Dec 20 2008
5 Things About RenFaire Explained
1. What’s with people having all their stuff on their belts?
In the long distant past of Renaissance Faires, people did not have pockets. Some will tell you that this is due to pockets not being historically accurate, but in fact it’s due to lazy hippy costumers not wanting to bother with complex things like pockets and flies.
So, in order to have the most basic things required to survive at Faire (keys, wallet, ID, loose change, contraceptives, eating utensils, a beverage vessel, bullwhip, fox tail, wooden bowl, wooden plate, book of song lyrics, pair of bones, ear-shatteringly loud ocarina, more money, fuzzy shackles, inappropriately shaped root vegetable, etc) Faire participants took to wearing long leather belts and having all of these essentials attached to said belt through a complicated system of loops, hooks, pouches, straps, thongs, and duct tape.
In the actual Renaissance, people usually had houses or huts in which to keep all that extra crap, and eating and drinking vessels were provided at the Inn, used, and chucked into a big tub of relatively clean water as a token gesture to hygiene.
2. Why do some women wear bells on their costumes / green skirts / fox tails?
Initially these were all seen as semi-historical indicators that a woman was of what Terry Prachett described as “Negotiable Virtue”, and the ladies wearing these accessories were thought to be portraying same. These days they just look perdy.
Although the fox tails may actually indicate that the nubile young thing wearing it might be interested in getting to know you quite well under the right cricumstances.
WARNING: CHECK ID FOR PROOF LEGAL AGE. And that’s legal age in this century, pal.
3. Why is it that we’re supposed to be in an English village, yet there are so many Scots, Irish, German, Dutch, Spanish, Italians and Welsh hanging about?
Most Renaissance Faires are built around the concept that this is a special occasion, a “Market Faire” / “Harvest Festival” / “Planting Festival” etc etc which just happens to coincide with the extremely rare and amazing visit of the King / Queen / both to the town as part of a Royal Progress. The number of non-English can be attributed to traders and parties associated with, seeking the favor of, or otherwise harassing the Royals.
The truth is that for many RenFaire people, being a Typical English Peasant equates to being a Renaissance Redneck, and is neither exotic nor sexy enough for most participants. This is why in the Grand Parade, the English are inevitably outnumbered. Good thing a war doesn’t break out or we’d be conquered in a heartbeat.
4. Why is everyone shouting at me?
The Renaissnace Faire is “immersive theatre” - visitors enter a 360 degree with surround sound theatrical experience, coupled with themed craft vending and demonstration.
Most of the people who are shouting at you have something they want to show you - their booth, their show, or a bit of extemporaneous theater (a “gig”) which they’re in the process of performing.
In short, they want your attention, and probably your money also. God knows I do when I’m shouting at you.
5. What’s the fascination with food on a stick at Renaissance Faires!
Food on a stick - Steak on a stick, corn on a stick, frozen banana on a stick, frozen cheese cake dipped in chocolate and put on a stick, pork chop on a stick… if you built your economic model from the Renaissance Faire marketplace, you might surmise the wealthiest among us would be the Stick Merchants…
Honestly, there’s no real historical excuse for food on a stick, other than perhaps spit-roasting game over a fire, but food vendors found giving out iron roasting skewers to be non-cost-effective.
This has been 5 Things About RenFaire Explained! Have a question? Ask and I may … riff about it.. for a few column inches.
