On April 26, Joplin’s Landreth Park will be transformed into a land filled with knights, queens and peasants. The Joplin Renaissance Festival will be held Saturday and Sunday, April 26-27.

What started out as a dream has become one Joplin man’s reality. Bruce Morgan, owner of Joplin Renaissance Festival has been working on bringing a festival to the Joplin area since May 2007.

“I fell in love with the Renaissance period and have been to festivals all over and wanted to bring it to Joplin,” Morgan said.

Steven Tackett, senior math education major, will participate in this festival by being a vendor.

Tackett will become a gypsy for two days in April, selling chainmail jewelry, which has been a side business for him in the past.

“This was something that I really wanted to be involved in,” Tackett said.

The planners wanted to give this area a historical fair, not one based on fantasy. The park will be transformed into the English village of Fareham, just coming out of the Dark Ages.

“We wanted to give the four-state area something to enjoy, see and be a part of,” Tackett said. “For them to watch something grow into something of size and reputation.”

Morgan said the event will lend some historical perspective.

“The Renaissance period wasn’t so much like everyone thinks,” he said. “It wasn’t all a time of violence. It was a time of rebirth, and renewing and the Ren Fest shows that.”

Twenty three professional performing acts from Canada, Texas, California, Oklahoma and Washington as well as many local people will participate. These troops will be putting on shows throughout the festival on four stages and in the streets of Fareham.

“Not only is this a time of getting friends together and giving them a place to play, but it is a way to benefit the Joplin Habitat for Humanity,” Morgan said.

“I’m not in this for making money, it’s for helping people and having fun.”

For more information and tickets, go to www.joplinrenfestival.com.

“You can’t possibly see and participate all in one day,” Morgan said.