One of the more imaginative and amusing entertainments at GARF was "Graveyard Golf" -- a miniature golf course with a Gothick theme, right next door to "Mordred's Haunted Castle"! Starting with the Ticket Booth (Photo, Above: designed in the shape of a Victorian horse-drawn hearse), the macabre design was relentlessly carried out throughout the course, with plenty of skulls, skeletons, loose bones, coffins, mummies and gravestones acting as obstacles, traps and sometimes even pathways for the bouncing ball (Photo, Right). There was even a stream whose rippling waters were dyed scarlet, simulating blood in the water -- definitely a nice touch!

Of course, no proper renaissance festival would be complete without a tournament field. At GARF '03, the Hanlon-Lee Action Theater provided the knights for jousting -- which always makes for a great show! In this case, however, the lists at Caxton Field themselves almost upstaged the tournament action itself. The Royal Reviewing Stand (Photo, Above), for example, was a wond'rous and amazing bit of architecture by itself. With the addition of tall towers and massive gates at both ends of the field (not shown), the lists alone could be a photo essay without the knights! Fortunately, the Hanlon-Lee knights knew how to rivet the audiences' attention with thundering charges, shattering lances and swordplay aplenty (Photo, Below).

Have I mentioned "wond'rous architecture" at GARF, already (Photo, Below: the King's Hall Stage in the Royal Area, for example, which seemed more fitting for Shakespearean drama than a venue for the "Tortuga Twins" and/or "Hack and Slash" comedy swordfighting!)??? More than anything else, the physical plant at GARF '03 was the most beautiful and impressive of any faire I've had the pleasure of visiting to date. Naturally, there is a reason for all that! As I understand it, GARF started out on a site several miles away from their current location, under a leasing arrangement with those landholders. As Atlanta expanded, however, the land became more valuable as a site for commercial development than as a site for a renaissance festival -- even if GARF did have both a Spring and a Fall Season. Six years ago, GARF was forced to move to their present site...which meant that the faire had to start all over again, from scratch. This was not necessarily a bad thing: all the buildings presently onsite were constructed at the same time, for instance, and according to a master plan. The overall effect is that everything at GARF seems to fit together seamlessly, unlike other faires which just grew -- naturally but haphazardly! -- with older, aging structures sitting right next door to brand-new construction!!!

Standard Disclaimer: This webpage is strictly an *Unofficial* look at the Georgia Renaissance Festival held near Atlanta, GA. The author of these pages is in no way, shape, manner or form connected with the Georgia Renaissance Festival (PO Box 986 • Fairburn, Georgia 30213 • 770-964-8575) and/or any of the sponsors associated with this event. All opinions expressed are strictly this author's own. Unless noted otherwise, all photographs are copyright ©2000-2004 by George Laking.