Renaissance and Fantasy

For my birthday, I dragged Jeremy to the Washington Renaissance Fantasy Faire. He escaped this fate last year due to it being canceled. This year, the Faire coordinators got all their duckies lined up and it was go! So, I spent a week and a half sewing up outfits for us, by hand. I was without a sewing machine at the time. Miraculously, I finished in time.

There were some really fabulous costumes there. Knights in armor, Fairies and Nymphs, Walking dead soldiers, and some very naughty Pirates with whips that made me blush a little with envy. But this costume truly wins best and most fabulous costume.


We saw a Bawdy Juggler, making dirty (bawdy) jokes while he juggled various items. We saw the same juggler sweetly hand his little boy, two on Halloween, one of the juggling pins when the boy was upset. He also balanced the standing child in just one hand.
We saw two men play various roles in a short stage comedy.
We saw a woman working a loom, with her homemade goat hair yarn, from her own goats.
We saw stilt walkers, musical bards, leather shops, armories, beautiful greyhounds for adoption, and a fragrant variety of food.
After seeing all this, we began making our way toward the jousting arena to view The Queen's Tournament. Jeremy left me to hold our seating, and rest my poor aching ankle, while he went in search of the infamous turkey legs. He came back unable to find the booth advertising their sale. A few moments later, a gal sat near us with *BA DA DA DUM* A Turkey Leg! So I asked her where she had gotten it, and then sent Jeremy after his much coveted meat fix. He returned triumphantly this time.


Shortly thereafter, Mary Queen of Scots arrived with her entourage.


Her right hand man returned to our section after seating his Queen. We were informed that we were seated in the Scots seating, and should cheer accordingly. Yay! This suits my heritage just fine. Other seating sections were for the German (don't hate me cause I'm beautiful), the Italian (the villian), and the Spaniard. The Spaniard was there to represent all Spaniards, and every woman's right to a life outside the home! WhooHoo!


The Jester and the Scottish warrior announced the Jousting Tournament, and each contestant. The also heckled each other.


First, the contestants went around the ring, impaling small rings with their swords. Then there was the cabbage chop. Finally the joust. The Spaniard did not compete in the joust. She just wasn't dressed for the occasion.


The Italian won the joust, but did not win the Queen's favor. That, of course, was awarded to the Scotsman. After the joust, Jeremy and I walked around a bit more looking at various booths we had not checked out yet. One sweet vendor was kind enough to take our photo for us. I worked hard on that skirt and his vest. It needed documentation, even if it's not a very good photo.