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KK2005sign

Sign outside Kids Kingdom in 2005

Kids Kingdom (or KK) is a troupe at the Bristol Renaissance Faire that performs puppet shows, stage shows, organizes treasure hunts and is the home of the Knighting Ceremony where any child can be knighted by Queen Elizabeth herself.

It is located on the west end of Bristol, across from the Midsummer Stage on High Street.


History[]

Until the end of the 1989 season, the area where KK lies now was a merchant area and the home of the Minstrels' Glen and Scots Camp.

KK began in 1990 as an idea by Judith Antill, who had done renaissance faires for a long time. She was tired of seeing kids dragged through the faire--bored and unincluded.

The stage was constructed to house Histopolis Puppet Theatre and a shop was moved across the inner circle to make way for the maze (the shop is now Ladies in Braiding, but used to be Thatcher Leather). The Histopolis troupe had had another stage down near where Thistle Croft and the Cheshire Chase Action Theatre are now. Performances were based largely upon storytelling, at which Judith and her cast were expert.

The Good Ship Roland Brown was built in 1991.

In 1994, the cast was joined by a group known as the Greenchildren of Bristol, who practiced storytelling and Irish step-dancing. This only lasted three years.

In 1999, after the Virginia Renaissance Faire closed, director Alison Moss took attained many of the decorations from that Faire to "dress up" the Kingdom, giving it much of the look it retains today.

In 2004, new director Jennifer Spridco took KK in a different direction, making it a home for classic fairy tale characters.

In 2005, the large swing in front of KK was removed to open up the space.

In 2015, the Kingdom recieved a complete overhaul including a new stage, halfling houses (including slide), walls covered in murals, a hatching dragon egg, and a second ship. The only aspect of the old KK that remains is the wooden ship once dubbed The Broken Oar but even even that got a facelift with a new paint job, railings, and the name The Dirty Peter.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, in 2020, the Bristol Renaissance Faire went on hiatus until it was safe to perform again.

In 2021, with an ongoing global pandemic, the Kids Kingdom cast pushed for a continued hiatus citing safety for both cast and audience members. During this season, the Kids Kingdom area was renamed the Castle Keep Stage.

In between the 2021 and 2022 seasons, the hobbit holes and the dragon's egg and path were relocated to Shakespeare's Meadow.

In the 2022 season, the Kids Kingdom cast was not invited to perform and the pirate ships were closed for the audience. The Knighting Ceremony was performed by the Guild of Saint George and is only performed on Saturdays. Kids Quest is no longer offered.

As of 2023, the area formerly known as Kids Kingdom is now the Castle Keep area which includes the It's Five O'clock bar. The pirate ship which was a centerpiece of the area has been removed completely.

For 29 years, the Kids Kingdom cast performed and provided child focused and family friendly entertainment. The cast strived to create an inclusive environment for all who came to the space.

Cast List[]

KK cast list (Bristol)

Shows[]

Each year, Kids Kingdom has a series of shows they perform for the patrons.
For a list of past KK shows, see KK show list (Bristol)

2005 Kids Kingdom Shows
The Robin Hood Show
Trickster's Turn
Sleeping Beauty vs. the Evil Powers of Evil
Be In The Show (feat. Cinderella, Rapunzel & Katryn Boots)
Treasure Hunt (feat. Captain Grace Underfyre & Jane the Phoole)
Rumpelstiltskin (Puppet Show)

2015 Kids Kingdom Shows

Beauty and the Beast

Saint George and the Dragon (largely Street Cast feat. KK's Aurora)

The Guildmaster's Show

The Princess and the Pea

Princess Revelry

Treasure Hunt

Kid's Quest 1 and 2

The Magic Bubble

The Golden Chicken

Knighting Ceremony[]

Knighting Ceremony occurs in Kids Kingdom every Faire day, usually beginning at 4:15. Before Queen Elizabeth arrives at 4:30, the children are given instruction on proper manners. After she arrives, the Queen asks the children on manners and then makes each child an honorable Knight or Lady of her Court.

In 2019, the title "Protector of the Realm" was added as an attempt at a gender neutral option.

Trivia[]

The largest cast of Kids Kingdom was 23 members, set in 2015.

External Links[]

Kids Kingdom Photos (2002-2005)

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