The Red Wolf Renaissance Society hosted the Mohegan Renaissance Market at the Judd Hill Farmers’ Market to raise awareness for American Red Wolves, an endangered species.

The event, held Saturday, hosted many different vendors, including the Craighead County Public Library’s Bookmobile, the Smoke Is No Joke food truck, A-State’s Flute Ensemble, A-State’s Funtime Performing Arts Colorguard and cosplay mermaid photo opportunities. Members of the Red Wolf Renaissance Society also took part in the event by face painting and do-it-yourself fantasy potion making.

Lauren Hopkins, a senior wildlife fisheries and conservation major from Independence, Missouri, is the president of the Red Wolf Renaissance Society and founding director of the Red Wolf Renaissance Fair. She previously organized the first Red Wolf Renaissance Fair in October 2024, which was a larger, more intensive event than the Mohegan Renaissance Market. 

“This is literally a mini version. There’s not going to be as many events and we’re definitely focused on the A-State community more than the Red Wolf Renaissance Fair would be,” Hopkins said.

Hopkins said the fairs are great outlets for all types of expression.

“Renaissance fairs are a unique event,” Hopkins said. “People of all colors and trades come out in their costumes and that’s probably the best part, is just seeing how excited they are, just to meet other people and see what they did with their unique creative art.”

The red wolf is a special animal close to the hearts of the community and while Howl and Scarlet do well representing the endangered animal, Hopkins said it’s important to see the inspired animal.

“We gotta get beyond our sports teams and into the heart of the animal,” Hopkins said.

Roughly 20 red wolves remain in the wild which is why it’s important to attend events like these and conduct your own research on endangered animals, such as the red wolves. 

Rebekah Wilson, a first-year game design major from Springdale, Arkansas, joined the club because she enjoys going to renaissance fairs and the culture of them. 

“I went to my first renaissance fair and it was amazing. I was just gobsmacked at all of the culture, the art, how people act in it,” Wilson said. “I was so compelled by the renaissance vibe.”

Since joining the club, Wilson said she has learned a lot more about red wolves than she once knew. She said she’s become passionate about the club and what she gets to do for it.

“It’s for a very good cause, which is the conservation of the red wolf,”  Wilson said. “But also just an understanding that you can be yourself and to be yourself, you can go into this fantasy world and people will accept you for who you are.” 

Wilson was most excited to see everyone interact and have fun taking in the whimsey in the festival while also learning about the red wolf.

Jasper Salem, a 16-year-old from Jonesboro, said their favorite part of the event was interacting with the people there, especially the vendors, and likes attending ren fairs because of the communal interest of the attendees.

“Everybody has the same interest in coming here so it’s very easy to interact with other people. It’s very nice,” Salem said. 

Salem came with their friend Kyla Carnack, a 16-year-old from Jonesboro, and they both traded trinkets around the event and had fun meeting everyone in a space where everyone has a common interest. 

“You’re not going to get judged for dressing up as a medieval prince here,” Carnack said. “If you’re thinking about coming to a ren faire, do it. If there’s any interest at all, do it. There’s someone here for you. There’s an interest.”

Categories: News