You may be wondering how much variety can possibly be had from one faire to the next, especially since all are Renaissance based. You make me laugh. Not all take place in the Elizabethan Renaissance. In Ohio is the Great Lakes Fantasy Faire , boasting fairies, trolls and other such creatures as numerous in the cast as humans are. Other faires may be based on the tales of Robyn the Hoode or may recreate the glory of King Arthur and Avalon.
Every faire is different.
The character of a faire also depends on management and ownership. Corporately-owned faires, such as the Maryland and Ontario Faires, owned by International Renaissance Faire Corp., tend to have more to offer. They usually have more shows, more games and more vendors, but it gets hard to cover everything in one day. These faires are also more expensive to get into, but there's no skimping on quality. The acts and performers are well-trained professionals.