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The Carolina Renaissance Festival is in its 15th year, but festival producer Jeff Siegel notices one subtle difference.
“We're no longer the new kid in town,” he said. “We're not as established as Lowe's Motor Speedway or some other attractions, but people know who we are.”
Siegel said that familiarity has helped the festival withstand the shaky economic environment. He said the festival set a record with 9,000 visitors on its opening weekend this year.
“I think escapism is popular in bad economic times,” he said. “People can come here and leave their cares behind and step into another time and place.”
There have been a few downturns from the past. Sales are down for vendors inside the festival, Siegel said, and the event has not seen the number of group events and bus tours it has in past years.
The festival tries to maintain its popularity by changing its appearance every year, Siegel said. This year, it has changed its jousting tournament setup, added more street characters and created themed weekends such as the Halloween event that ended Saturday.
Festival organizers haven't discussed what changes it will make for next year, he said, but he expects the event to be around for a long time.
“I know of festivals that have been going on for 40 years,” he said. “We educated the audience on what to expect, and we know it can work. This concept has legs.”
