How did Renaissance fairs begin?

The first modern Renaissance fair wasn’t held in medieval Europe but in 1960s Los Angeles. Phyllis Patterson, a high school English and history teacher, and her husband, Ron, an art director, offered art and theater classes for neighborhood children in the backyard of their Laurel Canyon home in Los Angeles. On May 11, 1963, they hosted a two-day event called the Renaissance Pleasure Faire and May Market as a fundraiser for KPFK/Pacifica Radio. Held at a North Hollywood summer camp, the fair featured 60 booths, period costumes, performances and scrap-lumber sets—all built for $150. More than 3,000 attendees showed up each day, raising more than $6,000. Photo: Actors learn their parts for a scene at the Renaissance Pleasure Faire, California, 1960s.