What single thing at faire hurls you off into the depths of rage?

[Valiss]

Customers who go to faire, purchase a sword, then ask (or otherwise attempt) to swordfight everyone in costume.
Appearantly, people who have a few drinks in them and a sword in their hands forget that we're actors, not actual sword dueling people (well, at least most of us).

Most fairs have a zero tolerance for non peace tied weapons (when they are allowed at all).
This is a serious safety issue.

But I am always amazed when people still get pissed when you tell them they can't carry a weapon in the park, especially when alcohol is available.

I think KC does not allow anyone not on cast to carry weapons (even fake flintlocks) and swords purchased on site are held at the gate until the patron leaves.

Yes, exactly my point. It is dangerous and I have seen security escort the offender off site.
I've also seen a drunk guy attempt to draw a sword from someones belt while the actor was in the middle of a swordfighting demo! Of course, the guy was so drunk he couldnt manage to grab it before the swordsman noticed and thwarted his attempts until security arrived. I alsmost wanted to see what would happen to the guy if he did draw the actors blade and attempt to fight him; as I recall the swordman was reputed to be very good.

That said, I've never heard of or seen a faire that didnt allow weapons. And most people seem to handle the booze and blades just fine. It's the occasional moron that gives the weapons a bad name.

[Laird Fraser of Lovatt]

Aye, what you said, Valiss.  I've been going to TRF for quite a few years and have never seen a "weapons incident" except for some hillbilly's kid whacking his proud parents shin with a wooden sword.  Leave my toys alone and I'll leave yours the same.  I DO love (sarcasm) the question, "Is that real?... for what i paid for it, it better be and keep your fingers off the brass"

[Rowan MacD]

That said, I've never heard of or seen a faire that didnt allow weapons. And most people seem to handle the booze and blades just fine. It's the occasional moron that gives the weapons a bad name.

http://www.faires.com/EventRecord.php?Id=121
 I checked the faire directory for KCRF (handy to have if you need to check the rules at an unfamiliar venue)
 No swords, firearms or weapons of any kind.   This is the strictest  ruling I have seen,  though most fairs do require peace ties.  
 I think with KC it's an insurance issue to protect against the morons who never grew up enough to respect others and their property.   
 

[Valiss]

That said, I've never heard of or seen a faire that didnt allow weapons. And most people seem to handle the booze and blades just fine. It's the occasional moron that gives the weapons a bad name.

http://www.faires.com/EventRecord.php?Id=121

I checked the faire directory for KCRF (handy to have if you need to check the rules at an unfamiliar venue)

No swords, firearms or weapons of any kind.
This is the strictest
ruling I have seen,
though most fairs do require peace ties.


I think with KC it's an insurance issue to protect against the morons who never grew up enough to respect others and their property.

That is interesting. But I can only speak for CA faires (and there are dozens of them a year) and, a least over here, there is no such restrictions. That said, I have also never heard of a faire that didnt require a peace tie and you can usually only draw your weapon if you are part of a show / an actor. People who purchase and then try to use them in the street usually get asked to sheath them or leave them in the car.

I really enjoy some of the weapons of the period as well as having them at faire for props and shows. But it drives me crazy when idiots go and try to be Conan because they are stupid or drunk or whatever and ruin it for the rest of us that are trying to enjoy things responsibly.

[Zardoz]

I think one of the New York faires has a no weapons, or at least a "costume weapons" only policy..

[bellevivre]

My little things are common:

Parents who are too drunk to control thier children.

Teenagers who are loud, obnoxious, ill behaved and make fun of other people/faire in general

People who bring thier small kids into a PG13+ show/bar then get pissy because of the lewd jokes going on.

Also, people who walk slowly and are in my way! i know, i know, I need to get over this one- but... when I'm on a mission, I walk fast!

[midnightferret]

I hardly ever get angry at Faire.  

But I'm in agreement with most of you re: weapons/safety, people who don't manage/care for their children properly, and otherwise inconsiderate people.

Also: litterbugs. Yep, I'm one of *those* people. Smokers: they're outdoors! The world is their ashtray! So why can't they field strip their cigar/cigarette and throw it in the trash? Danes who think they can just leave their debris (or their children's) about for the crew to pick up: where do they think they are? I once saw a person (sadly, a rennie even) unwrap a piece of candy and throw the wrapper on the ground. My friend and I sort of looked at each other and I didn't know what to do except go pick it up and throw it away.

So those are my peeves. I try to remember to be considerate and hope others try to do so, too. It doesn't always happen that way, though.

[Lady Amy of York]

 
I enjoy  myself at faire  and hardly get upset either, but i do have  afew  pet peeves  :


 --- Drunks  who  walk  by you with  beer splashing out of  their  cups  so that it splashes on your good  gown

  --- people  wanting  to touch  my  sword and  dagger a nd  asking   me if  they are real.  ( you want  to  know if  it is real...go ahead and  touch it and  find out,  for  the blade is  darn sharp  !)

  ---   parents w hen i sit  my good hat and  fan and  basket down on a bench  so i can  wipe off my sweating brow,  this  does  not mean that your  child     who's  hands  are all sticky  can go touching my hat  and  fan.


---  People    who hold cigarettes in their hands  and  them back up  into you nearly putting a burn hole in your  skirt.


 --- this is  for  a friend of  mine  who  is a vendor  at faire......people  when  there are signs up all over in the booth that read  please  do not take  any pictures of the garments in here...why  do you insist on still taking  pictures


--- kids  kicking dirt at  my gown .

--if i am walking  down the hill  and you see me  starting to slide on the loose gravel and  mud, please  dont stand  there in my way, snapping  my picture,  for i almost plowed into you knocking  both of us  and  your  expensive  camera  to the  ground.


--  if i am standing by a bench  dressed in full garb  in the  heat, and look like i need  to  sit, could you  maybe  kindly move your purse over  so i could  sit, or  would you rather i just   collapse  and  fall onto  you. ( then gain, if  you are a young cute  guy...well......LOL !!! )

--  and  to the lady who kept  follwing us around  taking pictures of  my kid...yes he is a cute  kid...but how w ould you like it if i was  constantly putting a camera in your  face.It was obvious my son was getting upset.

[Lady Amy of York]

I think one of the New York faires has a no weapons, or at least a "costume weapons" only policy..

Sterling ren faire    had a  no weapon policy  for  a few years,  after   a few patrons  with weapons  got  out  of  hand , but since last year,  Sterling had  gone  back to allowing weapons  again, but they  must be  " Costume  weapons "  and  they  must be  " Peace  tied  "  at all times .

[Lady Amy of York]

Well a few things........

Parents letting their kids throw stones and do not make any attempt to correct them.
People smoking and blowing it in my face!  
Or when they smoke,  letting their cigarette, near my garb!
And.......Parents letting their kids touch my 'garb' accessories, if they sit near me! I mean, geeshhh....let me touch your purse lady!  

Irish..girlfriend...you  forgot  the  lady you got  in a fight with. remember  the  woman   who  made  the  comment about  all of  us  who were dressed in garb.  her  comment was "    look at these people. they all smell.  they take  this  renaissance   era  too seriously.  Don't  they  ever  shower."

  and  you turned around  and  said  something like"  Um   yes  they shower, but umm..you  would  be  sweaty and  smelly too, if  you were  wearing  al those layer of  clothing  on a humid  90  some  degree  day."

[Rowan MacD]

  and  you turned around  and  said  something like"  Um   yes  they shower, but umm..you  would  be  sweaty and  smelly too, if  you were  wearing  all those layers of  clothing  on a humid  90  some  degree  day."

   Grrr, I hate rude people.  Would she have made that comment on the street, to a stranger? Addressing someone you don't know in an insulting and crass manner just shows a lack of manners and total selfishness.  Know that that woman came off sounding like a graceless Yokel, or at the very least like someone lacking the wits to run her comments through the idiot filter first. 
 

[ArielCallista]

I get really fed up very quickly with people who seem to think that just because I'm in some sort of garb it is my responsibility to be their source of entertainment. Just cuz i'm in belly dance garb doesn't mean I'm gonna go do a private dance for you around your campfire after closing (yes I have been asked this before and no he was not drunk...ugh)...

Also, not all pirates have hook hands, eye patches, parrots and peg legs...don't tell me I'm not a pirate because I lack these items.

Another thing...the people who seem to think that my garb doesn't mean anything to me...I've had people TELL me to go trade clothes with them...I don't know what she was thinking...it wasn't a omg your gown is beautiful I wish I had one...this high school girl was all I want your dress, and I was like thanks I made it myself...she then demanded i give it to her...wtf brat

Nothing annoys me more than stupid people who have no respect for garb...they either arent paying attention and spill their beer all over your gown or let their little kids play with all your accessories...I took my hat off cuz my head it sweaty not so you can play with it...and no my tail isn't for you to pull on...my first tail broke in half because of this...kid pulled too hard

[groomporter]

There's a couple times it was probably a good thing I wasn't in the booth when someone looked at our stuff and said "Oh I could make that for $x.00." Yes you probably could, but you can't make a living if you don't pay yourself for your time as well as the cost of goods.

The other was the couple times we've been asked "are these your normal prices?" -as if we raise them to price gouge during fair or something.

[irish]

right Amy...she made that comment at the actors...so I said, well you nor I smell that flowery either....lol...something like that

[Adriana Rose]

People who let thier kids get grabby with my stock! I cringe when a pack of kids come in with italian ices.

Idots who think that because I wear a bodice that I am really a wench for hire.

People who take care of themselves and not their kids.