A Faire Weekend Utah Renaissance Festival features family fun By GREG BOYLES Standard-Examiner staff gboyles@standard.net MARRIOTT-SLATERVILLE Jonathan Zuchowski started participating in renaissance fairs over 20 years ago as a wild man called The Animal. On Friday, he was playing a Polish gate guard at the Utah Renaissance Festival and Fantasy Faire. "It's nice to step out of your humdrum life and just pretend," he said. The fair is in its third year of letting people "just pretend." Royal magicians, comedians and belly dancers will be among the 60 performances scheduled throughout the festival at Millcreek Hollow on West Pioneer Road. Also present will be the Knights of Mayhem from Eagle Mountain, who will be jousting against the Canadian champion. Other entertainment includes strolling actors who mingle with visitors and guide them around the fair, merchants who sell items ranging from leather body armor to feathered masks, and a re-enactment of a castle siege done by trained combat artists. The event is expected to attract bigger crowds than last year's festival because the fair's move to Millcreek Hollow put it in a better environment, said festival co-owner Sue Bodily. The event is crafted to create an atmosphere where people can take a step into the past and forget about real Back to the Past May 10, 2008 NICK SHORT/Standard-Examiner Bryan Inks (left) and Andy Schaffner fight in the Belegarth Medieval Combat Society castle Friday in Marriott-Slaterville. The fair continues this weekend and next. life and its problems. "When they're here, they can escape," Bodily said. This renaissance festival is unlike most others held around the nation, Bodily said. It's much smaller and puts more emphasis on family and artistry than on commercialism. The cost for merchants at the Utah Festival is only $100 while at other festivals it's much higher. "We are trying to help support artisans," Bodily said, "and if we try to See FAIRE Page 3C 47