Shakespeare's Ren Day

Get a taste of the renaissance fair without leaving Dallas! Celebrate all thing Elizabethan with a healthy dose of the Bard. Sample a mouth-watering selection of sweet and savory snacks that even King Richard III would enjoy (no horse nor human was injured in the making of the meat pies). Enjoy rude mechanicals and other street minstrels, zany activities, local vendors with an abundance of wares for purchase, and more! All activities and drinks are free! Full schedule below.

Full Schedule

All Day: View an original copy of Shakespeare's First Folio, in celebration of the 400th year of it's printing. 7th floor, permanent exhibit

10 a.m.-12 p.m. All the World's A Stage: Shakespearian Player Workshop: Learn Shakespearian acting techniques from the experts at Plague Mask Players. After the workshop, practice your new skills at Shakespeare's Ren Day! On the 7th floor, O'Hara Hall

12-1 p.m. Children's Masquerade Mask Making: Come color and create your own masquerade mask, suitable for any ball or party. Classroom G

12-1 p.m. Shakespearian Figure Drawing: Learn to draw, Shakespeare style! Visualize the Elizabethan Era with an easel and a model right off the stage of a Shakespearian play! Grab a sheet of paper and capture the scene in front of you with your very own drawing. Visionaries Wall

12-2 p.m. Shakespeare Crime Scene: Shakespeare's plays are well known for many reasons including their crimes! Examine the evidence within a crime scene inspired by Shakespeare's plays and see if you can solve it! Classroom D&E

12-3:30 p.m. Shakspearian Rock Painting: Let’s turn your backyard garden into a colorful art display one painted rock at a time! Use your favorite Shakespeare quotes or symbols to guide your creativity.  Vendor Alley

12:15-1:15 p.m. HEMA: Dallas School of Historical Fencing will perform a demonstration of Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) in use around the time of Shakespeare. Main Stage

12:30-2 p.m. Learn Shakespearian acting techniques from the experts at Plague Mask Players. By the end of this workshop, you'll be able to identify and implement two techniques for playing Shakespearian roles. 

1:30-2:30 p.m. Shakespearian Era Music Listen to madrigals and songs from Elizabethan era England presented by the Gruffydd Consort and the Dallas Recorder Society. Both vocal and instrumental music will be performed, including numbers mentioned in Shakespeare's plays! Mainstage 

1:30-3 p.m. Wand making Do you have what it takes to be the next ruler of the fairies? Channel your energy into crafting your own wand inspired by Shakespeare’s play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Classroom G

2-2:30 p.m. AI Shakespeare Can ChatGPT write a Shakespearian play as well as Shakespeare? Find out as you help give ChatGPT the information needed to write like The Bard. Classroom F

2-3:30 p.m. Shakespearian Herbs and Seeds Learn more about herbs and seeds used in Elizabethan England. Take home seeds of your own. Seed Library

2-4 p.m. Shakespeare D&D Venture through the Bard lands on an epic six-part adventure trying to uncover hidden secrets and lost knowledge and prevent a great evil from ending the world, all while playing the 5th edition of the world's greatest tabletop role-playing game. NE corner

2:45-3:45 p.m. Mini horses What says Renaissance festival like mini horses? While originally bred as pets for nobility, now all Dallas library users can enjoy their company. These specially trained therapy horses from Equest will teach you about the unique healing bond between humans and horses. Mainstage

Things to Know

Parking: Event parking is free in the parking garage. The entrance is located behind the library, on Wood. St. (Put 1541 Wood St. into your GPS.)

Cost: All activities are free, but vendors will charge for items they are selling and food will have a cost. Cash is encouraged!

Costumes: Just like at a Renaissance Fair, costumes are encouraged! 

Vendors

Local vendors will be selling their wares. If you wish to make a purchase, cash is encouraged! 

Details to come

Food and Beverage 

Bring a water bottle to refill. Food is brought to you by local vendors, and will have a fee.

Details to come

Shakespeare's Ren Day is part of Summer Saturdays and is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Friends of the Dallas Public Library and Dallas Shakespeare Club. 

Registration is not required. We will send you a reminder and updates if you register.