The Ferguson Family: Renaissance Fair

The first step is to admit that we went. So, yes, this is my post about the Renaissance Fair.

We made a little weekend vacation out of our trip to College station. There weren't any plans for Sunday set in stone. That's how we do things and I don't recommend it. We thought maybe we would pop down to Houston...yadda yadda.....who knows. Come to find out little weekend getaways are MUCH different when you have a kiddo, so we decided to keep our destination on the route home or not far from it. Daniel scooped up a bunch of fliers in the hotel lobby and we looked through them over breakfast. "Lo and behold" the Renaissance fair was in town, and it was on the way home.

I had always wanted to go, just to see what it was like. It's always hilarious when TV shows have an episode about the Ren. Fair. I knew there would be people dressed up and talking in "period talk". I was just so darn curious! So, we bought discount tickets at good ol' H.E.B. and drove out!

This particular fair was located in some remote wooded area. I thought it was just going to be like a small town community festival. Ya, know.... little kiosks and tents and maybe a Turkey leg stand or two. OOHHHHhhh, buddy was I W-R-O-N-G!! We pulled up and parked in field #12. Each "parking lot" is lined with tall pines.....the place was gorgeous. We started hiking it down the long dirt path to the entrance with the rest of the patrons. I'll admit, I kinda started freaking out. Most everyone was dressed in regular clothes, but some were decked to the HILT (literally) in Ren. attire. Even, just, weird.... weird.. odd... costumes. That's when I noticed that we had chosen to attend "Barbarian Invasion" week. Hooray.

Ya know that freaky guy in line for a ride with you at six flags? The one who, undoubtedly, spends every waking hour of his life (except when the Ren. Fest is in town) playing World of Warcraft? The one who probably collects Digi-Dragon-Warrior-Ball cards and whose girlfriend has a tattoo of a fairy on her lower back? The one who probably has a "sword collection" displayed on his bedroom wall? Well, guess what? There are hundreds of them, and they were all there that day. AND.....they brought their swords.
I didn't think I could do it. I knew I would either cry or laugh or both. Either way it would result in my immediate beheading.

We got to the gates. I'm thinking, "Hmm, looks OK. Looks really nice actually." I'm hearing, " Pardon me good sir! Wouldst thou like to rent a waggon?" and "Good day my lady! Weclome and enjoy thy time". I'm seeing more people dressed up. A LOT more people dressed up. No turning back now.....

The inside of the Fair was like nothing I had ever seen. Seriously it was gorgeous. The people who designed this place are geniuses. First off it was HUGE, we didn't even see the whole place, and secondly, did I say it was gorgeous? There were real buildings built to scale! A cobble stone walkway in front of the shops, tall trees, ivy and vines covering every surface... I couldn't stop taking pictures. It was like being in a whole other world. I couldn't believe it. Now I know why people go to this thing.

It took me a while to get over all of the costumes and acting but once I did it was fun! Don't get me wrong, there were some interesting characters and serious creepos. For crying out loud we saw a Storm Trooper! (Desperate much?) Also, this is definitely not a place to take children. I think they try to make it kid friendly but they can't control what the people there are wearing and saying and doing. These are not the people you want influencing your children. Coen, however, was too little to get it. He was ....well, fairly bored. I will say, however, that it was refreshing to go to an "amusement park" of sorts and I never saw anything electronic. No tv's or anything. Even the rides were self powered! Also, the "merchants" were all very nice. There are some VERY talented craftsmen out there! Not one person judged another (verbally anyway) and everyone was very excepting of every one else. It was interesting to see everyone getting along so peaceably without teasing and cliques and junk like that. I wish the real world, especially the church was more like that.

Ok, enough jibberish, let's get to the pics!