as a community and a Faire Family in the future,” the board members said in their April 20 letter.
Guests who already purchased tickets for the Oregon Renaissance Faire would be able to use those tickets at the new merged event for no additional charge. They may also exchange it for a gift card to be used at any other WRAES event, or request a full refund.
For more information, visit the Frequently Asked Questions page, or email info@wraes.org.