Ren (Renaissance) Faire originated in 1971 at Whitman College as an outgrowth of the Whitman Renaissance Consort. Kate Bracher, the co-director of the Consort at that time, and Ruth Spangler, were the first chairpersons of Ren Faire. The title of the event changed often in the beginning, shifting between May Fete, Renaissance Pleasure Faire, and Renaissance Faire. The festival is currently known as Ren Faire.

Ren Faire designates a committee of current students and alumni, under and funded by ASWC – the Associated Students of Whitman College. The committee organizes the annual Ren Faire, as well as other activities focusing on the Elizabethan/Renaissance period throughout the academic year. The first fairs, focused on music and dance, were a celebration of spring and had student-built selling booths. Through the years, tournaments, jousting and fights, various merchant booths, jugglers, potters and blacksmiths, fanfares, madrigals and Irish or Celtic bands, all of them both Whitman and non-Whitman affiliated, have been added. The coronation of a May Queen used to be the highlight of the fair; now Ren Faire hosts a noon procession ceremony and trial and punishment at the end of the day with a King and/or Queen presiding.

Ren Faire has become known throughout Washington. While the first fairs usually lasted two days in late April or early May, Ren Faire is now held on the last Saturday of April, between 10 a.m. and 5 a.m. All the activities and performances are held on Whitman College’s campus. Over the years various others activities became associated with Ren Faire, but they are organized by different groups: The Renaissance Fun Run and the Renaissance Triathlon are organized by the Health Center and Health Aids. Whitman’s Faire magazine shares no connection with Ren Faire. Although important for its history, Ren Faire is an entirely separate entity from the Renaissance Consort.