Well it's time for our annual trip to Plantersville, Texas to the Texas Renaissance Festival. My husband and I are caravanning with my pal Angela (Archangela here on the boards) and her husband Jim. Their other friends will meet us there and we'll set up our camp near the festival. This weekend is fantasy themed so Angela will be dressed as a fairy and I'll be going as an elf. We're going to be videoing our trip for a future mini vidcast. But we'll post some of our pics here when we return.
I hit one snag that was a little irritating. My custom made leather renaissance shoes didn't come in the mail on time, though I ordered them months ago. UGGGG! :taz
I'm leaving tomorrow morning and hope to swing by the post office to harass them about it. Maybe they'll have them there... I hope. It's always something isn't it? Murphy's Law.
Here's a link to the festival:
http://www.texrenfest.com/
Sounds like fun, Jen; have a great trip!
I have a few friends back in Austin who were involved in the Society for Creative Anachronism; I once attended an event they held at Zilker Park (or it might have been Pease Park; my memory is getting bad in my old age). There were a lot of food booths selling turkey legs and such, and there were a couple of staged sword fights. Also, there may or may not have been beer involved. ;)
I think this might be sorta like a scaled-down version of a Ren Fair, right?
Hummm, I live only miles from Austin and haven't heard of that event...though it sounds strange enough to be something Austin would do. :D
Their semi-agreed upon city slogan is "Keep Austin Weird". Are you from Texas, or are you just friends with some Austinites?
Have a great time Jen!
I am looking forward to your reports!
Woo hoo!
QuoteAre you from Texas, or are you just friends with some Austinites?
I was born in Texas (San Antonio), but grew up in Oklahoma, Idar-Oberstein, Germany, Heidleburg, Germany, Overland Park, Kansas, and Virginia. Yep; you guessed it-- I'm a military brat. :laugh:
I returned to Texas for my last year of High School, then attended U.T. Graduated in '90, and spent the next 14 years or so living and working in Austin. About a year and a half ago, I relocated to Louisville, KY.
Haven't been back to Austin for a couple of years now, but some college friends and I have a Google email group that we use to keep in touch.
I don't know if there are still Ren-Fair type gatherings going on in Austin, but these types of things were pretty common when I was in School. One of the weirdest events attended by a lot of my friends was Eyeors' Birthday, which is sort of a hedonistic-hippy-tribal gathering held every spring in Pease Park-- a small park located in an area called West Campus, near where South Lamar meets up with Barton Springs. Lots of drum circles, and lots of unusual costumes.
Have a blast Jen! I haven't gone to our local Ren Fest in several years, but I always really enjoyed going. Take lots of pics!
Have a great time
Here's a few Pics (more to come). The first few are of Dave and me, and the last one is of Angela and Jim.
Dave and me...
Me...and one more of Angela and Jim.
Angela and Jim...Again, more to come.
Very cool pictures
Great Pixs Jen... you guys look great.
How cool. Nice pictures. Your ears rock.
Here are a few more of my favorite pics.
I'll post more later...
Cool pix Jen. They make me want to go to a similar festival that takes place around here in CA. . .I think. I have to ask my friend about it.
Looks like you had a fun time, and very cool pictures. It must be a lot of fun to dress up in costume for a whole weekend.
It really was a blast. I highly recommend that you go if you've been thinking about attending a Renfest. VERY FUN. Especially if you enjoy history.
It's funny, people kept asking me if my ears were real! One person (a Renfest shop owner) sided up to me while I was shopping for a long bow in his store (I'm ordering one—ever since I've been playing Oblivion I've wanted to learn to shoot a bow for real). Any way, the store owner got a little too close to me...he kept leaning in towards the side of my face, so I nonchalantly backed away and put Dave between us. The guy managed to get close again but this time asked, "excuse me ma'am...I hate to be 'blunt'...but are those real?" I was dumbfounded. "What?" I asked..."Your ears," he said. Dave said I should have told them they were and that it wasn't polite to stare.
There were several elves walking around Renfest, but they put their ears on straight out of the package. I painted detail on mine to make them match my skin. Guess it worked.
Dave said he watched a lady gawk at me as I walked by her...He said her mouth actually dropped open. He complained that he didn't have the video camera on at the time. I was a little disappointed that they were more excited about my ears than my costume. My aunt and I spent a lot of time on that outfit. :D
Very nice picture!
Was there jousting?
Yep. They have a very large Jousting arena. I missed it this year but its still there.