The 2nd Annual Royal Feast Buffet dining extravaganza will take place featuring not only the King and Queen in full regalia, but the entire Royal Court and a crescendo performance by the Kaheena Belly Dancers. The chefs will provide a festive array of chicken and ribs with a variety of other specialties and desserts in an unlimited buffet.

Cast members from the Door County Renaissance Fantasy Faire will be strolling about and dining in fabulous costumes, willing to strike a pose with guests for photographs. Queen Catherine and King Edward are members of “Have Court, Will Travel!” a professional troupe of more than a dozen re-enactors that portray a fictitious court in the historical time period of the 1550s. They are in Door County to celebrate the 2nd annual Door County Renaissance Fantasy Faire that takes place in the magical woodlands of Carlsville on the weekends preceding and following the Royal Buffet.

Dining is from 5 – 8 pm, and will be capped off at 8 pm with a performance by Sarisha and Jessika, members of the Kaheena Belly Dance Troupe. They arrived at the festival in a gypsy wagon filled with dancers, who are also performing over both weekends in Carlsville.

Jesika

There may also be several Knights, members of Noble Cause Productions, a company performing at the Faire that specializes in jousting, stage combat instruction, fight choreography, and horse stunts.

The dining experience is intended to provide a taste of the color and pageantry of the renaissance time period. Each court member is a fully fleshed out character who can interact and improvise with patrons of all ages. Knighting and Lady selection ceremonies, merchant visits, and royal audiences are all a part of the Door County Renaissance Fantasy Faire experience. Two weekends of historical adventure, entertainment, fun and festivities with a Royal Court Dinner in between make this year’s festival a highlight for families and individuals who love the days of olde.

Tickets for the dinner and entertainment are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Children 10 and under are $15 in advance and $17.50 at the door. Please RSVP to dcrff@att.net or call 920.973.8233 for more information or to make reservations.

The Door County Renaissance Fantasy Faire is open rain or shine for two weekends June 25 – 26 and July 2 – 3 from 10 am ’til 6 pm on Saturdays and from 10 am ’til 4 pm on Sundays. Making its home in a lyrical forest and meadow setting at 5226 Monument Point Road in Egg Harbor (just 1 mile north of Carlsville), with daily admission $12 for Adults (16+), $9 for children (ages 5-15) and Seniors (over 60). Children under 5 and military personnel, currently active or retired (with proper identification) are always admitted free. A $1 discount is available to all who donate a non-perishable food item for local food banks or who arrive dressed in period garb.

For more information contact the producer, Sandy Stetler (aka Lady Bliss) by phone at 920.746.6773, e-mail dcrff@att.net and visit DoorCoWIRenaissance.com, Join in the Facebook fun and conversation at facebook.com/RenaissanceFaire.

STURGEON BAY, WI – Kayaking, hiking, hybrid vehicles and granola will have to make room for wine in Door County. You no longer have to gauge your greenness when you decide to visit the tasting room at Door Peninsula Winery, Wisconsin’s largest producer of wine and Door County’s original winery. July marked the start of an effort to be more environmentally responsible in all aspects of growing, production, fulfillment and sales.

“We’ve always been aware of water conservation, primarily because we have a holding tank,” notes Chief Operating Officer and Door County Green Fund board member Rob Pollman. “More recently, we’ve turned the microscope on ourselves in other areas because of observations made by staff. It’s a topic that is on many people’s minds and there are social habits that we need to ingrain into our business.”

The eco-friendly nature of the winery starts in the vineyard.

“We don’t practice scorched earth farming,” says winemaker Paul Santoriello.

No pesticides are used in the small, hand-tended, eight acre vineyard and only an occasional herbicide is spot-applied as needed.

“We also source local when possible and use fruit juice instead of full fruits to cut down on waste. For example, in our well-known cherry wines, we use cherry juice pressed off-site and the cherries are dehydrated and sold as dried fruit. If we would use the entire cherry in wine production, the solid fruit would have to be discarded.”

Recycling is just the beginning at the Door Peninsula Winery. Annually, approximately 7,200 wine bottles (about nine pallets) from the retail area/sampling bar are recycled along with 550 cubic yards of cardboard. Recycled paper, default print preview software, reuse of ink cartridges, energy-efficient lights and bulbs in the parking lot, incoming natural light through large windows, low water use spigots and toilets, employee ride-share, and recycled paper (egg carton) shipping containers are among the ways the winery has gone green.

You may even notice some creative housewares at the winery that use bottles that have been reformed into plates and tea light lanterns. Door Peninsula Winery is trying to share their green message with the public in an offer that encourages them to reuse their six-bottle wine carriers. Anytime you reuse one at the winery, you receive an instant $2 savings on your purchase. Even if you fill the carrier with six bottles for the first time, you still receive 10% off your entire wine purchase.

“It’s just an incentive for people to understand that we’re serious and not just jumping on the green band wagon,” says Tyson Wegman, retail manager. “Part of being green is education and that also includes our clients.”

Door Peninsula Winery is exploring the Travel Green Certification offered in Wisconsin, but intends to continue their green habits regardless of the certification.

The largest producer of wine in the state of Wisconsin and Door County’s original winery, Door Peninsula Winery is located in the old, 1868 Carlsville schoolhouse. For more information, contact Jaime Forest at dpwmarketing@wildblue.net or call 800.551.5049.