DANVILLE — Armored knights were preparing Friday morning for battles during this weekend’s Illinois Renaissance Festival in Ellsworth Park.

Paragon Jousting is the traveling, adventure theatrical troupe providing a first-hand look of what it was like to be a knight during a century when chivalry was the code by which many lived.

Three shows are planned both Saturday and Sunday during the faire, at 12:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Scott Rodlin, owner and founder of Paragon Jousting, said they normally begin by showing the skills needed to be a knight at the first show. They do this by playing the same games as the knights of old.

The biggest show is the joust of war, which is a “fight to the death.” Played out in full armor, it ends with an on-foot battle with swords.

“It’s so they can see what it looks like for a knight to fight for his life,” Rodlin said.

While the jousts are theatrical shows, Rodlin said the participants are genuinely hitting each other with lances, and occasionally that causes a knight to fall off the horse.

The armor they sport is no mirage either. Custom-built and between 70 to 80 pounds, their armor is based on a suit sitting in the Tower of London that was built in 1585.

“It’s not the sort of thing you buy off the rack,” Rodlin said.

Paragon Jousting member Becca Cooper also said the armor legitimately serves as protection.

“It is a costume, but it is built to do the things that armor is supposed to do,” Cooper said.

From Aurora, N.Y., Rodlin formerly worked in the aerospace industry, but had always been a history buff.

Once the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks came, he said his industry never recovered and his job was downsized.

Friends and others continually asked him to do jousting events, something that had been a hobby, and he finally decided to turn it into something more concrete.

“I realized I could go out and find another desk job or go out and do something interesting,” Rodlin said.

The jousting company he created now performs about 30 shows between May and October, traveling the top right half of the country.

What he enjoys most is the interaction with children after the shows. He said it’s important to portray what a knight would be, and to try to be good examples of that.

“Some of the most interesting conversations I have are with 10-year-old kids,” Rodlin said.

It’s not just the kids who are interested in becoming knights, though. Both Rodlin and Cooper said they get requests from people “all the time” desiring to become jousters.

“After people get an idea of what the time commitment is, it scares them off,” Rodlin said.

The Renaissance Festival runs from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in Ellsworth Park. Other live entertainment with costumed, historical characters from the time period of King Henry VIII will occur throughout the weekend.

A gypsy encampment with belly dancers, jugglers and fire eaters; a Viking tribe with weapons demonstrations; carriage and war horse rides; the Children’s Realm, with kids’ activities; King Henry’s Pub, a beer tent, are just a few of the events planned.

IF YOU GO

The Illinois Renaissance Festival runs from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Ellsworth Park. Jousts occur daily at 12:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Admission is $6; children 5 years old and younger, and active duty/retired/disabled military with identification are free; a family rate of $20 includes six members with one adult. For more information, visit http://www.illinoisrenfaire.com.