Monaco Revue -- The celebrity and lifestyle magazine with purpose

Social Diary by Candace Durocher

Monaco Renaissance Festival 2008

What can we say about the Monaco Renaissance Festival other than wow, wow...and wow?

This foray into the past benefits from an enchanting setting. With the ancient buildings of old Monaco isolated on The Rock, it's easy for visitors to slip completely into the fantasy of an adventure into an earlier age. The cobblestone yard in front of Prince's palace is the perfect base for the revelry, and it would be quite the thing for its present occupant, Prince Albert II, to one day join in the fun, for while the participants had authentic-looking costumes, we figure he would surely have the real deal.

The festival has grown this year from last year, with more demonstrations of ancient crafts (such as candle-making, and spinning and dying wool), more entertainment for children (various storytellers and a puppet theatre) and a nighttime re-enactment of the battles for The Rock, complete with blasting cannons (sans projectiles, we were glad to learn).

And then there was the music. All day long and well into the night, the streets were filled with chanters, singers, pipers, drummers and other musicians, whipping up a sense of joy and wonder with their folk songs of yore.

Take a bow Mayor Marsan and company. If you keep this up, within a very short time this event should be appearing on many lists of the top festivals of the region, if not of Europe as a whole.

Photos: © D.P. Inc.

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Comments to date: 4. Page 1 of 1.

coral dinunzio, elliot lake ontario canada	Posted at 8:00pm on Wednesday, August 13th, 2008
It looks very interesting and colourful. Continued success.
Beth, Sorsogon City, Philippines	Posted at 9:05pm on Monday, July 28th, 2008
Looks like fun. Wish we could do the same here in the Philippines (Sorsogon). It will be a different experience for us all.
Tischa, somewhere in Colorado	Posted at 1:46pm on Monday, July 28th, 2008
Looks like fun.
Dr. Odile Schwarz-Herion, Germany	Posted at 8:54am on Monday, July 28th, 2008
Having attended this festival, I must confirm that it was a very special event, distinguishing itself by its amazingly authentic atmosphere. My sincere congratulations to the organizers and the volunteers!

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