Photo by Nicole Williams
The Ramassance Faire was held last Friday, and was the first of its kind. This event also marked Ramapo's first ever "area event," a new concept at Ramapo College.
An area event is a large-scale attraction both planned and hosted by resident and community assistants from various residences. While RAs and CAs in the past have always hosted events for campus residents in the vicinity, area events are intended to entertain anyone on campus looking for a night out.
Dan Gonzales, resident assistant and originator of the Ramassance concept, spoke about his inspiration saying, "I wanted to do something completely original for our first area event, something risky and out there. I think this is the kind of thing that everyone on campus can enjoy without being into it."
The event was a success given the number of students that came to Laurel Courts for games and activities at various booths, catering from multiple local restaurants, music, raffles, a costume contest and of course, jousting. RAs in costume juggled and told riddles.
Resident assistant Kayla Brozyna said, "In addition to putting on a fun event, we're offering an alternative to drinking on campus."
For those who expected an event tailored only for Shakespeare buffs and erudite linguists up on the parlance of ye olde speak, the event may have been a welcoming surprise. There were no minstrels, no off-putting dialects and no boils. But there was a DJ, one jester, a booth to design your own shield and tongue-in-cheek humor about the black plague.
Chris Wong, a jousting champion that night, said, "This is great for a Friday night. Of course I would go to more events like this."
One did not have to arrive in costume, but it was somewhere that one could do so and be welcome. Jousting in the quad was one of the main events and was one of the first instances of fun and properly supervised combat on campus.
As "The Safety Dance" played in the courts that night, one may have stopped for a moment to see that there was an event that may have entertained everyone who attended to some extent – perhaps not a proper renaissance but certainly a true Ramassance.
chirschh@ramapo.edu
