Tired of the hustle and bustle of the 21st century? Ready for a change? Then take a two-hour drive south of Napa, past the garlic that made Gilroy famous, and step back into Elizabethan England at the Northern California Renaissance Faire.

Pass through the towers guarding the faire grounds at Casa de Fruta, a long-time tourist attraction on Highway 152, and you will enter another world: the world of the little village of Willingtown, a fictional village in western England.

Among the winding, twisting lanes, you'll find a cast of characters straight out of Shakespeare. The mayor of Willingtown, Sir Leering Mostly, and his lovely wife Chastity, may come strolling by. Phoebe Willing, widow of the village's founder, will greet you as you pass. Queen Elizabeth I and her court make their way through the village in a grand procession, several times each day -- she has left London to spend her day in the small rural village.

Sir Francis Drake is visiting and will share tales of his latest exploits against the Spanish fleet over a tankard of ale. Local poets Ben Jonson and Kit Marlowe will entertain you with verse as you examine the wares of the many vendors. And you may get the chance to converse with the Bard himself. Peasants, gentlemen and nobility rub shoulders with visitors as they make their way along the shaded lanes, examining the goods the many vendors have to offer, tasting the food and drink and watching the entertainments that spring up around every corner. Spending a day here will allow you to catch a glimpse of what that Elizabeth world between 1490 and 1630 may have been like.

Authenticity is the goal of the cast, and Maureen Drew -- Molly when she is in the village -- is in charge of hiring the cast members and making sure they present the proper clothing, language and mannerisms to visitors to the faire.

"No one who visits the faire is required to dress in the Renaissance fashions, but we want all the participants here to be in character," said Drew. "That means their speech has to be period, their dress and the way they act all have to be the same as if they were in Elizabethan England."

Drew auditions hundreds of people each year until she finds just the right cast.

To prepare for the faire, participants attend a number of workshops on speech, clothing and other facets of Renaissance life, Drew said. "Some people have a broad interpretation of what the Renaissance is, and that is fine, they can come as whatever they want, but we have to make sure the participants are true to form."

Visitors are encouraged to find their own inner wench or rogue when they come to Willingtown. They can sip from a tankard of ale while performers bring the magic of the Renaissance to life around them. Swashbucklers engage in swordplay for the hand of a buxom maiden; strolling minstrels serenade the crowds with their music, and visitors can even try their hand with a bow and be invited to learn to juggle. For people that aren't sure they have the makings of an Elizabethan costume, there is a vendor at the faire who will be happy to rent you a complete outfit to help you blend into the atmosphere. Anything is possible.

Entertainment of all sorts is available. There are five separate stages, each with several shows throughout the day.

There are games for kids, shops for adults, and to cap it all off, a full-contact joust is held at the arena, where you can cheer for your knight and boo the others during contests with lance, spear and sword.

Many of the weekends during this year's run of the faire have themes. Saturday and Sunday the theme will be a Celtic invasion, celebrating the Irish, Welsh and Scot cultures. And there is a Bacchanal & Masquerade weekend Oct. 7 and 8.

The faire has roots in the Renaissance Faire that spent many years in Novato at Black Point, before being forced to move when the land was sold to a developer for a golf course. After a couple years on the grounds of the old Nut Tree Farm in Vacaville, the faire has found a home among the trees at Casa de Fruta.

"This is a great location,' said Frances Larose, spokeswoman for the faire. "It has more shade than the original site and is an easy drive from all over the Bay Area."

The faire, said Larose, is now an employee-owned company and is seeing a slow but steady growth in attendance since the "inmates took over the asylum." It is the third year that Play Faire Productions has hosted it, after taking over management as a collective in 2004. The company is a self-appointed group of actors, artisans and participants, many of whom have been involved with the event for more than 35 years, said Larose. "It is the only one of its kind to be managed by a group of its own performers and artists."

The faire is open each Saturday and Sunday until Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Admission is $22 for adults, children 5-11 are $10, and children under 5 are free. A weekend pass allowing admission both Saturday and Sunday is $30. To get to Casa de Fruta, go south on Highway 101 to Highway 152, then head east to the Casa de Fruta parkway. For more information or to purchase tickets online, go to www.norcalrenfaire.org