November 21st, 2022

Forsooth!  Behold, yon Medieval Faire.  

So yeah, that's what we did on Saturday.  Spent a little time at Renaissance Festival.  I don't know how you feel about them, but we had a great time.  It's like stepping through a portal to an alternate reality.  And sometimes, that's exactly what we need.

Our Local (ish - it's in Sarasota so not too far away) Ren Fair is unique because it's a permanent encampment.  Or town. Or collection of structures. Or, well, I don't know exactly what to call it.  It's only been in place for two years so it's still just a baby town but it has that feeling of permanence that helps to "sell" the story.  The buildings are a actual buildings, the fences built to last,  and while there are loads of tents for the retail portion of the fair there is still a feeling of 'forever' about the place.  As the years go by, I'm sure it will only get even better.

As an unabashed people watching, I was in my glory.  When I got a little tired, I could find a comfy spot to sit and just watch the cast of characters go by.  For some people it was very low key costuming.  Maybe a little girl wearing fairy wings or a woman sporting a circlet of flowers in her hair.  It could be a man wearing a kilt or a leather vest, or it could be that massive sword at the waist of his jeans. (?)   But some people get full on into the role, just as a visitor, not one of the paid characters I would like to add. And I am here for it!

There were animals of course.  Not just the native birds and butterflies and squirrels, silly, I mean Ren Fair critters!  That was fun too!  There were also baby pigs and a donkey. No photos, sorry.

And of course, the actual paid performers. They were awesome!  Easily the best part of the entire experience. Mostly because these guys are so into what the are doing!  This is not just a job, it's a lifestyle.  Love it.  Ready?

I'm trying to decide what my favourite part was and I am just not sure.  Was it the human chess game where the king arbitrarily pitted Danes against Brits, clergy against soldier, man vs woman in a sometimes amusing, but always beautifully choreographed battle?

Or perhaps it was the traditional jousting?   Well it began with the tradition of armoured men atop massive horse thundering down a track toward one another, each hoping to spear the other with their lance.  But at some point it devolved into sword fight on the ground.  Terribly exciting.  Please note some of the attendees, just as beautifully and fancifully attired as the players.

Or maybe it was the music.  The drummers and the bagpipes played both traditional and non-traditional tunes, occasionally accompanied by a saucy dance.  Or maybe the Hokey Pokey really is from Medieval times?  At one point flames shot out of one of the bagpipes.  Seriously it did!  I didn't expect it so I missed the shot but whoa!  Cool!  Even if you weren't standing right next to the performance stage watching the musicians, it was an awesome backdrop whatever you were doing because you could hear it all over the Faire.  Perfect.

It could have been just walking around seeing the people show before me and checking out all of the amazing little shops where they sold pretty much everything.  Corsets and swords and flower crowns and armour and fairy wings and elf ears and bird whistles and all manner of clothing and jewelry and well, the list just goes on and on and ON!  I could not possibly list it all.

The last one we attended was here in Florida five or six years ago.  And the one before that was in Colorado probably ten  before that, so it's not as if we go regularly.  But every single time we've been, we enjoyed ourselves tremendously.  There is a little something for everybody.  You don't have to dress up and you don't have to be very participatory.   I didn't take them up on their offer to teach me archery, or  how to throw axes or spears.  We did not ride the horses or the camels nor did we attempt to eat giant turkey legs.  But what we did do, was have one heck of a great day.

​If you have the chance to attend one, and have not yet done it, go.  It's a good time.