The Mount Pearl Renaissance Festival is back for its second year — and it's bigger than ever

This weekend the Mount Pearl Renaissance Festival was back for a second year in a row. Producer Darren Hann plans for this step back in time to become a regular summer event that mixes fantasy and history.

There were 65 vendors in attendance, making up dozens of tents and tables that took over the Paradise Park field. They carried things like homemade crafts, food, leatherwork, soaps and more.

"A lot of people come dressed up in characters and it gives them a way to come in and show off their costume and actually come and be that character for today," Hann said.

He added he's been addressed by knights, queens and fairies all in-character.

Besides people selling handcrafted goods, he said there are also organizations like live action role players performing a story throughout the weekend, and demonstrations from the Terra Nova School of Swords.

"There is something for everyone here this weekend. There's also a lot of family games. It's a real family focused event," said Hann.

At last year's festival, he said they tallied approximately 1,700 people in attendance. This year they are poised to exceed that, adding that on Saturday alone there were 800 visitors.

"So we were well over our halfway mark yesterday already," said Hann.

He hopes this becomes a regular festival, much like Sci-Fi on The Rock, which he also helped found. Already, some of this year's vendors have approached him to sign on for next year's festival.

Besides storytelling and live performances of a royal family drama, fencers also showed off their skills.  As well, festival goers had the chance to try their hand — and eye coordination — at archery.

People could get their fortune read at several tents and browse clothing shops, crafts shops and an armoury.

This was Krista Elliott's second year at the festival. She operates St. John's Soap Works and Curious Collections, which is her taxidermy and natural collection business.

"The vendors are not usual vendors that you usually see on regular markets, so it's so nice to see that variety," said Elliott.

As for her creations — which included taxidermied mice poised in various spots, like in teacups, on a mound of teeth and one with a feather boa — she said she's often commissioned to make them.