Renaissance Festivals
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
United States
September 2, 2009 9:52am CST
This is by far my favorite time of year. This part of the year for me starts with the Lammas, followed by Mabon, and ends with our New Year celebration Samhain. We celebrate this portion of the year by attending our Renaissance Festival here in Shakopee Minnesota, which is by far one of the most enjoyable faires that I have been to.
This year marked the ability to purchase a season pass with Goddess blessed funds so that we may attend each weekend. Opening weekend was their Road of Silks so I went dressed as a hungarian gypsy princess because of my great-grandmother's family history, and my husband went as a Ronin Samurai. It was wonderful, and our pictures were placed lovingly on our Myspace and Facebook pages. It was interesting to watch the responses of various people opening weekend. Some were the typical in a hurry to get to the next event, but others literally moved to the side as my husband pushed his "baby cart" through the crowds, and some even bowed to him as he came through. I suppose fearing upsetting or vexing a Samurai. We enjoyed a wonderful martial arts demonstration in which our son at the end was able to use a wooden bokan and cut through newspaper. He's a natural. Next year I hope to add to his costume by upgrading his silks so that he will be more of a Daiymo, and hopefully by then I'll have my Geisha robes made and can follow behind him. We thought it would be fun if I could have hand-maidens/helpers as the wife of a Daiymo may very well be well off enough to have a few helpers. However, that was truly reserved for the Emperor/Empress so if they are both walking by next year perhaps I shall only have to carry the pack.
This last weekend was the Highland Fling. My father's family married into the MacGregors, and my husband's ancestors aided those in the Battle of Hastings. So my husband adorned himself in his new shirt that I made for him, and his kilt. My son was dressed in his kilt and shirt, and our daughter in a simple plaid tunic. They looked absolutely adorable. I suppose adorable is not the right word for the men, but they looked wonderful. We enjoyed the taber tosses and light hammer throw! Those men are simply amazing. My son received a medal (as did all the children) for the costume contest he entered. He was so proud of his medal. He also met the fairy on two seperate days and received a fairy stone. The first stone became a fairy, but the second is proudly displayed by him. He is enamoured by her. Our daughter was also very excited when she was able to meet the fairy! We also enjoyed a free beer taste of a local brewery here in Minnesota called Flat Earth Ale. I highly recommend it. Our daughter became absolutely in love with one of the workers. He was an Irishman that having a daughter of his own played with our daughter during the beer taste. We've never seen her take to a stranger the way she did to him. On Sunday she looked for him again, and when he came and said hello to her she lit up like a Christmas tree!
The following weekends bring The Royal Ale Festival, Irish Heritage Celebration, Wine Chocolates and Romance (the weekend we'll renew our wedding vows as we did last year), Royal Rumble (a health care weekend), and ending with the Mediterranean weekend. We will more than likely spend the rest of our weekends as Vikings, as that is my husband's ancestory and one that we've been adding to each year. This last weekend I made my son his first pair of fur boots!
Have you ever been to a Renaissance Festival? What is your favorite part of such celebrations? Do you dress in costume? If so what do you generally wear?
Namaste-Anora
5 people like this
9 responses
@MachaMongRuad (191)
• United States
2 Sep 09
There's a really good Renaissance Festival in Bowie, Maryland every year. The site where it always takes place is in a little stand of woods and there are beautifully made permanent structures to house the vendors and merchants as well as stages and arenas for all the different scheduled performances.
I try to go every year, though there has been at least one year that I had to miss due to lack of funds and transportation issues. My boyfriend and I have chosen a weekend for this year though, so I'm looking forward to that.
I think my favorite part of the Maryland Renaissance Festival is the performances by The Rogues. They're a celtic musical group that use primarily bagpipes and drums. They're fantastic. Thereare other wonderful performers, plenty of fun, interesting merchants and lots of fantastic food, but The Rogues are the one thing I just can't miss when I go to RenFest.
1 person likes this
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
• United States
3 Sep 09
Macha-
Your Festival sounds very much like ours. There are many permanent buildings and there are nooks that bring you into a different part of the faire. We have a fairy glenn, a pirates cove, the Queens area, and so forth. The one thing we're saving for when the children are older is to go to the dinner they put on at the festival. It's extra monies but they serve you a 7 course meal along with the King and Queen and nobility with a show. It sounds like a wonderful time.
I shall have to look The Rogues. The names sounds familiar but I'm terrible remembering them. They sound very nice though and I adore the bagpipes.
Have a wonderful week.
Namaste-Anora
@MachaMongRuad (191)
• United States
3 Sep 09
Ooo, the special dinner sounds really cool. I wonder if the one here does something like that... I'll have to look into it. Our festival doesn't really have different themed sections though. Most of the food vendors are located in a central area in the permanent structures, but then there are also a few food vendors in permanent structures on the edges of everything and of course the people who push carts around or have big poles with food hanging from them.
Basically, it's sort of a big 8 shape. The open area at the bottom of the 8 is the entrance to the festival and there are merchants and vendors around the outside of the bottom circle. On the inside there's a glass-blower's shop where they do demonstrations and there's a covered but sort of open air tavern. The path through the middle of the 8 is where most of the food is located. The top right side of the 8 has a few more merchants and vendors as well as a jousting arena and one of the stages for performers. The left top of the 8 has more stages, some more merchants, some games and a kids' area.
And then you have the cast. There's always a King with his Court that presides over the festival. They wander around in costume when they're not actually playing their roles on stages or in the arena. And other performers wander around in their costumes when they're not performing, but stay in character. Like there's this female pirate captain that carries around a paddle and threatens to give people the plank and there's a Sheriff that will write you fake tickets. I haven't really seen any of the official characters there dressed as faeries or mythological beings though.
I'll have to take more pictures this year.
And yes, definitely look into The Rogues. They're wonderful.
1 person likes this
@MachaMongRuad (191)
• United States
4 Sep 09
Oh wow. From the pictures on your Fest site it does look similar to the one in Maryland. It also looks like a lot of fun. Maybe the boyfriend and I will look into trips to experience different Ren Fests around the country. That could actually get really interesting. Thank you for the link! Have a wonderful Labor Day Weekend!
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
2 Sep 09
I love those things. I love sitting and watching the dances and the plays. I love the food too and the craft booths. The kids love the games. I did finally get myself a costume year before last after all these years. We used to go the the Faire in the LA area every year. There was a guy who did a bird show dressed as a pirate. After a while we knew all his jokes but we loved it anyway. Up here there's a much smaller Faire and we've only been once. It should be coming around any time, come to think of it.
Congratulations on your son's medal!!!
1 person likes this
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
• United States
3 Sep 09
Dawn-
The bird man sounds like quite the show! You must post pictures of your dress!I'm really loving the faire the more we get involved. I imagine this is something we shall do until we die. How is the LA area doing? I've been following the fires but I haven't heard from any of my friends in that area as of yet.
My son is so proud, at three he already knows what a medal means.
Have a wonderful week. Namaste-Anora
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
3 Sep 09
It's posted over on my Multiply site:
http://rddcn.multiply.com/photos/album/116/Folsom_Renaissance_Faire#photo=10
I hear the fire down in LA is really bad, but it's not threatening anybody I know, so I don't know any more than what you see in the paper. We had a bad one up here too, 60 homes destroyed, but no people, thank goodness!
1 person likes this
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
• United States
4 Sep 09
Thank you so much for sharing this!! I'm glad that no one has been harmed by the fires. You have a lovely Friday, Dawn.
Namaste-Anora
1 person likes this
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
7 Sep 09
i haven't been to one yet,but we do have the king richard's faire nearby every year.
matter of fact,i think it's next month.
but my brother and i plan to go eventually.
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
• United States
9 Sep 09
Scarlet-
Oh, that sounds like a fun faire to go to. I hope that you and your brother do go and have a wonderful time. Thanks for stopping by and responding.
Namaste-Anora
@savypat (20216)
• United States
2 Sep 09
I have never been to one of these festivals but would love to go. If so I would also love to dress up for it. We have a great Shakespeare Festival that runs all Summer and attracts many visitors, is fact it is the main source of income for the town of Ashland, Or. This is build around the outdoor theater in the round,based on the original one in England.
1 person likes this
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
• United States
3 Sep 09
Pat-
Oh, a Shakespeare Festival what a lovely time. I adore his work!! I shall have to plan a summer trip when the children are older to Oregon to attend!! Thank you so much for sharing and I hope you are having a lovely week.
Namaste-Anora
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
3 Sep 09
It sounds like amazing fun! All those costumes must be fantastic to wear! I have never been to anything like that and I do hope I get the chance to go one day because I know I would thoroughly enjoy it and so would my daughter.
Dressing in costumes would give you such a feel for the culture and times gone by. The Renaissance Festival sounds like a place where great memories can be made! What a way to for children to learn about their roots and how lovely that you renew your vows each year!
1 person likes this
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
• United States
9 Sep 09
Paula-
Thank you so much for stopping by, it's always a pleasure to see you. I think you would have a wonderful time, and I agree it is a wonderful way to teach one's children. It's the perfect hands-on classroom.
Namaste-Anora
1 person likes this
@maygodblessu44 (7336)
• India
14 Sep 09
Hello my friend Anora_Eldorath Ji,
It is so nice to kinow about your festivals and customs, the most important being, of your variety in dressing and posing or potriating from the past. I witnessed a great procession on 25 Dec-2003, in WALT-DISNEY WORLD, where many such dresses were seen by folks dances etc. As far me, being indian lady, we have only saree and in particular style to be worn, where we do not have to present ourselves, but to grace the occasion, may be for festivals, may be for some ceremonies and any other time. I always wear saree. May God bless You an dhave a great time. 
@maygodblessu44 (7336)
• India
30 Sep 09
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http://hubpages.com/hub/indiansarees
http://www.utsavsarees.com/saree/wearsari.htm[b]
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May God bless You and have a great time.
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
• United States
15 Sep 09
Thank you friend for responding. I think your wear is very beautiful. I own one saree, and two pants outfits from India. I do not know how to properly drape my saree though, and as I have no Indian friends close to show me it is very sad. Though, when I had the top made they made it a tad too small and I am unsure how to let it out, or how they made it too small when I sent precise measurements. (Any advise would be greatly appreciated).
Namaste-Anora
1 person likes this
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
2 Sep 09
This sounds like a heck of a lot of fun, but I've never been to a Renaissance Festival before. 
I did attend a Medieval themed event many years ago where they had mock battles and the like, maybe this was something similar? It makes me smile to hear how much your Son and Daughter enjoy the event too. Talk about taking imagination and learning to an entirely new level! I think it's great. Acknowledging your family roots and renewing your vows is wonderful as well. If I ever had the chanc to go to one, I'd definitely look to embrace the full spirit of the event and dress up!
I did attend a Medieval themed event many years ago where they had mock battles and the like, maybe this was something similar? It makes me smile to hear how much your Son and Daughter enjoy the event too. Talk about taking imagination and learning to an entirely new level! I think it's great. Acknowledging your family roots and renewing your vows is wonderful as well. If I ever had the chanc to go to one, I'd definitely look to embrace the full spirit of the event and dress up! 1 person likes this
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
• United States
3 Sep 09
James-
Good to see you! Yes, it sounds like they would very much be the same. The time period of ours is from around 1400 through early 1700's. So it covers the Dark Ages as well as the Renaissance. There are jousts, gypsies, special events shows depending upon the weekend, lots of vendors and food. Oh my, the turkey legs are to die for! And the mead and ale is so wonderful. We also enjoy soup in a bread bowl. Ok, I love all of the food. We had a wonderful kabob and pita at opening weekend that was simply delicious.
It really is fun learning our roots. My father is still finishing our full family tree but has traced it back to Edward I of England. He's working with a woman who does geneology for a living, plus his brother who lives in England is digging through older records. It's all been very interesting.
Namaste-Anora
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
2 Sep 09
Hi Anora! I have not been to one yet but my boyfriend says he has went to one from his home state every year. He has talked about taking me to it this year. I am hoping it is going on this weekend because we are supposed to visit his family. I get an extra day off for Labor Day here. He says he has dressed up before. I can't remember what he said he dressed up like. I'll have to ask him. I suppose if it were me, I would dress up like a sword wielding peasant girl..lol
1 person likes this
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
• United States
3 Sep 09
Jen-
That sounds like a blast. You will love it when you attend! Definitely go in costume if you can. Some faires even have places you can rent costumes for the day within the village itself. I also enjoy the jousts! Nothing like a man on a horse! We've some really good looking knights at our event.
We are kind of sad at the turn of events in our village. The first year we went together in 2005 they were doing "peace ties", which involved fastening your weapons shut with ribbon. We missed 2006 because of the birth of our son and my cancer, and attended again in 2007 to find they had moved to zip ties because of an incident of someone brandishing a weapon! I couldn't believe it, but we zip tie our weapons before we leave the house. Helps in moving through the entrance line quickly. Thanks for your response. Have a wonderful week and good to hear from you as always.
Namaste-Anora
@jambi462 (4576)
• United States
2 Sep 09
I went to one a long time ago with my aunts and my little brother and it was a lot of fun. It's kind of like an acting job where eveyone's kind of involved. There also aren't many places where you can throw axes and ninja stars at targets and what not. I also agree that renaissance festivals are a lot of fun and I wouldn't mind going to find one to go to soon because I haven't been to one in a couple of years.
1 person likes this
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
• United States
3 Sep 09
Jambi-
Thank you for the lovely response. Yeah, ours this year has an archery tent which is a great deal of fun. This was my first year to shoot a bow and I loved it. I'm going to buy one before the faire is over. I agree, it's like a huge stage!!! I hope you are able to attend one soon.
Namaste-Anora
