How to Travel Through Time: Inside Maryland's Renaissance Festival

The parking lot is where the modern and medieval converge.

One of the king's men greets visitors.

Left: A boy rides triumphantly on his steed. Right: An evil knight sets his eyes on the target during a jousting match.

Jousting erupts in the festival's main arena. It's the offical state sport of Maryland after all.

Left: A knight prepares for battle. Right: The stocks hold attendees for a variety of offenses.

Knives for sale must be kept in their packages until guests return to the real world.

The crowd receieves a king's welcome at the start of each new day.

A brave knight gets cheered on by the crowd before a jousting match.

Left: At the Faire, attendees are encouraged to wear a wide gamut of creative costumes- or lack thereof. Right: An artisan fine-tunes a glass sculpture on the Faire's main thoroughfare.

The Faire embraces some aspects of the modern day.

Left: Fairies stop for a drink. Right: An older fairie entertains her younger comrades.

Attendees are greeted with pomp and circumstance at the beginning of each day.

Left: A sage elf watches a medieval dance. Right: Only the bravest knights will qualify to joust. The rest are just spectators.

Attendees at the Faire are like a family, you never know when you'll run into a friendly face.

Left: A blacksmith demonstrates his process. Right: Some modern technology makes its way through the festival gates.

Tukey legs are the main course on the menu. You have to get at least one.

Left: Attendees spare no details in their costumes- from their heads to their toes. Right: The Faire is a perfectly acceptable time to listen to that little devil on your shoulder.

At the Eco Adventures booth, you can get your picture with a host of mythical beasts.

Attendees saunter past one of the Faire's many castles.

Left: An infant fairie rests in the arms of a gentle giant. Right: An elf flaunts her small pet.