Gallery – Smithfield hosts ‘Springtime in the Shire’
Published 4:37 pm Monday, May 12, 2025
- Many attendees at the "Springtime in the Shire" Harvest Faire came in costume. Pictured here, from left, are Conrad and Anna Gavin of Norfolk and Gabriel Williams of Florida. (Photos by Stephen Faleski | The Smithfield Times)
The Renaissance returned to Smithfield May 3-4 with the reprisal of Harvest Faire, a nonprofit medieval and renaissance festival that benefits the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore, at Breezy Hill Meadworks. The festival made its debut last fall. The spring event was dubbed “Springtime in the Shire.”
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- Ronald Feracho and Rainar practice hand-to-hand combat. Feracho is with the Newport News live-action role-playing group Orcs Larp.
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- Kiki Naranjo of Virginia Beach came in costume.
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- Casey Loper of Virginia Beach came in armor.
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- Kevin and Brittany Uggler and their son, Thomas, came from Portsmouth.
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- Morwen Magsbie of Orcs Larp shows her costume and weapon.
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- Even “Jaba” the lizard came dressed for the occasion.
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- Jackson Leitner of Norfolk’s Loose Cannon Co. demonstrates loading a flintlock pistol.
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- Caroline Marie Anderson of Charleston, South Carolina, who goes by “Marie the Potter,” demonstrates wheel throwing.
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- Grace Daniels of Chesapeake came in costume.
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- J.W. Simpson, Shannon Topolnicki of Smithfield, Neil Topolnicki and Holly Topolnicki of Suffolk rest on a patch of ground.
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- Evelyn Newcomb of Newport News tries her hand at axe throwing.
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- Alex Foster of Garner, North Carolina, heats beeswax over an open flame to make candles.
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- From left are Anna Romano, Aspen Pophan, Rebecca Wicker, Jaime Simmons and Samantha Dahlia of Virginia Beach and Chesapeake.
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- A crowd gathers at the entrance to the Harvest Faire.
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- Shawn Morgan and Nathaniel Highfill of Gloucester came in costume.
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- Sarah Gartin of Virginia Beach, who goes by the character name “Alecto” at Renaissance fairs, shows her costume.
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- Beth More of Ohio met up with Kylee and Raymond Comyston, Kameron Espinoza and Justin Durfee of Virginia Beach.
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- Katelyn Shannon-Sudds and William Rehard of Louisa serve bread.
