The first Upstate Renaissance Faire opens Saturday and Sunday in Norwich. A number of performers will be on hand including renowned actor Simon Moody. Moody has been immersed in theatre and film for more than 40 years and has performed on stages in Australia, England and CNY. (Photo from facebook.com/UpstateRenFest)

NORWICH — Step back in time to 1300 to 1600 A.D. England at the Chenango County Fairgrounds this Saturday and Sunday for the first annual Upstate Renaissance Faire.

Gates open at 10 a.m. each day and the faire will close at 6 p.m. Free parking is available, and EMS and police will be on site for the safety of attendees.

Tickets are $15 plus tax for adults, $5 plus tax for children aged 6 to 13, and children under five years old get in free.

Although it’s their first event, the Upstate Renaissance Faire promises to be a fun and entertaining day for all ages with more than 45 vendors, including leatherworkers, blacksmiths, metalworkers, jewelry makers, hand-spun alpaca yarn, homemade soaps, turkey legs, combat fighters, a Shakespeare performer, psychics, a harpist, axe throwing, and much more.

“It just is overwhelming the list of stuff we have coming in, and so many of them have such a wide variety of things,” said Upstate Renaissance Faire Organizer Heather Baker. “Some of them the name of the vendor doesn’t always tell you what it is, so it encourages you to go in and look and see what they have.”

Some vendors will also be offering demonstrations and workshops, such as a yarn-spinning demonstration and a leather making workshop where participants can learn how to make their own leather item to take home.

Baker decided to bring the excitement of renaissance faires to the City of Norwich to make them more accessible to those in the area, both through a closer location and affordable prices.

Baker has attended several renaissance faires in New York and Pennsylvania for years. She said over time the travel and cost of attending got to be too much, so she decided to bring the festivities to her hometown.

"It just seemed like it’s getting old, the traveling and the trucking back and forth. But I still love it. So I said, what the heck, let’s bring it here and see what happens," said Baker.

Attendees at the Upstate Renaissance Faire are encouraged to dress up in renaissance-era garb and immerse themselves in the faire experience. “Playtrons,” who dress up in full costume and play the part of a renaissance-era character, will be strolling the fairgrounds as well, and attendees are encouraged to interact with them, ask questions, and take photos.

“There’s a lot of people that come, the playtrons, that love that interaction and look for that from the crowd. They're more than happy to stop and talk to you about their gear and what it is and let you look at it and pose for pictures with you,” said Baker. “They’re typically very responsive to that.”

Those whose costumes include weapons such as metal swords or period-accurate firearms will need to have them “peace tied,” in which swords are zip tied to their scabbard and guns are zip tied so they are unable to be fired.

Baker hopes to grow the Upstate Renaissance Faire each year. Her ultimate goal is to set up a permanent renaissance village on her own parcel of land to provide an even more immersive experience, several weekends of faires, holiday-themed faires, and educational opportunities for local schools.

More information on the Upstate Renaissance Faire, including frequently asked questions, can be found on the Upstate Renaissance Faire Facebook page.