FIRST PHOTO: Richard Brown “The Campbell” (right) teaches swordplay to Riker Quintana, 13, of Marina, Saturday during the Scottish Renaissance Festival of Santa Cruz, a gathering at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. Brown is from the Fremont area. SECOND PHOTO: Members of the Royal St. Gyles Lancers Court enjoy minstrel music during the festival. THIRD PHOTO: Glenn Morgan of Sonora plays the hammer dulcimer Saturday. In 27 years of performing, Morgan said he has found these types of festivals refreshing, presenting the chance to “suspend reality.” FOURTH PHOTO: Richard Martinez recreates the look of a Templar knight from Spain during the festival. Martinez, whose family crest appears on his tunic, said he travels to different fairs from his home in the San Jose area. David Carkhuff/Register-Pajaronian

Thirteen-year-old Riker Quintana has played plenty of video games set in the Middle Ages, but on Saturday, he held a sword, not a joystick, and the swordplay was real.

Well, it was as real as a re-enactment can be. Quintana, joined by his mother, Kristin, ventured to the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds for the Scottish Renaissance Festival, where dozens of re-enactors spoke in Old English while decked out in historically accurate costumes.

Riker, from Marina, hefted a sword and learned how to defend himself against Richard Brown “The Campbell,” one of the festival participants.

“We just love the Renaissance,” Kristin Quintana said, noting her son’s interest in medievally themed video games.

The Renaissance period in history, spanning from the 15th to 17th centuries, marked a maturation of Scottish society and a general focus on humanism throughout much of Europe.

At Saturday’s festival, dozens of participants wore the chain mail of knights or lavish gowns of ladies and capes and cloaks of men. Mary, Queen of Scots, was memorialized by the Royal St. Gyles Lancers, a group that portrays the queen’s travels in the 1500s in full court regalia.

“This is a family,” said Glenn Morgan of Sonora, a hammer dulcimer player with 27 years of performance and a busy festival schedule.

“The main attraction is that we can, for a short time in our lives, exist in a parallel reality,” Morgan said, explaining the lure of similar history-based fairs and festivals.

Richard Martinez came from the San Jose area dressed as a Knight Templar from Spain. Most participants spoke in a Scottish brogue and relished their country’s rich history.

“There are people who spend thousands of dollars on their costumes,” said Michael Gardner, event coordinator, describing the seriousness with which many participants view their heritage.

The festival outgrew Aptos Village Park and moved to the fairgrounds this year, Gardner said. Formerly called the Dragon Slayers Renaissance Festival, the festival took on a new name, Scottish Renaissance Festival of Santa Cruz, and opened with the expectation of drawing 2,000 people in its third year, Gardner said.

Even 13 years after the release of the popular Mel Gibson movie epic, “Braveheart,” Scottish history remains a touchstone for millions of people.

“I just spent three weeks in Scotland, and they’re all about ‘Braveheart’ over there,” Gardner said.

On Saturday, the Renaissance festival reached out to children, as a beneficiary of the festival was the Cultural Council of Santa Cruz County.

“They’re loving it,” said council development director Lynn Young, describing the reaction of children to all of the pageantry, costumes and music.

“The very first reaction is, ‘Wow!’” she said.

The council planned to use revenue from the weekend event to benefit its SPECTRA program, which brings professional artists into schools. The council (www.ccscc.org) also hosts the Open Studios Art Tour and provides grants to arts organizations.

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(Published in 6/16/08 edition)

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