As you step through the Queen’s Gate, a cannon booms, announcing your entrance into a world where fantasy intertwines with reality. Actors greet you in full costume, their voices raised in song under the watchful eyes of a large metal dragon. Its smoky breath curls above, casting a shadow over delighted children, whose eyes light up with pure awe. This is not just a festival; it’s an immersive journey, a space where both artisans and everyday people can leave behind their modern routines and step into a place of playful escapism and childlike wonder.

Wandering through the forested valley, the fair takes on an air of mystery. Rays of sunlight filter through the trees, dappling the path with shadows and light, creating a dance of magic and curiosity. The festival-goers, some dressed as kings, knights, or mischievous fae, blend with weekend adventurers, forming a tapestry of life, joy, and shared laughter. The line between actor and audience blurs, and in each photograph, I aim to capture these brief, precious glimpses of a collective wonder.

My work in this collection is about savoring those fleeting, enchanted moments that so often seem out of reach in our everyday lives. For a few hours, we can let go of who we are expected to be and revel in the freedom of becoming someone, or something, else. Through these images, I wanted to capture the sense of childlike curiosity and the shared, unguarded joy that unites us in places like these. In each photograph, I hope you’ll find a spark of that magic, an invitation to rediscover your own wonder within the pages of this book.

All the photographs were made at the Kansas City Renaissance Festival during the Fall 2024 season.