The Medieval and Renaissance Festival was held Friday, Sept. 14 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The festival was sponsored by the Marco Institute and focused on educating men and women of all ages about the history of the Medieval and Renaissance time periods.

The tents in Circle Park held off the rain and allowed jousting knights, craftsmen and performers to entertain hundreds of students from both UT and the surrounding areas. Actors and volunteer performers gave historical reenactments throughout the daylong event.

LeeAnn Duncan, the mother of a 6th-grade student at West Valley Middle School, said that the actors told stories, reenacted medieval fights, described how swords evolved through the times and entertained the students with a puppet show.

"The students will learn about medieval culture in the spring," said Emily Fendley, a teacher at West Valley. "This event compliments what we will learn then, and the students have really enjoyed their time here today, even though the weather was not perfect."

Bill McNutt, a network administrator at UT, uses his interest in the medieval time period to participate in demonstrations such as the festival held at Circle Park. "I was the Herald, or the Master of Ceremonies, today for the reenactment," McNutt said, in description of his period-specific costume. "I really hope the students leave the festival with an interest in, and an appreciation for, some part of history. If we come out dressed in funny clothes, they usually take something back with them."