So Saturday March 8th, 2008 was a journal noteworthy day. It was my first time going to a renaissance festival...or ren festival, is what the regulars call it! My friend Desiree (in the middle) really gets into this stuff, and yet, she is mild for the 'die-hards'. It is a complete other world!!! Here we are 'decked' up in the commoner costumes (I (left) was affectionately referred to as the cooking wench-the term wench is used freely and not rudely at these ren days). My friend collects costumes and dresses us all up. After going however, I decided that I want to go as royalty next time with the cool corsets that make you skinny! (and pass out by the end of the day)
Here is the king, queen and their court welcoming us into the park (since we made it in time for the gates to open!) IF you wanted too, you could follow the royalty around all day and follow a story line with them. People do this as a living and travel from place to place, with alternative identities they come up with, etc. They also go camping on weekends etc.
This is the court jesters, and I felt most 'at home' by them! ha ha haThe fair is outside of Mesa in Apache Junction (3 hours from home)and is located on 30 acres and has a sister festival in England. This one is a pretty big one, with thousands of people!
I was like a little kid with my eyes wide-open in awe all day. Taking it all in. NOT only are there amazing costuming ,but there are vendors, and entertainment ALL day long all over the place!
This guy was offering childcare-ha ha ha haWe did go kid-less as our awesome hubbies had the kids for the day!
You can't go to one of these without some of the 'eccentric' taking the advantage to be weird and get noticed. Here is a Full blown cross-dresser! I did not want to get too close, so that he would not notice and get the attention or shock factor I am assuming he wanted.
Check out her shoes-they are the kind of shoes (stilts) they would wear so that their shoes would not get dirty and their clothes in the mud. It had rained that evening and was cloudy for a good portion of the morning. Then the sun reappeared in the afternoon and we got burned, and tired more quickly...you WALK all day LONG!
the KnIgHt STUD!
My kids got a kick out of this picture of the guy riding a dragon with a bird on his shoulder!
Here is some more royal courters....I'm not gonna lie there is ALOT of cleavage in excess at festivals!
Turkey legs were the food of choice as you walked around, BUT again, I am not gonna lie...I was not FOND of mine. Peeling skin, tendons, and bones make me not so hungry anymore! My friend tells me I had a bad piece, and that it really is good. I think I had my turkey leg experience for a lifetime!
With no kids or hubby's around henna/temporary (sp) tattoos were part of the day! (not for me)
My friend Julie Hoggard and I decided to pillow fight on the log so we could entertain the masses!
Guess who won?!!!
Entertainment was ABSOLUTE enjoyment for the day. We got in one of the jousting tournaments, with real knights, horses, sword fights, etc. They divided the crowds up and we each had a 'knight' to cheer on. Ours heard voices and was CraZY in the head! BUT he was probably the best rider out there. The 'Bar Wench' over our cheering section taught us some crude gestures to taunt the other sides (I just watched, promise)
Let see there were bagpipe boy bands, sword eaters, pirate bands, flame whippers, birds of prey show, musical instruments I have never seen played, belly dancers, mimes, statue standers, arrow shooters, orators, joke tellers, horn blowers, live instrumental bands...I think you get my drift. Not a DULL moment.
and by the end of the day I was ready to go. It was like being Disneyland day tired!
You can't go to one of these without some of the 'eccentric' taking the advantage to be weird and get noticed. Here is a Full blown cross-dresser! I did not want to get too close, so that he would not notice and get the attention or shock factor I am assuming he wanted.
Check out her shoes-they are the kind of shoes (stilts) they would wear so that their shoes would not get dirty and their clothes in the mud. It had rained that evening and was cloudy for a good portion of the morning. Then the sun reappeared in the afternoon and we got burned, and tired more quickly...you WALK all day LONG!
the KnIgHt STUD!
My kids got a kick out of this picture of the guy riding a dragon with a bird on his shoulder!
Here is some more royal courters....I'm not gonna lie there is ALOT of cleavage in excess at festivals!
Turkey legs were the food of choice as you walked around, BUT again, I am not gonna lie...I was not FOND of mine. Peeling skin, tendons, and bones make me not so hungry anymore! My friend tells me I had a bad piece, and that it really is good. I think I had my turkey leg experience for a lifetime!
With no kids or hubby's around henna/temporary (sp) tattoos were part of the day! (not for me)
My friend Julie Hoggard and I decided to pillow fight on the log so we could entertain the masses!
Guess who won?!!!
Entertainment was ABSOLUTE enjoyment for the day. We got in one of the jousting tournaments, with real knights, horses, sword fights, etc. They divided the crowds up and we each had a 'knight' to cheer on. Ours heard voices and was CraZY in the head! BUT he was probably the best rider out there. The 'Bar Wench' over our cheering section taught us some crude gestures to taunt the other sides (I just watched, promise)
Let see there were bagpipe boy bands, sword eaters, pirate bands, flame whippers, birds of prey show, musical instruments I have never seen played, belly dancers, mimes, statue standers, arrow shooters, orators, joke tellers, horn blowers, live instrumental bands...I think you get my drift. Not a DULL moment.
and by the end of the day I was ready to go. It was like being Disneyland day tired! Here is a picture of the crazy knight and bar wench!
Of course, I brought home prizes for the fam! Here is a pair of butterfly/ fairy wings Dacie got. She kept bringing them to me this a.m (3/10) to put on her. How funny is she?!!
I came home to clean kids-all in bed, a happy husband, and not too messy of a house! They enjoyed a day of no nagging, visiting grandparents (Dan's parents have not seen the kids for awhile and came up late afternoon because they missed them) park play, and McDonalds...with presents the next day! We all were very satisfied.
Dan got a black leather spike bracelet (watch out burglars)! The boys got swords and hilts, which I had NO DOUBT they would thoroughly enjoy!
Swords hit swords is our new family rule-after Dacie got knocked and is now scared of them!
Of course, I brought home prizes for the fam! Here is a pair of butterfly/ fairy wings Dacie got. She kept bringing them to me this a.m (3/10) to put on her. How funny is she?!!
I came home to clean kids-all in bed, a happy husband, and not too messy of a house! They enjoyed a day of no nagging, visiting grandparents (Dan's parents have not seen the kids for awhile and came up late afternoon because they missed them) park play, and McDonalds...with presents the next day! We all were very satisfied.
Dan got a black leather spike bracelet (watch out burglars)! The boys got swords and hilts, which I had NO DOUBT they would thoroughly enjoy!
Swords hit swords is our new family rule-after Dacie got knocked and is now scared of them!After waking at 6:30am and getting home at 9:30pm....my pillow was a very welcome sight!
Hip hip harrah for Ren Days...until next year!
6 comments:
What fun! Overall, were the women modestly dressed? I'd love to go to one of those, but I don't want Dallin to see a bunch of women with their breasts hanging out of their tops, and I don't want to provoke Mark to having impure thoughts...which is natural for a man to do when he sees a woman dressed as she shouldn't be.
Oh WOW--that looks VERY exciting! I enjoyed all the pictures. I definitely wouldn't fit in there--mainly due to the lack of cleavage factor =) Love all the little gifts you brought home for your family--so cute! oh, and i did a post for our new bishop--with a link in case anyone wants to see them 'normal'. =)
looks like a lot of fun! Heather Cook always talks about the how unbelievable the clevage bearing women are at the festival craziness!!
That looks like so much fun! You look great in your little Rennaisance dress. And I don't think that's a turkey - it's a dinasour leg!!! So huge. LOL.
You girls look awesome! How fun for you to go and have a day with just the moms. I am jealous!
Wow! I had to go go all the way back to the Ren Festival before I got to where I "left off" in your blog! Sounds like a fun time; I saw a couple of people in Walmart last night that looked like they had just come from there...very interesting!!! I loved the picture of Dacie in her wings! She's such a cutie; so glad we got to see you today! Thanks again for coming down! Happy Easter!
Love from Grandma sorensn
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