Carolina Renaissance Festival photo

Aug. 24. Autumn is around the corner. Pumpkin spice everything is spicing up drink and treat options and the Carolina Renaissance Festival returns after a year off during the pandemic.

Auditions for festival performers have been held and now the hiring begins. The festival hires 350 seasonal employees on an annual basis. Seasonal employees hawk turkey legs and ale, sell admission tickets, greet guests and more.

“We will continue to monitor announcements by health officials and will be prepared to implement safety guidelines that may be required in the fall. We will post updates on the festival website and social media pages as the festival season approaches,” says Matt Siegel, director of marketing and entertainment.

Job hunters can apply online at www.RenFestInfo.com or attend one of several upcoming Job Fairs to be held at the Renaissance Festival fairgrounds, 16445 Poplar Tent Road, Huntersville.

Job fair dates are:

• Friday, Aug. 27 – 11am to 3pm

• Saturday, Aug. 28 – 11am to 3pm

• Friday, Sept. 10 – 11am to 3pm

• Saturday, Sept. 11 – 11am to 3pm

Applicants should be prepared to produce documents showing they are able to work in the United States, if hired. Resumes are appreciated but not required for most positions. Questions can be directed to crfjobs@renfestinfo.com.

The Carolina Renaissance Festival is held Saturdays and Sundays, Oct.  2 through Nov. 21. The interactive event is a combination of outdoor theater, circus, open air arts and crafts fair, jousting tournament and food.  

There are other signs fall is coming. 

Welcome back, pumpkin 

It may still be warm outside, but pumpkin  has found its way back into products at Dunkin’  and Starbucks.

Starbucks announces the “quintessential fall flavor is back in session with our warm and cozy Pumpkin Spice Latte and Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew topped with pumpkin cream cold foam and a dusting of pumpkin pie spices.”

Courtesy Starbucks

Courtesy Dunkin’

Dunkin’s introduced its fall line earlier than usual in response to demand, a company news release says. New items such as the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, Apple Cranberry Dunkin’ Refresher and Apple Cranberry Dunkin’ Coconut Refresher join the standbys: Pumpkin Spice Signature Latte, Pumpkin Flavored Coffees, Pumpkin Donut, Donut Hole treats and muffin, Apple Cider Donut.

Pumpalicious Pumpkin Ale from Primal Brewery

Pumpkin isn’t only spicing up coffee. Pumpkin flavored ale is cropping up in the beer aisle and local breweries. From Southern Tier Pumking Ale to Primal Brewery’s Pumpalicious Pumpkin Ale the fall flavors are here. D9 Brewing Co. also recently released their Imperial Pumpkin Ale.

And some pandemic relief: salad bars are returning to grocery chains.