Cooperative Living October 2018 - 16

CoverStory | by Mary Howell, Contributing Writer
Unsung Virginian leads merry
band of volunteers to preserve the
Virginia Renaissance Faire
F
ive weekends each spring, a colorful
corner of Spotsylvania County slips
four centuries back in time to when
Shakespeare penned his plays and Queen
Elizabeth ruled over an ever-growing empire.
Visitors are treated to the sights and
sounds of 16th-century England, as dozens
of volunteers and vendors share their love
of history at the Virginia Renaissance Faire.
Held on the grounds of Lake Anna
Winery on weekends from May until midJune,
the Faire recreates the age of
enlightenment and discovery
that led to the settlement of
Jamestown in 1607. Each
weekend features a
different theme, and all
showcase interactive
performances and vibrant
live music.
Visitors wandering the
Faire's beaten paths may be
approached by a vendor
selling herbal remedies, a
joke-telling juggler or a
matchmaker asking a series
of questions, who pins a
heart-shaped piece of felt
on single visitors, the color
reflecting their answers and
serving as a sign to those
with compatible traits.
Join in a maypole dance,
try your hand at archery, or
pet a giant steed used for
jousting. End the day at the
Court of Love, as couples
plead their cases before an
imperious judge. Add
dozens of vendors offering
period-appropriate foods,
clothing and jewelry, and
(rain or shine!) you're part of a captivating
experience that educates and entertains
thousands of visitors annually.
If not for Cornelia Miller Rutherford,
the for-profit Renaissance Entertainment
Corporation abruptly ceased operation,
leaving its volunteers with no outlet for
their talents.
" I grew up outside of Cleveland, Ohio,
where I went to museums and saw live
theatre as a part of the gifted and
talented program I was enrolled in, " she
says, explaining how an interest in
history and love of performance was
kindled within her.
Rutherford, known as " Cornie " by her
wasn't a failure, but a chance to learn.' "
Her father's wisdom certainly rang true
when Rutherford, who was assistant
coordinator for Kids Kingdom at the
previous Faire, made a fateful decision. In
2001, the Woodbridge, Virginia, resident
and Northern Virginia Electric
Cooperative member cashed in her
retirement savings to relaunch the Faire
as an all-volunteer effort, focusing on
history and hands-on education. " It was
definitely a risk, " she says.
The Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives (VMDAEC), publishers of Cooperative
Living, presented Rutherford with the 2018 Unsung Virginian Award in a surprise ceremony in May. From left:
Awards Committee Chairman Herbert Patrick, President & CEO Richard Johnstone, 2018 Unsung Virginian
Cornelia Miller Rutherford and Board Chairman James Huffman.
the Virginia Renaissance Faire might not
have survived the 20th century. In 1999,
14 | Cooperative Living | October 2018
friends, credits her father for teaching
her to take risks. " I'd get these
cockamamie ideas, " she says, with a laugh.
" My dad would ask me a few questions,
and then encourage me to give it a try. If
things didn't work out, he'd say, 'This
At first, Rutherford's Faire was a
traveling event, held across Virginia and
branching out to Maryland and
Pennsylvania. At each location, through
talented performers and craftsmen,
attendees learned more about life during
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PHOTOS BY BILL SHERROD

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Cooperative Living October 2018

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