06 September 2010

Forsooth, 'twas a funne tyme!

Yes, yes, yes, I know that's a bit precious, but what do you expect from me after I just spent the day at the Maryland Renaissance Festival?

This was our second visit to the MD RenFest, and my third overall visit to a Ren Faire (I went to the NY Renaissance Faire one summer when I was in college). I really like these kinds of events -- people in costume, a variety of performers, music, food, and lovely crafts. It's tame compared to the World Science Fiction Convention. Just like at WorldCon, there are plenty of people wearing costumes that they just shouldn't. Let's just say that there was one woman in a corset that elicited a comment from TPT ("Mommy, why are that lady's boobies coming out of her dress?"). I had a bit of a cat-fest about that costume with another woman. Eeeeuw, it was truly appalling.

We went to the MD Renaissance Festival last summer with friends. It was 15 degrees cooler, 4 kids less, and about 3x more crowded than last year. It was less hectic (nobody got lost, ran off, or got left behind) but TPT had to wait about 25 minutes for a 5 second ride down the big slide. Though I missed my friends, we did meet up with a coworker. I noticed that her Facebook post said she was on her way to the RenFest, so I called her to see if we could meet up. We did, and she was even in costume (much to TPT's enjoyment). It was extra fun wandering the "streets" of Revel Grove with a wench.

We
  • ate turkey legs (yum!)
  • watched Irish and Scottish dancing (complete with bagpipes)
  • caught bubbles (you can't imagine how disgusting TPT was after this...)
  • went down a big slide (which TPT said was "a little scary")
  • practiced juggling
  • ate chocolate-covered cheesecake on a stick
  • saw a jousting match (couldn't understand a thing the MC said, but apparently our team won)
  • got our (well, TPT's) hair braided
  • went through a maze
  • bought a birthday present (some lovely glass work for ME!)
  • got a magic wand
  • and took lots of pictures
We're hoping to go again in October. Wanna come, too?

TPT plus a passing wizard

TPT catching bubbles (bubble soap plus dirt = messy kid)

Turkey (or brontosaurus?) legs for all!

Wheeeeeeeee! Down the slide...

TPT juggling 2 balls, semi-successfully. Perhaps she'll be as good as Uncle Doug someday.

TH, not as successful as TPT, but game to try.

The jousting was fun, but, holy cow, the knights had to have been boiling inside those tin cans!


Braiding successful. Lavender flowers this year.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Pretty TPT!

Anonymous said...

How fun! I went to a Ren Faire in Charlotte last year during my annual visit. Not sure it'll still be available this year, as I'm going several weeks later. But oh *yeah*, the incredible crafts! The leatherwork and wood carvings were the most impressive to me. Would've *loved* one of those great handbags--it'd last FOREVER. :)

WendyB_09 said...

Use to go to the Ren Faire here. We went for the crafts, but spent a lot of time watching the entertainment as well.

I too spent the weekend with people dressed up in costumes they shouldn't ever wear. OMG. YIKES.
think two-ton fairies, complete with wings...Really. I'm not kidding. Spotted that one coming in the ladies room. Good thing I'd already taken care of business!

DragonCon was very educational.

neurondoc said...

@Wendy -- I feel your (eye) pain. I've been to two WorldCons and several smaller cons.