Golden Age-2013: Ulysses and Circe

Knight fair “Alexandria’s Carousel” in Petergof has already become a tradition to many citizens of St.-Petersburg. Bright court feasts, fairy-tale atmosphere, unforgettable beauty of the Petergof parks are all creating the unique scent of holiday that differs the festival from most other “living history” events of the city and suburbs. If you have not decided yet how to spend the weekend on the 6–7th of July - surely come join us on the “Alexandria’s carousel”.

“Carousel” in the minds of people of the past centuries was not a twisting ride, but a chivalry fair, that came as a replacement for the jousting tournaments. Instead of military fights  it was a horse riding competition, made as a fairy-tale play. Such kind of events was popular in Europe and Russia. One of those who really loved such events was tsar Nikolay the 1st who founded the “Alexandria” park and realized there his dreams of the fairy medieval times.

What tale awaits us this year? As a tradition, we choose a topic that is somehow connected to Petergof. Petergof is a naval residence of the Emperor, visible realization of the triumph of the Russian Empire. So the main theme of the 2013  fair  will be the sea and sea adventures.

As bias we have taken the legend of Ulysses voyage, the part about the adventures on the island of Circe, the sorceress. Ulysses (Odyssey) is a famous hero who broke through the sea and the will of the Neptune, the fearsome god of the seas himself. Gods, heroes, beautiful nymphs and naiads, chivalry, sea monsters and other characters of myths and legends will gather in the midst of the seas on the heavenly island of Circe. Will Ulysses be able to withstand the charms of the seducing sorceress?

Yet our fair is not just a play, but a chance to get into the tale yourself. That is why there will be many  miracles and surprises awaiting you. On the first day you will be able to become a part of a grand battle and confront the enemy with a pike in hands. You can meet fortune tellers, merchants and artisans from faraway lands, strollers and wandering musicians, jugglers and acrobats, buffons and arrogant nobles. Maybe you would not like to leave the party? Then don’t hesitate to come back on the next day!

On the second day the Carousel Queen will welcome all willing to come to the annual ball. In the same day three goddesses will contest the right to offer the Golden Rose to actors, dancers, men of arms or artisans. You will be able not only to dance on the ball, but to see different presentations made by the Queen’s people: ballets, comedies, military knight parades, musical concerts and many other events that will not leave neither grown-ups nor children in a dull mood.

You are welcome to come on the 6–7th of July 2013 in the park “Alexandria”, SMR “Petergof”.
 

• Offical site: http://goldenage.spb.ru
   
• More videos and photos
   
• Facebook event page
   

Participants announce

“Alexandria’s Carousel” is a reconstruction of a historical festival, but not a festival of historical reconstruction. We try to recreate a court feast as it was, or could be, somewhere in Europe in 16–17th centuries, noticing the nowadays reality and possibilities.

During 4 years of annual realization the festival “The Golden Age. Alexandria’s Carousel” has progressed from a mere meeting of friends to a significant cultural event, gathering hundreds of participants and thousands of spectators. If you study the culture, everyday life and military arts of the 16–17th centuries and your activities comply with the format of the festival, we welcome you as participants.

What can you expect of the festival and what can we offer?

• The fair is 100% “spectator-oriented”. Inter-participant programs or events are not planned. If you like to perform for the spectators - that’s what you’ll find here, plus many events will be interesting to you as well. Though, if you are willing to organize and hold the internal event, we welcome your suggestions.
   
• Our holiday is a chance to act in front of an auditory of several thousand people, chance to show yourselves to the world and be noticed by mass media. It is a chance to visit a beautiful park of the ex-Emperor-Residence and dive into the atmosphere of the past. In addition, it is a friendly companionship and joy.
   
• If you’ve got not only creative potential but a commerce talent as well, you can realize your business ideas, though strictly abiding the style of the fair (see the requirements below). Gypsy fortune tellers, mountebanks selling potions, indulgence sellers - these and other ideas can be brought to life after the agreement with the organizers. Trading on the festival can be made with a 15% share of the income - money will go into the budget of the fair.
   
• The festival does not posses any significant budget and so the questions of compensation are discussed individually with the organizers. To many of you we would like to pay the travel and accommodation expenses, many of you we would like to invite for a great honorary, but due to many reasons we have to limit ourselves in our wishes.
   
• Yet for several years in a row all guests and participants are offered a perfect sunburn and a pleasant weather!

What do we require as organizers and people responsible for the event?

• Our event takes place on the territory of a historical park, and thus there are strict limitations.
  
  • Serious limits of the open fire use. In the best case there will be approval for a brazier use in hours of the preparation to the event, but not in the time of the event (12–16 o’clock each day).
     
  • Serious limits on the liquor drinks and especially drunk people on the events. We will not run to catch you by hand, but drunk people will be taken out of the park by the local security guards.
     
• We do not insist on the reconstruction of  costumes and fabrics. We use theater as a main base of the festival, so we allow and approve fine-made stylisations. So we do allow synthetic fabrics as well as fake attributes and theater techniques of costume creation. Yet we require that the images of all participants (performing, selling, animating and interacting with guests) be made  on certain historical sources of the said time period (16–17th century). If you’ve got a precious black robe of the “dark lord” from a previous helloween party or not so bad and quite good looking paper crown - there will be a long talk with the organizers and unpleasant forthcoming for everyone.
   
• If you are trading on the fair, your trading place should also comply with the style (preferably wooden tables, benches, textile tents and canopies; plastic tables are only allowed if wrapped in cloth or decorated in another way hiding the plastic). Your own costume should be from the said epoch of the festival. You can only trade items suitable to the concept of the renaissance fair. If you obey this requirements - you will find yourselves in the place most suitable for the trade. If you think that these requirements are not strict and it is OK to sell chinese plastic arms of Xena  the Warrior Princess, being dressed in a red riding hood and jeans, you risk to be taken away or be set to trade far away from the guests of the fair.