Dog Days of Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire

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If you grow up in or around Pennsylvania then you are familiar of the PA RenFaire. It’s one of the biggest Renaissance Faires in the United States and on the eastern seaboard. Visitors are encouraged to come in costume, sing along and drink up during their visit. It’s been in operation on the grounds of Mount Hope Winery since 1980.
For me, I grew up going to the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire as a yearly tradition. Personally, my favorite part of the Faire was the royal hounds. Every year there was a booth with gorgeous greyhounds waiting to be adopted. I was jealous as a child that I could not spend the day with my dog while exploring, but over time I learned to live with it and accept the beauty of these other dogs as a substitute for the day.
Last year, I took Peter to the Faire, where he too had the same reaction. Wishing we could bring Maggie with us for this day of food, music, and merriment. So when we got back home I hopped onto the computer and started researching if the Faire ever had “Dog Days”.

To my amazement, they did!
That was it, we made the decision to take Maggie this year and planned our summer vacations and trips around the prospective dates for the dog days. Upon our arrival, we learned that the rules had changed and we could have taken Maggie all summer long as the King and the royal court had opened up the gates for all dogs throughout the season.
Despite the disheartening feeling of missing out on this great adventure all summer long with Maggie, we set off for the day.

 

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What ensued…

When it came time at the end of the day for the royal joust, my mommy instinct kicked in, as I didn’t know if she would handle the cannons well. We set ourselves up to sit on the aisle, Peter on one side, me on the other and Maggie… she was jumping around getting attention.
[bctt tweet=”Did you know the PA Renfaire has Dog Days? #travelingpet #Dogadventures ” username=”@portlypassenger”]
The first part of the joust she was fine, the second the cannon went off, so did she. My heart pounded, my feet started moving and Maggie was gone. I had a tight hold on her leash and my feet took flight.  We made our way away from the field, but her fear was already in play and every chance she could get she tried to find a way to hide. I picked up my bone shaking pup and worked our way towards the car, I learned despite having a hip injury that mom powers are real.
We plan on taking her back next year, but avoiding the joust and paying attention to the list of “sensitive ears” for places to miss. Taking our pets on our travels involves alternative planning, as sometimes we can’t predict their thoughts and reactions, for this, I’m thankful for all the care and thought put into the RenFaires royal hound plan.
From pee areas to merchants having water bowls, the relief we got when we saw that Maggie was included and loved just made it worth the trip.

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Before You Go

There are a few things you need to do before you go.

1. Ensure your dog is up to date on vaccines.
2. Have a copy of the vaccine records.
3. Download & fill out paperwork to register your dog at the Faire – Click here to find the paperwork.
4. (Optional) Find a quiet costume for your pup

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Where to find it

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The Portly Passengers provides plus size inclusive travel tips and advice for anyone who is looking to explore the world. From seat sizes on airplanes to exploring museums, restaurants, and nature Melissa & Peter have the experience and stories to help guide you through it.