[Patrick Kelly]

[Jean Thibodeau]

Actually I have never been to a Ren Fair or anything like it as my collecting focus has always been more on the weapons themselves and history in general.
I might in the future since I started acquiring armour since I started surfing the net and became part of this site and forum: Before it was more a " private vice " and not, at least in part, a social activity. Unfortunately my best friends who share this interest are those I made friends here: So they tend to live thousands of miles away. I haven't looked into the local groups yet !

There are a lot of local activities if I wanted to join something, including at least a couple of Medieval martial arts groups.
( Even a Medieval themed restaurant within walking distance ..... LOL. )

This disclaimer aside: I agree with Patrick that all these activities don't have to be strictly historical. Living history groups have different standards and should be as accurate as it is possible to be.

Renaissance fairs are just for fun, like a big costume party were you can have Pirates, Knights, Vikings and maybe the occasional Vampire who took a wrong turn somewhere and thinks he /she is at a " Buffy the Vampire Slayer convention ".

[Gordon Frye]

Indeed a "Renaissance Fantasy Faire" (they actually have one by that title here in Washington) is actually far more descriptive than "Renaissance Faire", but unfortunately the later term has become so generic that it's like "Kleenex", meaning any sort of snot-rag. Believe me I could rant on for a LONG time on that subject! However, that being said:

There actually ARE some groups working through the medium of Renaissance Faires to not only portray a reasonable facsimile of people dealing with a fun fair in the era of Elizabeth, but also do a decent job of purveying it to the general public as well. Many folks work quite hard and getting the details of the clothing (as opposed to "costume") down, along with other aspects of the material culture (for example, it would be VERY difficult to find fault with the clothing or arms that Nathan is wearing in the above photo. It's there, but I know where to look...) So there ARE some good aspects, and I really think that even the most ignorant of the public can look at someone in a cotton muffin cap and other items of "Faire Uniform" and compare it with something that is dead on accurate, and be able to say "Wow, that one in all those clothes is LOTS better than the ugly one over there". Maybe I give too much credit to the General Public, but I do think they can tell the difference between historically accurate and fantasy.

Unfortunately there will always be the folks in fairy wings, maille bikinis, Star Trek uniforms, etc. showing up as the paying customers, but unless one is doing a private event, it's hard to swing without putting up with it. Thus my preference for non-public events! Just like the old Rendezvous of my youth in the Rockies... far from the madding crowd!

Cheers!

Gordon

[Mark Mattimore]

[Aaron Schnatterly]

I can see both sides of the authenticity fence, and actually willingly jump from side to side.

Nearly every Ren Faire/Fest I have ever been associated with has had an abundance of ahistorical stuff, with a touch of authentic tossed in. I'll often go in something less than historical, and do so strictly to have fun. When I do, I am very upfront about that fact when people do ask about the history or authenticity, and will offer solid educational info to those interested. When I do go in authentic historical garb, I also expect to be hounded and bombarded, as the general population does notice a little something special about it. In fact, I am trying hard to pull together a complete and best-as-I-can authentic Templar for the Texas Ren Fest this year. It's a ton of work, a ton of resources and research, and not exactly free (and I'm doing almost all of the work myself). It is, however, totally out of period for the fest, and may be as ghastly as my fairly fantastic Cavalier pictured earlier simply by being out of place by a few hundred years. As has been voiced here in this thread, I, too, am somewhat bothered by the in-your-face "yeah, this is authentic - see the "Stainless - Made in India" maker's mark?" and the constant edge-on-edge banging disservice of many of the merchants and the Marlboro-smoking, McDonald's-eating "King" influencing the concepts of the general populous. It would be nice if those who's intent is to be authentic and educational would do so, and others would steer clear of trying to portray the historical with the fantastic - but it won't happen. Most people really don't care anyway.

Conversely, living history events I have seen or participated in (with Military Through the Ages in Jamestown, VA being a prime example) have been highly historical and educational. At these events, I make as solid an attempt as possible to be as dead-on as I can be. That is, afterall, the point. These types of events, whether it be as large and as broad as MTA or as small and cosy and focused as Patrick's library presentation are awesome. For those of us who are interested in such things, attending or, better yet, participating in these is really the way to go.

[Eric Nower]

Hello all,

The Sterling Ren. Festival is set in a circa 1585 time period, so I'm way out of place, But circa 1300-1400 is where my interest lies. I'm out of place and don't care, it's good fun to go and walk around. Some people there are dressed historically to the time and some aren't, but if me going, dressed as best I can manage to my time period, inspires someone to ask what I'm dressed as or open a book to find out, then it's all worth it to me. I agree some parts of Ren faires are annoying(ie. the "real joust" ummm.... no not really, no wwf moves allowed in a tourney ) but you have to take it with a grain of salt and chalk it up to lack of an informed populace. It's still mildly ammusing on some small level . Just my view on things.....Knowing/ doing and being able to afford it are two very different things.

[Joe Fults]

I try to remember faires are all about fun for the masses not authenticity.

For a time I went to quite a few of them, because they were different. However, it did not take long for them to become very redundant and go much less often. I'd love to make it to some living histroy events with a pre-1600 focus, but they seem to be rather thin on the ground in the Midwest.

[Aaron Schnatterly]

[Edward Hitchens]

You guys have some great costumes! As soon as these ugly gray clouds disappear I'll post of picture of me in my Musketeer costume. I'm really not picky on costumes. I echo everyone else in saying that Renfaires are just for fun, though it drives me nuts whenever I go to the Ohio festival and see someone in period boots, pants, belt/pouches, tunic, doublet, sword -- and topping it all off with sunglasses and a Cincinnati Reds ballcap!

The only two faires I go to on a regular basis are the Ohio Renn Festival (only a 30-minute drive from my house) and the Bristol Renn Faire in Wisconsin (Arms&Armor has a booth at Bristol). I hope to make it to the Michigan Renn Festival this year; haven't been to that one since '01. Two faires I've never been to but am dying to see are Texas and Minnesota. If you come to the Ohio faire, don't be surprised to see a Klingon or two or an entire platoon of Stormtroopers.

My love of anything Celtic/Medieval/Renaissance all began at the Ohio faire; I imagine visiting a Renaissance festival for the first time got most of us in this . Every saga has a beginning, right?
-Ted

[W. R. Reynolds]

Don't do Ren but do LH. This was taken at Ft Mac recently. Hopefully will be upgrading saddle to a Henry V type soon and will make maille sabatons from the excess I am going to trim out of the skirt. Have to re- work Italian mitten gaunt's to semi finger style to make reining a little easier, hence they are not in the pic.

[Edward Hitchens]

[quote="W. R. Reynolds"]Don't do Ren but do LH.

Um, sorry, but what's "LH"

[Aaron Schnatterly]

[Edward Hitchens]

That's funny, Aaron! If the WWI soldier had to describe a tank or an airplane, I wonder how he'd do it!

I guess it would be safe to say that Living History and Renfaires go hand-in-hand. If you're dressing and acting the part then that could qualify as 'LH' I suppose - even if you're doing so completely for fun and not reenacting a particular event.

[W. R. Reynolds]

Edward,

Just my opinion but I believe that Renfaires are more for entertainment while Living History is researched and as authentic as possible. For instance, if our group can't document at least three period sources for an item, we don't use it. Anything we make is as close to period in material as we can make it. Part of the fun of this is what is referred to as "experimental archeology", where we strive to recreate and use the everyday items of the era to see how they work. We leave the 'one of a kind' stuff alone, hence the three source rule. Go for the common rather than the uncommon.

[Aaron Schnatterly]

[W. R. Reynolds]

I would like to make it to MTA sometime. Have to go as a 15th c. ground pounder though. Too far to transport the horse.

[Eric Myers]

I should probably draq up a photo of my first faire year for comparison, but I think I won't

These days I am generally a militia musketeer in either an Elizabethan period, or English Civil War. I'm the one on the left in the first two pictures. The last picture just had to be taken, so I might as well share it

Like several others here, I apparently need to get some better pictures! Most of my pics are of the whole troop, not of individuals.

[Edward Hitchens]

[Chris Last]

[Aaron Schnatterly]