Carver’s King Richard’s Faire Will Relocate to Edaville as Theme Park Downsizes

CARVER (WBSM) — Major changes are coming to Edaville Family Theme Park and King Richard’s Faire, two of southeastern Massachusetts’ biggest and longest-lasting attractions, both located in the town of Carver.

WBSM has learned that King Richard’s Faire was sold last year to another organization, and the current owners have purchased the Edaville property and will move the Faire to that site while the Edaville park itself will be downsized and rides auctioned off in May.

The move is reportedly necessary because Alphonse D’Amico, the owner of the property where the Faire has been held since it first began more than 40 years ago – the Faire itself does not own the land, but rents it – has opted not to renew the Faire’s lease.

Rumors circulating are that D’Amico has sold the land for residential development, but WBSM was unable to confirm.

Lancelot Entertainment Boston, LLC purchased KRF last year from the Shapiro family, which had owned it since Richard Shapiro first created it in the early 1980s. According to one person we spoke to under the condition of anonymity, the plan was to eventually move the Faire to the Edaville property, but the decision not to renew its lease sped up that move.

King Richard’s Faire Will Take Place in 2025, But Vendors Must Move Out Today and Tomorrow

The 2025 King Richard’s Faire season, which is already in the works with cast auditions taking place through April 15, will happen on the Edaville site. WBSM was told that Lancelot Entertainment had purchased the Edaville property, but we were not able to reach anyone from Lancelot or Edaville to confirm.

According to multiple vendors who spoke to WBSM on the condition of anonymity, the management of King Richard’s Faire called the vendors on Tuesday of this week to let them know that the land on which the Faire operates had been sold and that the vendors had only two days, today and tomorrow, to remove any belongings from their booths.

Lancelot Entertainment has been challenging D’Amico in court to get an extension to remain on the property so that the more than 50 vendors associated with the Faire can have more time to move out.

King Richard’s Faire Vendors Concerned About the Move

Multiple vendors have gone to social media to share concerns that booths they had worked hard to build up over the years – including ones that were built as recently as last year – were going to be torn down, forcing them to start over at Edaville.

One vendor told WBSM that the way it works is that the individual vendors own their booths, and lease the land from the Faire (which is in turn leasing it from the landowner).

“For some of them, it’s like losing their home away from home,” the vendor said. “All of the vendors are small businesses, many are mom and pop owned. Some vendors have put literal blood, sweat and tears into their buildings. And they are being forced to walk away, with no recompensation. So many of them are in shock, angry and wondering what they are going to do.”

READ MORE: This Tiger King Star Worked at King Richard's Faire

“It would have been better if they had given the vendors a heads up as to what might have been coming down the pike, so they could plan and make arrangements,” the vendor said. “Many of the vendors are flung across the USA, at other Ren Faires in places like Arizona and Florida. There is no way they are able to make it to Carver in time to get their things.”

WBSM was provided with a screenshot from a private Facebook group for King Richard’s Faire vendors in which a moderator posted information reportedly shared by Aimee Shapiro, whose family owned KRF prior to Lancelot Entertainment.

It confirmed information we were provided from sources that indicated that the landowner did not wish to continue his lease with KRF, and that vendors were only being given today and tomorrow to clear out their booths. It also mentioned an extension was being sought but “is not guaranteed.”

It also confirmed that KRF is relocating to the Edaville property, and that the plan is to reconstruct the village there.

“New booths will be built for all booth owners, maybe not ready for this year but by next! Some will be living the tent life this year but will ultimately have a booth the same size as they always have,” according to the post. “This new location comes with paved paths, electricity that works (!), indoor food and bar locations, wifi, better parking, less flooding, and more space!”

One source told WBSM that the booths are being rebuilt at no cost to the vendors, and that the new site will have everything that was originally at the original site of King Richard’s Faire, plus room to expand in the future.

In October 2023, the Carver Select Board held an emergency meeting "to hear complaints about traffic, parking and overcrowding conditions" at King Richard's Faire after multiple complaints from ticket buyers that season, and ended up putting new conditions on the Faire's licenses as a result.

Meanwhile, Edaville’s Operations Team Is Out

So what then becomes of Edaville, the beloved railroad-themed park that has been around since 1947 (minus the seven years or so it was shut down in the 1990s)?

Brian Fanslau and Hannah Harriman of Maine Locomotive and Machine Works, who had been serving as operations partners of Edaville Family Theme Park for the past three years, confirmed to WBSM that they are no longer the operators of the park.

However, Fanslau said he is helping with the transition and is “looking forward to a bright future for Edaville.”

READ MORE: Carver's Edaville Runs Rare Double-Headed Steam Special

The two had come in along with Shervin Hawley in August 2022 when Edaville owner Jon Delli Priscoli opted to take Edaville off the market – he had put it up for sale in April that year for a reported $10 million – and instead continue on with the park’s operations in its 75th anniversary year.

Then in 2023, Priscoli revealed plans to shrink the footprint of the park and go “Christmas only,” while also developing a portion of the property for residential housing, including 40B housing.

READ MORE: Carver's Edaville Looks to Go Christmas-Only, Add 40B Housing

In addition, it was announced that the “Thomas Land” portion of the park, which used characters from the world of Thomas the Tank Engine licensed through Mattel, would not continue.

READ MORE: Carver's Edaville Will Not Reopen Thomas Land

WBSM was unable to reach anyone currently associated with Edaville to find out what the plan is for the park going forward. Emails as well as messages to the park’s Facebook page were not returned as of this writing.

A Majority of Edaville’s Rides Will Be Auctioned Off

WBSM spoke with Dan Satow of Norton of Michigan Auctioneers, which is handling the May 15 auction in which many of Edaville’s rides will be sold off.

“It’s just some of the rides,” Satow said. “From my understanding, the property has been sold, and they’re going to re-theme and redesign everything.”

The auction will feature 24 rides plus a shooting gallery and a three-level play area, including such iconic attractions as “Big Eli,” a Ferris wheel that has been on the Edaville property since it was built in 1953, and the “Den of Lost Thieves,” a dark ride that Edaville had planned to introduce a few years ago but never opened.

Also included in the auction are the more than 20 animatronic dinosaurs that were part of the park’s “Dino Land” attraction that never reopened following the COVID pandemic. You can see the complete list of available rides online.

It appears that most of the rides that made up “Thomas Land,” which were re-branded in 2023 as the “Alpine Village” with a theme paying homage to Edaville founder and cranberry grower Ellis D. Atwood, are remaining on the property, along with the steam and diesel trains that took visitors around the park.

READ MORE: Carver's Edaville Reopens Former Thomas Land as Alpine Village

“The train they’re keeping, some of the rides they’re keeping, but they’re going to re-do the park,” Satow said.

The in-person auction will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 15 at Edaville. It is open to the public, and Satow expects it will be very popular with operators of other parks.

“There are enough rides there, no major special rides or big rides, mostly kiddie rides or young adult rides, but with that quantity and quality of equipment, it’s going to attract people from all over the country,” Satow said.

WBSM will update this story if and when more information becomes available.