Renn Festivals/Fairs?

[emma11]

I'm going to my first Renn Fair in about a month, and I honestly have no idea what to expect. I've been told to make a costume, and to brush up on my knowledge of the language of the era, but I figured getting first hand accounts would be better!

Has anyone ever been and what can you tell me about it?

[Echinacea]

Are you going as a spectator, or as a performer? I have been to King Richard's Faire here in Massachusetts a couple of times, but always as a paying customer. Wear comfortable shoes, preferably of the non-sneaker variety if you are going in something like period costume. I've bought a couple of bodices, and I usually wear one of them, a peasant blouse/poet's shirt, at least one long skirt (usually two - a white underskirt and a colored overskirt), and a simple apron (rectangle of fabric with a drawstring on one side to tie it around my waist) - wench wear! There were a ton of things to see and buy and eat... made for a looong day of standing and walking, but it was fun! If you are not a performer, then being up on the language is not necessarily that big a problem. I spent several years in the SCA, so put me in wench wear and i drop into 'renn-speak' without even thinking about it! 'God gi' thee good day, noble sir, and how fares thy day?' 'Prithee, which way to the water closet?' and all that kind of stuff! ;)

[emma11]

Haha, I'm actually going to King Richard's this year!! That would be the one. It's good to knwo that I don't need to worry about talking in the same language, my friend told me if I wasn't doing that then I was going to get teased terribly. There's also a Pirate festival nearby where King Richard's is held at the end of September too that my boyfriend really wants to go to??

[coral_sybil]

I wish I could tell you what to expect, however, it depends on each place. So what I'm about to say is based on my experience with the festival here in Minnesota. Most of the time when you go to a one of these in costume the actors/performers expect you to play along to some degree.

[Echinacea]

*chuckle* Read some of Shakespeare's plays a week or so before you go, that ought to help with the language. :thumbs up:

[Anahita]

If you're going as a paying visitor, you don't really need to do anything. I know a lot of people like dressing up. If you like to do it, go ahead.

The Renaissance Faire type of event, in general, is what we in reenacting and living history would call a Farb Fest. It has really little grounds in historical accuracy... There are usually a few guilds who "run" it who claim to pride themselves in being authentic and accurate, but they all have a different view on what's "accurate", and what are acceptable anachronisms (They have a LOT of the latter too, oh boy do they have a lot of the latter... Which is why I quite the guild).

And of course, none of this applies to the visitor at all. You're there to enjoy yourself, not adhere to "no visible grommets! but purple and pink are ok for peasants!" malarkey.

I know the one I used to go to a lot had 18th century POTC people running around, they have the Spanish "Guild" which are just people who buy season passes and show up in crazy pseudo-Renaissance get-ups with a girl in a "armor" bustier, a bridge troll, belly dancers... But they also had a lot more people going there in shorts and tank tops and stuff.

Yeah, you don't really need to worry about going there in costume or not, or if the costume is good enough, and your speak "period correct", etc. Just have fun, buy some cool little trinkets, and have a turkey-leg (the unofficial food of the typical RenFaire). :D

And if the one you're going to is anything like the one in SoCal I go to, be prepared to see a lot of floppy, sun-burned boobies. Those are pretty darn popular at the RenFaires out here. Lol :)

[Echinacea]

King Richard's Faire usually starts around Labor Day and runs through Columbus Day, so it can be a bit chilly, especially later in the season! There are a lot of fairies and wer-people and pirates and even a good number of reasonably accurate period costumes running around! (Boston has a pretty large branch of the Society for Creative Anachronism there, so you do get some good, detailed, well-researched outfits!) I am not sure if I have seen a mermaid there, but I have only gone twice. It is fun to just sit and people-watch, while you eat your turkey-leg!

[Daphne]

Yeah, what they said. If you're just going in normal street clothes and paying your way in, you're fine. Wander the shops, eat and drink various stuff, and watch a few plays and performances.

Also doesn't matter how you dress up. On opening day of Renn Faire here in Maryland, there were people dressed in:

-a ghilly suit
-a psychedelic unicorn furry
-JESUS
-Deadpool. - who seriously needed a few dozen turkey legs if you know what I mean

Or if you really want to get wonky, you can grab a Trekkie and go as Spock and Ahura. Be the "anomalies" :P

[Miyu]

Yay! Your first renfaire! Awww, it's kind of cute! I haven't known a renfaire virgin in a long time ^_^ I'm so jealous, it's so much fun! I hope you have a wonderful time!

I used to go as a LOTR elf. I made my little brother a "satyr" outfit on his request once (he had seen the "pan horns" to put on your head the year before, and really he just wanted to buy them and wear them). My first year was when peasant blouses and such made a comeback, so I wore a pair of jeans with a little leather corset-lacing instead of a zipper, and a kind of puffy-sleeve shirt with more lacing. Whatever, I felt like Sarah from Labyrinth. It was awesome.

Take sunblock, a large-brimmed hat, or a parasol/UV-blocking umbrella. There's a reason there are a lot of sunburned boobies! I honestly don't know why all the "period-accurate" people don't cover up from the sun more. Eat a turkey leg if you're not vegetarian! Catch a joust. If you ever go to a renfaire with an act called Cast in Bronze, definitely go watch at least one of his shows. You won't be sorry if you do - Frank is quite possibly my favorite musician ever ^_^

Expect many fairies if your faire is not super-duper strict.

Braid your hair! Alternately, have someone who really knows how to braid hair do it for you all fancy at the faire (this usually costs a pretty penny, but is nice if you can't braid your own hair in all sorts of fancy ways).

Some weirdo costumes I've seen at renfaire:

Entirely too many Hogwarts students
Spiderman
Also furries (although I count "wenches" wearing fox/raccoon tails on their rear to be renfair-furries LOL)...
Samurai
Many Elves.
Belly Dancers/Gypsies (WHY must all gypsies look like Esmerelda?!?)
Now that I think about it, I believe I've seen a few incarnations of The Doctor (from Doctor Who) at faire.

I really do wonder why there are so few Plague Doctors at faire... yet so many furries...

(Please don't think I don't like Fursuiters, I really do, I have very good friends who go out and fursuit it up... I would as well if I had all that fur to suit up with. Actually, I think us Mers could also be considered a type of furry, but that is just my weird opinion...) *floats off all awkward-like*

[Amphitrite]

I'm looking to go to my first ever Ren. Fair in the Fall! I really look forward to it. The big draws for me, besides the costumes and time period and such are that three of my cousins go on a regular basis and this will give me a chance to hang out with them. My cousin is even helping me make a costume to wear.

[Mermaid Danielle]

My boyfriend and I were supposed to go to one this weekend, but he has band practice. I've never been to one of the fairs, but I've been told that they are awesome! Have fun!

[Mermaid Caspiana]

There was one close by my town but I was unable to go sadly by hey even had a means lagoon! I'll have to go next year. Well for one my tail wasn't done but I emailed them and all I needed to do was send a picture of my in costume j think. Lol. So I hope next year. And Moonlight, the term, "renfair virgin" is fantastic! Lol

[Lyna]

I am a ginormous rennie. I have been to all sorts of faire's and I follow them as well as I can. I now live in Texas, but my first visit here was actually to go to closing weekend of TRF which is the largest festival in the states. I flew from NY to TX for it. They're amazing. Any day of the week you will catch me with no less than 2 things on me from faire. :)

[emma11]

Ah so good to hear so many good things!! I'm very excited, can't wait to see what happens. My boyfriend terribly wants to go as a pirate and wheel me around in my tail in some kind of wheelbarrow deal.

And I couldn't help but say hey, if you want to push me around all day? Yes, yes that is fine with me. XD

[Lyna]

We've done that at faire many times. He better be prepared for a sweaty tiring bumpy day. And trust me he will complain about the tedious work of hauling the heavy cart. But also you'll be bombarded by stupid redundant questions so have patience and preparesome good come backs. And he iisn't the only one who'll suffer the cart. Those things are really uncomfortable! Be expecting some nice aches and bruises.

[Ponytales]

I'm trying to convince the boyfriend into going and dressing up for the faire here. He's never been to one and doesn't really dress up... Think if I can come up with some good viking stuff it just might work.

[Mermaid Jessica]

I was a mermaid at my first Ren Faire a few months ago! You don't really have to worry about anything if you're paying to get in. You're there to have fun! I don't know where your Ren Faire is located, but mine was by a body of water and there were tons of mosquitoes. So I'd suggest bug spray. And also sun screen, comfortable shoes, and tip money because the performers really appreciate it when you tip them.