I've never really understood the Ren fair. Like, is it historical reinaction of what Victorian people thought mideval people were like or is it just kind of an anachronist fantasy setting free for all?
It was invented in the 1960s by a teacher for her classroom, and then she hosted a bigger one for a radio station fundraiser, and people liked playing pretendsies so they sort of took off. They've always been pretty queer events (in that anything camp is going to be queer). The whole vibe of a Ren Faire is to just do it up anachronistic style or dress up like a fairy tale. You get drunk, browse handmade semi-medieval wares (sometimes it's fairy wings) and have fun looking at the people in elaborate costumes
You get to see someone blow glass, eat a turkey leg, buy a wizard staff and a dragon puppet, and see a knife thrower and then Romeo and Juliet back to back.
Okay, but like what got this off the ground? It just seems really all over the place. Not like it doesn't seem fun, I think my history nerd is just rubbing up against it.
The total lack of historical specificity means that people who want dragons or pirates or fancy dresses or Robin Hood or whatever can all go to the same place, and by pooling all of them it ends up being enough people to actually put something together.
I've never really understood the Ren fair. Like, is it historical reinaction of what Victorian people thought mideval people were like or is it just kind of an anachronist fantasy setting free for all?
It was invented in the 1960s by a teacher for her classroom, and then she hosted a bigger one for a radio station fundraiser, and people liked playing pretendsies so they sort of took off. They've always been pretty queer events (in that anything camp is going to be queer). The whole vibe of a Ren Faire is to just do it up anachronistic style or dress up like a fairy tale. You get drunk, browse handmade semi-medieval wares (sometimes it's fairy wings) and have fun looking at the people in elaborate costumes
That's cute af
You get to see someone blow glass, eat a turkey leg, buy a wizard staff and a dragon puppet, and see a knife thrower and then Romeo and Juliet back to back.
It's having fun with medieval flavored clothes and furnishings and food
Okay, but like what got this off the ground? It just seems really all over the place. Not like it doesn't seem fun, I think my history nerd is just rubbing up against it.
The total lack of historical specificity means that people who want dragons or pirates or fancy dresses or Robin Hood or whatever can all go to the same place, and by pooling all of them it ends up being enough people to actually put something together.
It's essentially a costume fair with a medieval flavored theme.
You will see any types of costumes there, but with a bias towards the theme. There are also medieval flavored events and performances.