Sand pit vs. turkey legs?

Sand pit vs. turkey legs?

Fans of the Renaissance Festival, a Shakopee-based celebration where armored “knights” joust daily and mead leads the drinks menu, are confronting the reality of today’s energy boom: gaping frac sand pits.

An adjacent silica sand mine, which produces construction aggregates used in hydraulic fracturing, is encroaching on the festival’s turf, rented for over 40 years from the mine’s owner. Fairgoers have longer hikes from the parking lot and gasp-inducing views into the chasm. Now, the festival’s owners and diehard fans are wondering where to take their fantasy world next.  —Diane Richard, writer, September 17

Image: Jim Gehrz

Source: Emma Nelson, “Mine chips away at Renaissance Festival’s magic,” Star Tribune, September 16, 2014