Autumn has arrived and with it the return of the annual Carolina Renaissance Festival. From September 30 through November 19, over one thousand Festival participants will work as a collective ensemble to deliver a big dose of cheer, trumpet fanfare, clashing armor and giant roasted turkey legs.

Located just north of Charlotte in Huntersville, the Carolina Renaissance Festival first opened its gates in 1994. Part of a uniquely American tradition, the Renaissance Festival “circuit”, as it is commonly called, provides a living for thousands of talented artists.

Who are these artists and why do they travel the country from city to city for our enjoyment? The answer may surprise you. Join us for this first installment of our weekly feature as we interview artists you can meet at this year’s Carolina Renaissance Festival.

The CRAIC Show

New to the Carolina Renaissance Festival this year, The CRAIC S how is a four-person band started by husband and wife Daniel and Tonya O’Ryan. The name is pronounced “crack” and is Irish for “excitement.”

Here is our interview with Daniel:

Tell us a little bit about what you do.

The CRAIC Show is a theatrical “Heavy Medieval” band that performs with huge wooden drums, medieval bagpipes, ancient style violin and Irish bouzouki. The music is, at times, heavy and loud and at other times, upbeat and very fun. We play traditional songs from all over the world, ranging from tunes written around the 900s to rocking Irish tunes from the 1800s.



Tell us a little bit about your background and what led you to this profession.



I have been performing in bands since my late teens and now I am 46 and still performing. It is my way of life. I got involved in renaissance festivals in 2000 when I received my first Dudelsack (medieval bagpipe) in Germany. I quickly learned how to play it and was a street performer at some small German medieval festivals. I returned to the US and went to college in Portland, Oregon studying Theology and Medieval History. I continued to perform renaissance-themed events in Oregon and Washington and then moved to Florida in 2007 and began performing at the Tampa Bay Area Renaissance Faire.

What were you doing before you became a traveling performer?



In my 20s, I decided to hit the road to follow the Grateful Dead. I played guitar, made my own clothes and provided a free soup kitchen in the Grateful Dead parking lots. When Gerry Garcia died in ‘95, I joined a mission. I played guitar and mandolin and helped out at street missions all over Northern California. Then in ‘97 I settled in Santa Cruz, California where I ran a street mission until 2000.

For how many months out of a year do you travel?



This year we are touring for 6 months outside of Florida. Next year we will expand our tour to 10 months.

What other cities do you work?



We’ve performed at about a dozen different events/festivals in Florida, and in Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Pennsylvania, and (now) North Carolina.

What about the traveling lifestyle appeals to you?



What can I say?It’s awesome! We really love it. We get to play music and see the country for a living. It may not be for everyone, but if you have that wild, can’t-stand-still, creative spirit, then this is the life for you. Every city and faire has its charms and things you look forward to revisiting. You make friends in each place and get to see them for a few weeks out of the year. We also inadvertently chase the good weather around the US, since festivals are usually held in the best time of year for that area. We’ve learned to adapt and change as the situation requires, and that has made all the difference. It’s a great life. That’s why we call it the CRAIC Life.



How does life on the road affect your relationships?

If anything, it makes us stronger. My wife and our twelve-year-old daughter are a close family unit and we all work in the family business.

What motivates you to continue the road life?

A love for the art! We all wish to express our art in every way we can, for as long as we can. We work very long days sometimes, but it’s all worth it because it’s ours. Our job is to help people forget their troubles and have a good time in a grand fantasy world called the Ren Faire. As long as we don’t get too comfortable but continue to strive for better performances, record new music and build the next big thing, we will always be in that place of contentment and inner peace. Isn’t that what we are all striving for anyway?

What do you look forward to most about coming to Charlotte?

This will be our first year at the Carolina Renaissance Festival and we are excited. We have heard amazing things about the beauty of the Festival and of the Carolinas and we are looking forward to exploring the area.

How might fans follow you on social media?



We have a new venture in the works. It’s our own reality TV show called #CRAIClife. It’ll air on Patreon and YouTube in January of 2018. It’s all that happens behind the scenes of a full-time touring act. Fans can learn more at www.ORyanEntertainment.com and facebook.com/craicshow

For detailed Festival information, directions and tickets, visit www.Carolina.RenFestInfo.com.

Check back next week for our interview with The Jousters!