It is beginning to feel a lot like 1562.
Or at least it does to Randy and Stephanie Chapman, the King and Queen of River-Cade’s 22nd annual Gathering of the Kingdom of Riverssance, taking place Saturday and Sunday at Riverside Park, 1301 Riverside Park.
Randy Chapman said the King met his fair lady after he returned to Riverssance following an adventure on the high seas. Both he and the Queen ascended to royalty following the abdication of the previous Royals.
So, are the current wearers of the Riverssance crowns a benevolent couple of Royals? Well, let’s just say they’re benevolent enough. If you’re a Medieval menace, don’t be surprised if you’re sent to the stocks.
In reality, Randy Chapman has been a River-Cade volunteer for more than 35 years and a Riverssance committee member since day one. His wife Stephanie Chapman got involved with both festivals through her involvement with the local chapter of Rotary Club International.
“I think both Randy and I fell in love with the drama and the pageantry of a Renaissance Fair,” Stephanie said. “We got a kick out of being people other than ourselves.”
“It’s good to be a King and a Queen, even if it is only for one weekend out of the year,” Randy added.
To be fair, it is also fun being a Fallen Friar, a Messy Mudman, a Wicked Wench, a Naughty Knight and Knave or any of the roving, role-playing characters you might see at Riverssance.
You might also want to ooh and aah at the real-life Birds of Prey, full-armored jousting by New Riders of the Golden Age or taking a trip in the Renaissance Time Machine.
Or perhaps you’d like to take a glance at the Scallywags Comedy Show, the Knotty Bits Pirate’s
Circus and delight in a performance by Archer C. Flynn, the singing shantyman.
Always the most talked about event at Riverssance is the King’s Pirate House of Gaskell Smoker, complete with food, ale, cigars and wenches for all.
Don’t forget, no smoker would be complete without a Dance of Fire from shimmying belly dancers.
Hubba-hubba-huzzah?
For the past two decades, Riverssance has earned a reputation for being one of “the nicest Renaissance Fair in the Midwest.”
We’re always one of the last Renaissance Fair of the year and people like to finish out the season on a happy note,” Randy Chapman said.
Indeed, people have been known to travel great distance in order to gain entry into the Kingdom of Riverssance.
The Mud Man dabs his magical mud on Hunter Schuna’s nose during Sioux City’s annual Riverssance festival in this 2023 file photo.
Yet it is the locals that mean the most to Stephanie Chapman.
“We might be a complete stranger or a small child who might recognize the King and Queen of Riverssance,” she said. “They’ll see us without our costumes and still smile.”
Which is a big part of Riverssance’s enduring appeal.
“As soon as you walk into our kingdom, you feel like you’ve got back in time,” Randy Chapman said. “1562 to be exact.”
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Earl Horlyk
Food and Lifestyles reporter
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