| Rating: | ★ |
| Category: | Other |
We had free tickets to the Bristol Renaissance Faire. Still sporting our post Blind Melon concert buzz, we grabbed MIL and headed to our first Ren fair experience. I figured there would be people in period dress, some paid, some not. What I hadn't realized is these people try to engage you in conversation whether you want to or not.
While waiting for my family to look again at yet, another 5th maybe 6th wooden sword vendor, my eye caught a pirate costumed whip artist in action. Just as I was thinking, this was an accident waiting to happen, this different dude walks up to me and gets in my face, "Are you all right?" I guess he had been calling to me, but since I don't really speak Shakespearian, I had no idea he was talking to me. He gave me a hard time for not role playing with him. Mind you I was not in costume! That should have been his first clue I wouldn't play along.
I found as we walked around, more players had to comment on our appearance. For some reason, I was the one they picked on the most.
It seemed like every 15 yards there was yet another wooden sword shop, a shoe shop or a jewelry store. Pity the shinies weren't that interesting or affordable. The prices shocked me. I've been to art fairs and seen better quality for less money.
We came across one show where "Christophe the Insulter" was demonstrating his talent. He picked on a 16 year old boy, celebrating his birthday at the fair. We quickly had to move to another oddity because Christophe began teasing the 16 year old boy about masturbation. Now I'm not a prude, but why is it ok for a grown man to tease a 16 year old minor about his anatomy? Would he have done this if it was a 16 year old girl? Why is this not sexual harassment, worsened by the fact the boy is a minor and he's teasing him in public? I didn't realize Ren fair's weren't always family friendly.
The food wasn't exactly true to the time period. Curly fries anyone? Miller Light? I was expecting ale or Meade.
I was disappointed the games were expensive. You had to pay a few bucks to even allow your children to play with foam swords. Or how about paying $3 in order to sit on a log and pillow fight? I could do this at home for free.
Thankfully, our tickets were free, we made the hike from the free parking lot and we chose to eat elsewhere. I felt sorry for the people who were paying $18 a ticket to enter. Your $18 only bought you insults. I didn't see this photo until I got home. It cracks me up because the looks on my boys' faces says it all!
5 comments:
Once you've been to one ren fest, you've been to them all. Over priced trinkets and bawdy jokes a plenty....
I've always wanted to go to one but they are always too pricey + too far away from us. I've always heard they are lots of fun. Sorry you had such a crappy time.
Aw, that's just stinky! The one we went to wasn't much (just a few people, and LOTS of duct tape lol) but the people were extremely nice....I suspected trying to get people to join their group, but at least they weren't "in your face" about it.
Bleah on the stinky people! ; )
We went to one many moons ago. :) I had no idea what to expect from it, but we enjoyed it. Some of the ladies were a little lacking in the modesty dept, but it was neat to see folks walking around dressed up. We enjoyed the jousting a lot.:) Would I go to another one? Probably not. ;)
While we're not festies by a long shot, we've gone every year for the past 9 years. Yes, it's overpriced. We get our tickets at a discount, so, aside from food, we don't spend all that much. And, yes, they get in your face, but that's part of the charm. We're careful about what shows we pick, and when we watch them (PG-13 at worst, before 5pm - after; pretty much anything goes). I agree with your assessment of the insulter, though. That's just insane.
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