Renn Fayre Collection

Renn Fayre, founded by Linda Howard '70, is a celebration that has been taking place every spring at Reed College since 1968. The festivities are planned and organized by students and many of the event’s activities and projects are created by students as well. Taking place over an entire weekend, Renn Fayre traditionally starts with Thesis Parade, an event meant to celebrate the graduating seniors in which they turn in their theses, receive their laurels, burn their thesis drafts in a bonfire, and then parade through the library. For the first few decades, Reed’s Renn Fayre resembled a traditional Renaissance Faire with attendees dressing in period costume and included activities such as the maypole, puppet shows, and alchemy demonstrations. Eventually, Reed’s celebration distanced itself from tradition and now a different theme is chosen each year. Students are encouraged to dress up and plan activities and projects according to that year's theme. Some previous themes include “How the Grinch Stole Renn Fayre” (‘98), “Prophecy, Apokalypse, and Rebirth” (‘03), and “Lucid Dreams” (‘19). Many traditional activities have come and gone such as a fireworks display, skydiving, and human chess, while some remain such as the Feast or William T. Lankford Memorial Softball Tournament. Renn Fayre is also known for its association with drugs and alcohol with many attendees participating in substance use throughout the weekend. At times causing scandal and attracting national attention (especially during the year of 2010), the event’s relationship with drugs and alcohol is complex and has changed over the decades in order to prioritize student safety.