Note: This post is a follow up to #18.
On Saturday morning I got the kids up and tried to feed them but they were so excited to attend the Renaissance Faire http://youtu.be/7mce1gI5VPI that they barely ate. My floppy hat had arrived and it matched my skirt and bodice perfectly. I have lost weight and my entire costume was a bit too big, but I wore it anyway.
We arrived at about 9:40. Parking was $5, but it was directly across the street from the main entry to the Faire. We got on line to purchase tickets. Actually, my niece had already purchased hers from Walgreens at a great discount. She even got one for my older son. My younger son didn't need one, so I just got one for myself. Even better, my mom had given me a coupon, so I got a discount!
Before the gates opened, several characters in the show came out to meet and greet the audience. We met the Sheriff of Nottingham and his surly men, his sister, the Mayor, Maid Marian and of course, Robin Hood and his merry men (of MAYHEM, at times).
Immediately upon entering the gates, we were greeted by some of Robin Hood's comrades. They invited my grand-nephew Jacob to play a game with them, right there in the middle of the walkway. Being four, he went along with the pretend archery game for about three minutes. He then decided it would be much more fun to incorporate karate kicks in with his archery moves. The Merry band was mightily impressed and congratulated Jacob on his sharp skills.
Walking into the Faire was like walking into a dream. The architecture, music, food, and costumes really let your imagination wander back in time. One cannot differentiate between professional costumed staff, unpaid folks who just join in for fun, and guests who dressed up just for the fun of it. Everyone speaks with an accent of sorts: I heard a variety of British accents plus Welsh, Irish, Spanish, French and Italian. And everything has a smiling, bawdy double entendre sense of humor to it.
The packed dirt road wound through a village of stores selling costumes, accessories, shoes, scarves, jewelry, weapons (replicas of course), t-shirts, mugs, bags, hermit crabs, puppets, toys, homegoods, elf ears, garden accessories, leather goods, musical instruments and even ladies' bloomers! Prices were varied and some items were very affordable, such as the little marshmallow catapults I bought for the kids for $10 each. Some items were a bit pricier, like a custom made corset my niece tried on for $250. Every store seemed to accept credit and debit cards.
Food was readily available. There was chicken fingers (my son asked if the chicken's nails were removed from the fingers. Ewww! but so funny!), sweet potato fries, standard french fries, bangers and mash, falafel, salads, baked potatoes, soft drinks, etc. There are enough vendors selling adult beverages to support a pub crawl, which my nephew, niece and I decided we will try to attend on a future date without the kids. Drinks at most places started at $6. They offered a wide selection of beers, ales, wine, and even mead (which was like a delicious, very sweet white wine). Food and drink vendors were not accepting credit cards, just cash. All the food we tried was fresh and enjoyable. No outside food or beverages are permitted into the Faire.
One street in the Faire was all carnival games. A lovely lass challenged passing men to "ring her bell" if they could. There was plate breaking and archery shooting. Most of the games were around $3, but the vendors allowed our little guys to try some for free upon the condition that if they were able to actually perform the task at hand we would pay the admission. Either way, the kids had a blast.
Another road was full of psychics, palm readers, and fortune tellers. I didn't participate in those activities so I don't know how much they charge.
We did get to see our friend the Creepy Bard performing. Though at the Faire he is most certainly not the Creepy Bard: instead he is Christopher Hatton, the Queen's Minstrel, and a member of the Royal Madrigals as well as performing with the men's group Rascals and Rogues. The sign announcing them was misspelled so they became the Rascals and Rouges, which was a snarky joke each time they performed.
Other music included a bell choir, near the gate. The sound was enchanting, and my neice purchased a cd from the artist. We also enjoyed, at various times and places around the Faire, the enchanting sound of a dulcimer, the rolling, primal beats of drums combined with bagpipes (give it a listen and you'll understand), the horns announcing the Queen's arrival, the clang of lances, swords and hooves at the Joust.
By the way, everyone thought the Joust was one of the highlights of the day. I am very comfortable and somewhat experienced with horses, having worked at a breeder's farm when I was in high school. The horses in the Joust were very well taken care of, beautifully groomed, and treated with affection and kindness. When they were ridden through the grounds they were followed by a cleaning crew so there were no messes to avoid.
After the Joust, all children under 12 years old were invited to become knighted by Queen Elizabeth. The kids listened very carefully as the Queen explained the job requirements. One by one, each child knelt and was knighted, making a promise to the Queen to be kind to others and always behave in a manner that would benefit the kingdom. My boys ran up to me proudly holding the scrolls they were given.
Another fun event we enjoyed was the chess match. A field near the rear of the grounds has been painted like a chess board. The match was introduced by the musicians, who performed a lovely, graceful, traditional dance that was a pleasure to watch. Then Robin Hood and his Merry Men took one side of the board whilst the Sheriff of Nottingham and his troops took the other. The Queen was opposed by her brother who demanded that if she lost she would abdicate her throne immediately. Each dictated the moves of each piece and when two performers ended up on the same square the board was cleared as they fought over it. Some used long swords, some used short swords, some used fists, and some wrestled. I won't say who won.
One of the best things about the chess board is that there is an excellent food vendor there with picnic tables, a view of the aerial acrobats, and a misting fountain that cooled everyone down. Right down the lane is the Maypole, where the kids got to dance and have fun hand in hand with the performers.
Nearby, over a bridge, is a small lake with a very large dragon swimming in it. We even got to see belly dancers! http://youtu.be/ZOiDJwGUSN8 http://youtu.be/KXca0ogzA7I
The day ended with the Pub Sing. All the musicians and performers on stage to say goodbye to the guests. Here is a video of one of the songs: http://youtu.be/uU_xTd-ppUA Everyone was so talented that the show could've gone on for hours and no one would have complained. But, it was time to go. Christopher Hatton hopped off the stage, greeted everyone, and escorted us personally back to the front gate, stopping to introduce us to each character we passed on the way. Just before the gate, he stopped as the Queen thanked his for his assistance and good performances of the day. She knelt down to speak to my sons, thanking them for their good service as knights, and inviting them to come back as often as they wish. I actually got a little bit choked up, especially as we were walking through the gate to leave the Faire. The sign above said it all: "Caution. Reality Ahead."
http://www.renfair.com/ny/index.asp
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