Ren Fair-ing - Part Last

Even though I had hoped to do a bunch of sketching -

I got sucked into *watching* the performances rather than drawing through them. (I did sketch some of the audience backs while waiting for them to start..)

So many things to see! So much to watch!

...Lovely long day. Clear to the very end....

Ren Fair-ing - Part V (Gypsies and Horses!!)

The most thrilling part of the Renaissance Fair for me was watching the Cavallo Equestrian Arts perform their Ma'Ceo act.

It's described as their gypsy themed equestrian performance -

-that includes daredevil cossack riding-

-truly unbelievable acrobatics -

-and horseback juggling (balls, pins, and great big curved blades. That was scary.)

This Florida based equestrian group come from a circus background -

-descending from 6 generations of bareback circus acrobats....

Some of the moves looked truly dangerous! There were a few falls, and missed landings - limping gypsies - but many thrilling, gasp-worthy stunts were successfully performed to wild cheers and applause.

It was enough to make me want to run away and join the circus...

Ren Fair-ing - Part IV (Fairies)

Besides the medievally garbed, the pirates and the belly dancers, there always seems to be the inevitable contingent of winged-folk... (Most of which I had to photograph from behind - to get the best views of the winged-ness):

This elaborately appareled blue-fairy spent the bulk of the day making a trilling purring sound while handing people invisible fairy treasure and hoping for tips in return...??

OK - we now need the collective term for fairies - a swarm? flock? flight? glittering? dusting? - whatever it is, this was my favorite group of them - gingerly picking their barefoot way across the parking lot...

And these two little darlings - with matching dress, wings and hoodies! :-)

New to me this year were the morning-glory hats that many a little fairy was adorned with.

Of course there were the cortege of the darker, more goth variety...

...or the redder....more...redder? variety....

And yes, these would look totally smokin' on my dog!

Ren Fair-ing - Part III (Costumes)

People-watching taken one step further - focusing on their costumes (and matching personae) -

This gentleman claims to be Robin Hood. Or just a random man-in-tights...?

Tudor-esque lady with her Musketeer escort -

And this dapper gent runs medieval security by the arena, complete with crossbow in hand. We discussed his terribly cool, hand crafted, multi-laced footware.

Here's one of the 'fools' - with an authentic boiled leather mask. I luurve those...

I really don't need a hat like this however...

And check out these studly Norse warriors! Alitor of Clan Brickhome (on the left) was the Master of Ceremonies - and so cute, you wanted to pinch his hairy little cheeks!

Ren Fair-ing - Part II (People)

One of the primary reasons to go to the fair is to People Watch.

Here be the Bawdy Juggler.

There were many a long-haired musician.

And Pirates! Can I tell you how many pirates there were? [What is the collective noun for pirates? A Robbery? Rabble? Criminal? Brigand? Peril? Invasion? Treasure?]. At any rate, a brigand of Pirates invaded and rabbled in the Ale House...

The anachronisms are always fun. The Renaissance Lady using her cell phone... The Crusader using his Visa card (By the fire extinguisher)...

There were places for participation also. You could try your hand at archery, fencing, sword fighting, or as in this photo, get your melee on... (These young participants were a little hesitant to fully engage in bloody battle, but the sheer numbers were fun to watch).

But the funnest things we got to watch were the equestrian shows with their amazing riders. The "Dark Knights" complete with Games of Skill and jousting were fabulous. Unfortunately, my camera ran out of battery after this shot, so that's all I got of the noble knights...

However, I *did* get many of the gypsy equestrian show - which was even better. So stay tuned!

Ren Fair-ing - Part I

Yesterday, the Laundry Faerie and I spent the day at the annual Renaissance Fair.

I haven't been for about 5 years, but since I missed the Scottish Games (which were during the heat wave!), and the Summer Faire at Camlann, and needed my Medieval fix for the season. It was at a new venue this summer, in rural Buckley on a fabulous farm.

On paying our entrance fee, we are given change in the 'coin of the realm', which could be used for any number of tempting options -

There were lots of fair-ish culinary choices -

There were booths and booths of costuming ensembles - from fairy to historical to pirate - lots of jewelry, leather and weaponry...

There were also miscellaneous objects - hand-tooled leather journals, magic wands, horned helmets, and just plain horns. [I bought a couple of the twistiest ones - drawing twisty horns in various perspectives is one of my banes! Having the thing to look at should make it MUCH easier!]

The local blacksmith was selling *his* twisty wares... How about these spoons?

And speaking of spoons - this dragon sculpture was constructed predominantly out of oval cutlery.

Shiny!