Hark, do

you hear a fanfare in the distance?

It is

likely the announcement of the 15th annual Georgia

Renaissance Festival. The festival, usually a

twice-a-year event, will come to the hallowed grounds in

Fairburn only once this year, beginning this weekend.

Some would

say that if you had seen one Renaissance Festival you had

seen them all, but this year's event promises to have

several exciting changes. Everybody's favorite troll, Ik,

will host a game show called "Who Wants to be a

Trollionaire?" The Happy Tragidions will perform a

30-minute satirical version of Shakespeare's MacBeth, and

there will be a non-denominational service each Sunday

morning.

Of course,

all of your favorites will return. The Great Cats of the

World show brings exotic cats live on stage without a

cage, and Ded Bob will amaze audiences with his unique

brand of wit and bob-matization. There also will be a

vast array of village characters, jousters, minstrels,

kissing wenches, magicians and several acrobatic and

comedic acts. The Georgia Renaissance Festival also is

chock full of great food, arts and crafts, and games that

challenge one's mind as well as one's strength.

Each

weekend also will have a special theme. April 29 and 30

is the grand opening weekend with special performances by

the Wise Guys comedy troupe. May 6 and 7 will offer a

romance weekend, filled with kissing contests, romantic

musicians to serenade guests, the Village Old Maid dating

game, chivalry lessons and a real wedding each day. May

13 and 14 will be Mother's Day weekend and will offer a

special "Moms-only Maypole dance. The first 1,000

mothers to enter during the weekend will receive a

crocheted rose pin.

May 20 and

21 is kids free weekend, where children 6-12 will be

admitted free with a paid adult. This deal is limited to

two children per paid adult admission. Memorial Day

weekend, May 27, 28 and 29, will be the Pirates Festival.

Guests will receive complimentary eye patches, as

Mordred's Haunted Castle enjoys a pirate theme, the

"Pyrates Royal" pub troupe performs its bawdy

comedy stylings and cannons are fired in the all-new

"Battle on the High Seas" game.

June 3 and

4 will be Scotland Highland weekend and will feature the

Atholl Highlanders Pipe Band, an amazing sheepherding

show and the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society. The

weekend of June 10 and 11 will be the final weekend of

the year. The festival is open Saturdays and Sundays plus

Memorial Day from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Admission

to the Georgia Renaissance Festival is $12.95 for adults,

$5.75 for children 6-12 and free for children under 6.

Publix Supermarkets also offers discounted tickets of $12

for adults and $5.50 for children 6-12. The company will

offer a second adult ticket for free for opening weekend.

The tickets are on sale through April 30.

For

information or to order tickets by phone, call

770-964-8575.

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