Let me start this off by admitting to going to a couple meetings of the Society for Creative Anachronism when I was in college and the people struck me as BEYOND pathetic geeks. Since I was, and am, merely a normal pathetic geek they seemed a little obsessive.
I also know that the SCA was thrown our local Renaissance Faire many years ago, around when it started to make money, so I don’t have to worry about being creeped out by them if I go. Now I assume it’s just Goths and Geeks. These are my people, so I should feel at home.
My daughter is fifteen, too young to drive herself but old enough to be interested in it. I think I’ll take her, but I want to know what to expect and what makes it worth my money. This seems like the right place to ask.
Well, I’m not going to assume that all Ren Fests are the same, but the one I attend here in Florida is a lot of fun. Lots of people just having fun. You don’t have to dress up to get a good time out of it. You are the only one who would have a clue whether your daughter will think it fun, or lame. 15 is a strange age for that sort of thing. But I would have loved it the same at 15 as I do at 34. And what a cool thing to have a dad who’d take you someplace like that–I didn’t have that with my dad.
Worse than hardcore Trekkers? You know, the ones that speak to each other in “Klingon”?
Good grief! I assume you meant to say “thrown out of”? A RennFaire without SCA? What the hell did they do, human sacrifice? I mean, it must take a lot to be of a caste too low to be acceptable at a RennFaire.
Go go go! They’re a lot of fun! Some of the stuff is costly, but it’s worth it. I’ve gone to two different ones so far, three times to the Great Lakes one where I was a vendor, and once to the Pittsburgh Ren Fest. The food is usually really unique and the music is great. The shows are hilarious but a lot are adult-minded and I’m sure your daughter would understand the humor though since she’s 15.
TroubleAgain, my greater worry is that I will think it fun or lame, not my daughter. She’s a lot like me: geeky and likes goths fine but wears colors other than black. However, as I demonstrate regularly, I am stuffier and more jaded.
Anthracite, I generally think of any Trekkers who get into a giant snit because I called them “Trekkies” are darned close to beyond hope. The Klingons ARE beyond hope, but they have adopted a local highway so they can’t be all bad. As for the SCA, they were trying to keep the Bristol faire too true to its imaginary eleventh-century roots while the other folks wanted to attract more suckers.
That was my thought before I went: Oh christ, is it gonna be a bunch of people like those ones who kept playing D & D through college and seemed to have a problem keeping a grip on reality? But I was pleasantly surprised. There are crafts, interesting food items to nosh, demonstrations of things… Usually a jousting match, stuff like that. I don’t tend to do minstrel/music/play performances, but I was attending with someone who was into that sort of thing, and found I was quite happily entertained by those we watched.
And yes, you do see some people walking around in costume, but mostly it’s just Joe Sixpack and his kids, enjoying all the stuff to look at.
Go, I think you’ll find it’s one of those rare things that you can BOTH enjoy.
No, those were the SCA people who were thrown out years ago.
[hijack]Love that Yellow pages ad with the D&D guys! Kills me every time cuz I KNOW those guys![/hijack]
Had mead, wasn’t impressed. Maybe some hard cider…
I’m not Joe Six-Pack so I don’t mind the Ren Drag. Remember, I’m the guy who sought out the SCA in the first place. And ladies in tight velvet? Hmm-umm GOOD! Loose velvet? Still good!
Think I’ll leave the wife and littles t’home. Nice bonding experience for me and the big. I’ve already told her I of my gothic tendencies (it’s so cute listening to MattMcL talking about spells and such!) and she knows I’m a history nut, so we oughta just have fun.
While I’m not particularly hard-core myself, I’ve got several friends who are die hard RenFaire people here in Maryland, living and working at the site. I personally attend once or twice a year, and never fail to have a great time.
I work at the Texas Ren-faire and I AM NOT part of the SCA. You are under the impression that all people who work for Rem-faires are SCA, or that the SCA are even major players. In my six years of working there I have known 1 SCA person. Believe me, the attitude of many workers are not pro-SCA. Personally, I don’t know that much about the group. The SCA are just one group of many who goes to Ren-faire, and they are scarcely represented among the patrons.
The workers at the Ren-fair people are in it for the fun AND THE MONEY. All the actors get paid, the bigger the role, the more the money. Many of the rest of us (including games) get paid commission. It is fun, but very hard work.
Oh yes, I should add the bunch I work with are fun loving people. From teenagers to 50 something, although mostly 20 something (I am 37). We are a group that likes to have fun. About the freaky people; yes, they show up as well, but they tend to walk around with their bunch. If they work for the ren-faire they are likely expected to dress the period. I have seen many workers get caught with pierced tongues. They have to pull it out.
As far as the visitors you will get a variety of types. Yes, I see goths. I saw a dude dressed up like Jesus in a burlap diaper (NOT an employee), I saw barbarians, I saw SCA dudes with their swords. They all make for interesting people watching.
