That makes three of us. Head to the Friends of Faire garden and ask for Stephen of Solaris. I’m more than likely going to be Master of the Keepe. (Won’t be confirmed until August, but I’ve been unchallenged at it for the past three years and I expect this year to be no different.)
Scuba Ben, actually. Sorry!
Dinsdale, did you get a chance to go? I was thinking about taking my son to Bristol in a couple of weeks since he’s seven and loved going to Medieval Times for his birthday last year. I have good memories of it from my youth but I haven’t been for at least ten years or so.
My sister went recently and huffed about all the “freaks” and “weirdos” who were ruining it. Mind you, my sister is a poster child Soccer Mom type and I was an art major in college so our thresholds of “freaks & weirdos” are a lot different from one another’s. Anyway, I couldn’t get her to specify exactly what was so freakish about these weirdos and how it detracted from eating turkey legs, watching guys on horseback and listening to jugglers tell really bad jokes.
Going to a Renfaire and getting upset about all the freaks and weirdos is like going to an NBA game and getting upset about all the really tall people…
My question was more one of “family friendliness”. SCA guys and Goth/Wiccan wannabes is par for the course and wouldn’t phase me although the latter may upset my sister. But if it’s turned into some Bondage Dominatrixes on Parade show or something (for example; I’ve no reason to believe it has) then I’d rather know now.
While there are “bawdy shows” at most Renfaires, there’s usually nothing more suggestive than an R-rated movie…all double entendres and broad winking insinuation. I’ve never seen a costume in my (admittedly limited) faire-going that had anything worse than a lot of cleavage.
That’s how I remembered it. I’m just asking because the only person I HAVE known to go recently came back scandalized.
Well, there are the odd chain-mail bikinis. And the barbarians in leather lioncloths that couldn’t have hurt the cow much. 
There is a Simplicity Halloween costume that has a Little Red Riding Hood and Saloon-Girl and sexy Pirate lady sort of thing (link). It’s dead easy.
Simply put, Renaissance faires are fun.
It’s like a carnival without the creepy carnies (in defense of carnies, though, my dad did the carnie gig for a while - to get his kids tickets) and the rides that may break down on top of you.
There’s fun stuff to buy, good food to eat, and you can wear nifty clothes.
I make all of my own garb, so I make sure to make it look authentic, but comfortable too.
I’ve pondered joining the SCA, but I’m entirely too lazy for that kind of devotion. A friend of mine is in the SCA and damn. She’s obsessed.
But yeah. Ren faires are great fun, and you get to dress up and pretend you’re someone you’re not for a day. It’s great.
~Tasha
I haven’t seen it mentioned yet so I’ll go ahead and do so: www.Revivalclothing.com
They do their homework when it comes to medieval clothing so that most everything they have is based on period designs. Very nice stuff and great quality overall. They also offer equipment for HEMA, which is why I like to buy from them, anything that helps the cause 
Three or four years as a performer in Minnesota - but a LONG time ago. Brainiac4 performed longer and also did Arizona, but hasn’t performed in a decade or longer. I still have friends who perform (though now I can only think of one I see regularly and a few more that professionally do the circuit who I run into every few years at someone else’s party).
I also did SCA. Also long ago.
In my experience the two groups (and the third group - SF Fandom) have overlap, but tend to scoff at one another. SCAers entertain themselves and believe themselves to be intellectual about it (sometimes they are, sometimes they are just snobs). Rennies think of themselves as performers (and some of the perform - some of them just party on the campground and add character the next day sleeping off the hangover in costume). Both groups are amuzingly elitist, and I’ve never heard a Festie say anything kind about a dressed up tourist (unless they were a former Festie).
The one here in NY started. Me and hubby are planning to go. Although NOT in dress and most certainly not until September, when it isn’t as hot as El Culo del Diablo.
Got rescheduled for this Sat.
I’ll try to get you my freaks 'n wierdos report.
The talent, the diversity of entertainment, the food, and just the ability of the crowds to willingly suspend their disbelief and cynicism for a day makes the whole thing worth a trip to see. Some fairs are better than others, but they all have at least some of these qualities.
I started working the Sterling Forest NY Ren Fair at 13. I worked them all over the country during my younger years while traveling the circuit. The money I made put me through college. They are such a wonderful place to go and just be entertained. So, in the 25 years I’ve been doing these shows, I’ve just about seen it all. (I even hold the rank of Madam Cum Laude in the International Wenches Guild and was there to help at its founding. http://www.wench.org for those interested)
I’m heading to NY this weekend on Sat. to bring my 3 year old to her first fair. I can’t wait to introduce her to this world and see what she thinks of it all. Should be a blast.
As for costumes, I’ve bought a ton of mine from Moresca. Their stuff can be expensive but the quality is off the charts. http://www.moresca.com/shopping
I’m not rude to them. But when you see some person that thinks they’re dressed accurately (and by accurate, I mean for faire because I doubt anyone is completely historically accurate and the people that insist on it are often jerks) with a ratty flourescent pink skirt, crocs, and a leather bodice with no chemise and jiggling uncontained boobs, well, they just need a special name. Turkeys are not people who try (homemade outfits are usually the ones that look best), they’re people who fail miserably by being stupid. I make fun of bad garb the same way I make fun of bad websites. Usually by wishing I was blind and gagging. And then telling someone else.
But I would never say anything to them.
Besides, some of the coolest outfits weren’t anything resembling accurate - like the full armor made from soda cans. Awesome. Or well, the entire penguin guild that provides ice. All their costumes are fur and usually scanty. And I can appreciate that on a man.
Besides, I never said I was a nice person.
Those aren’t udders. In fact, they look smaller than my sister’s. But you can get a better bodice made. Lessee… http://home.att.net/~andersjo/peasants/photos.htm - the last picture. Custom made bodice that properly fits a large-breasted woman. (I’d try to find a pic of my sister, but it would be on myspace and its not cooperating) If little stick-figure me had boobs like my sister (D - DD) I wouldn’t try to buy a bodice. It’s not worth the pain - a properly made bodice should be more supportive than a bra.
Went to my first RF this weekend, Bristol, Just N of the IL/WI border.
Had a better time that I could possibly have imagined.
Normally, I am not much into streetfairs, carnivals, and the like. Hate crowds, and am not interested in re-enacting as my wife and 2 of 3 kids are.
The fair was HUGE. Tons of stuff spread over a quite large space. Within my first hour or 2 I had seen jousting, a guy ate mud, guys juggling knives, and a professional insulter. I think my kids were a little surprised at the bawdy nature of much of the comedy - tho it might put some folks off, most dopers shouldn’t mind.
Food was so so - but plenty of choices for $4-5. And you could easily pack a cooler and get a hand stamp to go to and from your car to eat.
Gladly gave a couple of bucks to the various entertainers.
Wife and kids really enjoyed the queen’s court. I think they preferred the more accurate re-enactment over the just general midievil/fantasy garb.
One of the most fun things was simply watching the crowds. Was really neat to see so many people dressing up and just having fun!
(Don’t tell anyone, but I suspect some of them might have been even imbibing alcholic beverages!)
Tho there were a lot of people there, it was not too crowded. Walking and standing on the uneven ground pretty much tuckered all of us out, tho. After 5-6 hours we came home and all took naps!
Tho I propbably don’t need to go every year, once every 5 years or so would be fun. Interestingly enough, I think I was probably the least interested in going of anyone in my fiamily, and I might well have had the best time.
Well worth the price of admission.
The modern color purple is pretty easy to obtain, too. Just overdye something red (madder) with something blue (wode), or vice versa. There are also several period dyestuffs that will get you purple–logwood and certain mushrooms for starters. The range of colors available in period is pretty astounding. Most of the colors known to the modern world, except neons, super-brights, and optic white, were available in the period. Dye-fastness wasn’t quite what it is today, but you didn’t really need to worry about that unless you planned on getting wet a lot or sweating buckets.
Also, pink is period.
Now to the heart of the thread: How could you not enjoy dressing up all fancy and running around being wooed by a guy in tights, while consuming wine and eating cream puffs in the shape of a swan?
Periodicity is great, but I love my glucometer and I have whipped my skirt up to mid-thigh to give myself an insulin injection. No way is that possible in a Port-a-Potty, and no way am I approaching a Port-a-Potty with insulin gear in tow. So inner-thigh it is. And then I get to show off my scandalously flesh-colored handknit stockings. I might look a little odd doing that or using my cellphone to figure out where my wander-happy sister has made her way, but meh. So what?
Dinsdale, I’m so glad you enjoyed your first trip to Bristol! It’s like crack, I swear. Next summer you’re probably going to go, “Hmm, we could go the to the renfaire again and have a great time.” And you will. There’s something new to discover every summer.
Lichens too, especially in Scandanavia.
I know this, I was just trying to point out that, initially in period, “purple” referred to the physical dye used, and only as a consequence, the colour. “Tyrean Purple” is the murex dye, and covers a range of colours depending on the base stuff, mordants etc., rather than an RGB value.
Kind of (only not exactly) like the way the colour name “pink” didn’t exist until the 17th C, even though the colour did. Or the way the Anglo-Saxons didn’t have a word for “orange” other than “yellow-red”, because they didn’t have the fruit.
Ok, well, that I actually understand. I know what you mean. I have seen them, too. 