Ren Faire

Do you know who, (or what,) this sign, "Ren Faire" refers to? I didn't when I saw this sign.

I finally figured it out, but at first I thought it was, perhaps, a sign indicating a wedding taking place... down the road apiece, or that is was indicating the direction to take for a certain person, like the kind you find 3waiting for people never met before at the airport.  Now I know, what it really means....

Renaissance Fair!  Who would have guessed?

It is a rather long story about how this discovery was made, but it had to do with someone asking if I know about a Renaissance fair that weekend.  Happily, Geo and I discovered just in time to attend!  The location is right over there behind those big trees, and down in a little valley.

Here is Geo and I upon arrival.

 We went past the trees and down into the valley below to the medieval village where the Alhambra fair was taking place.  It was a bit of a trek, but as you can see, many people made this journey today.

What are these people watching?

They are actually watching this man with two whips demonstrate his skill.  Another exciting thing we saw upon arrival was this gigantic and very authentic looking catapult.

The catapult launched pumpkins into the field throughout the day.  There go two of them now!

The kingdom, of course, is none other than Alhambra.  The Duke was resting in his tent, but while he was occupied, others tried the kingdom on for size.

There were all kinds of villagers, merchants and trades people in Alhambra.  This woman and her child were doing laundry...

 These were bellydancing.

 This woman worked on a spinning wheel making yarn.  She also sold clothing, hats and scarves... and various other items.

 There was street dancing.... and merry making to the tune of guitars and violins.

This woman is selling scones, and her neighbor, honey.

a

And you you are bound to meet up with the pickle man on the street, selling his wares...




And hey were crunchy, cold....GOOD pickles!

 Here is the Christian Church area.  At time you could even find the Catholic priests here.

This booth was selling pagan and "witchcrafty" type of  wares, and ideas:



So... by all means, do watch ye your children, carefully.  Teach them to mind you and not wander off.


Next to a stage there was a wheel that was obviously spun to determine your punishment for breaking of the law.  You might call it the "wheel of Torture"  It made me think of that T.V. show, Wheel of Fortune.  In this case it is your BAD fortune to be on the stage.  I will take the full pardon please.

 But along a happier note....

There was a lot of street dancing.

Then there were also stage performances, much like there might have been back in such Shakespearean times....

These folks, Zoupa De Zonia, did some great improve.

This woman sold "Kissing Stones."  She carried the box of them and sold them to passersby.


"What is a kissing stone?" you might wonder...  Well, you give one to someone you wish to kiss.  They either return it or keep it, and if they keep it, you are supposed to get a kiss.

There were many kissing stones to choose from..

My stone is the while one, next to the blue one, at the bottom of the box.  It has three hearts on it.

This is Dave.  He was not very interested in this woman's "kissing stones."

This place sold marvelous puppets. She has a bookstore on Argone Rd in Millwood, and sells her puppets there also.

These little girls informed me that they were not butterflies, but fairies.

You can buy clothing to fit the century at the Ren Faire too..

On, the places you'll go..... (with a wheel and some feet!)

Soon it was time for the joust.

The banners were displayed for the various knights who would be jousting that day.

 The donkey made his appearance:

And the knights made themselves ready.

Then the battle began, complete with insults.

This was the Tournament of the Golden Apple.  Here is the award that will be given to the winner..

 The winner emerges victorious!

The crowd is pleased, of course,  that no one really died....

 Although the jousting poles were smashed and left in splinters beneath our feet.
At the end of the day, the cannon was blast by this fellow here.

It came from this little (REAL) cannon.

 And thus, the sun positioned itself to set on the horizon and the people all went home, including us.

Such was the day at the first annual Green Bluff Renaissance Fair...
                                                                              or rather, "Ren Faire"


Video of the joust: