Renaissance Faire Ends Its Lease in Devore
The Renaissance Pleasure Faire, a popular Old World festival that has drawn thousands to watch jousting knights, jesters and Shakespearean plays, will not return to a regional park in Devore this year, San Bernardino County officials said.
The fair was started in 1963 in North Hollywood by a teacher who had hoped it would teach participants about life in 16th century England. It eventually moved to Agoura and then to Glen Helen Regional Park in Devore.
San Bernardino County, which operates the park, has reached an agreement with fair operators to end a 10-year lease that would have kept the fair at the park until 2010 and generated about $5 million for the county in rents and improvements, according to county officials.
Fair officials could not live up to a requirement in the lease that the fair provide $500,000 in park improvements each year for four years, according to county officials and lease documents.
The lease also required the fair to pay annual rent of $224,500 to $449,500, depending on the year and attendance records.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
