Area high school students are invited to travel back in time to explore the history and culture of the Middle Ages during the Marco Madness Medieval Faire from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m Saturday, April 2.
UT’s Marco Institute for Medieval and Renaissance Studies has teamed up with Bearden High School and the Tennessee Medieval Faire to host the event. It will be held at Bearden High School, 8352 Kingston Pike, Knoxville.
Admission is free and complimentary pizza will be served. Medieval food, drink, and crafts will be available for purchase. There also will be door prizes. Parking is free but limited.
The fair aims to demonstrate how medieval culture and the humanities shed light on today’s world.
“With the popularity of Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Vikings, pirates, Disney princesses, and more, there is so much excitement about everything medieval,” said Thomas E. Burman, director of the UT Marco Institute. “We wanted to provide a gathering where this interest could thrive.”
Visitors are encouraged to come in family-friendly costumes, without masks or real weapons, and compete in costume and trivia contests for prizes.
UT professors and graduate students will lead discussions on Game of Thrones and Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.
From 11:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., visitors can learn how to be a street character and audition for the Tennessee Medieval Faire, which will be held in May in Harriman, Tennessee.
Visit the Marco Madness website for more information.
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CONTACT:
Sandy Hughes, Bearden High School (865-806-9359, magisterlatine@gmail.com)
Thomas E. Burman, UT Marco Institute (865-974-5421, tburman@utk.edu)
Barrie Paulson, Tennessee Medieval Faire (865-466-1902, DarkhorseLLC@comcast.net)