Preserving the past is an excellent way to prepare for the future, which explains the enduring popularity of Renaissance Faires, taxidermy, and Betty White. Go medieval with today's Groupon: you get your choice of two admission options to the Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire, held over three weekends: August 7–8, 14–15, and 21–22. Choose between the following:

• $20 for a family pass for two adults and two children valid for one day (a $45 value)
• $8 for a single adult pass valid for one day (a $16 value)

The Renaissance Faire takes place at the lush Maris Farms in Buckley. The theatrical event features fully costumed kings, queens, jesters, revelers, domesticated basilisks, bands of merry minstrels, and more in a celebration of all things post-medieval. The event entertains elegant lords and ladies alike with fun 16th-century-themed activities for the whole family, including puppet shows, games, and full-contact jousting. Drink in the musical stylings of Hawke the Balladeer, watch a dazzling alchemical display when Zinger's Royal Magick takes the stage, or brace yourself for the acrobatic equestrian trickery of Cavallo Equestrian Arts. Compulsive gambolers, meanwhile, can bust out their fly morris dance moves during the day's peasant dancing, which takes place before professional fencing demos at the Academia della Spada. For something more modern medieval, No Parchment Needed will be performing unscripted japery on the Queen's Stage, while the Hammered Troll Ale House boasts a full line-up of Celtic, Scottish, and even pirate troubadours. You can find a full list and times of the faire's events by clicking the schedule on the sidebar here.

Feast on capon legs, corn, and pickles before drowning the grub in yon stomach-cask with a bottle of ye olde refreshing root ale as you pass the thatched-roof huts where you may purchase medieval weaponry, fantasy (dragon) art, and hand-hewn hardwood wares. Observing the blacksmithing and leather-making demos may inspire you to change careers and join a guild, even if its health-care plan is largely leech-based. Join the lists with today's Groupon to the Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire and revel in a day of capering, cavorting, jests, jousts, japes, jigs, gypsies, mages, mongers, merry-making, mead, raffish ribaldry, roguish roistering, telling of tales, making of musicks, and other sundry frivolity.