First timers, where should we go?

[Xantrawler]

Unless you can drop everything my home faire of Sterling is out, for this year. This weekend is our last, but please come and join us, if not this year, next year. My one advice is no mater what faire you attend plan to make it a 2 day faire. You can't see and enjoy everything in  one day. Faire is like a fine wine, you savor it. Embrace the moment and let the experience flow through you. Faire is not a wild amusement park where you rush from ride to ride to food stand to ....I'm out of breath talking about it. Faire is where you stroll from act to act, pausing to partake of the interaction around you. As time progress you make friends and a moment is spent talking with this one here that one there. You sit and have a pint with a group. You end up making friends you see for one brief moment out of the year, yet feel like you have been life long companions. I hope to see you at Sterling, but try to make one of the others, you will not regrate it. (Even after you buy a trailer to haul all your garb in.)

[irish]

well, i have to agree with Xantrawler, Sterling is a great faire to visit.
it is well maintained, shows are very entertaining, professional and the BTM's are the best!
now as far as garb, you would enjoy wearing it, but i wouldn't go out and spend a lot of money on it until you know, if this is something you will want to go to, a lot. truthfully, dressing "a little hippie", would work, no tie dyes.....lol!
i hope you will be able to visit us at Sterling next year. if i or any of the faire~goers can be of assistance, please contact us. watch our thread, as we are making plans for a few group gatherings next year! 

[Xantrawler]

And if you get a kilt watch out for a cute lady that runs around with mirrors on her shoes. *Runs and hides behind the pub*

[Leyla]

I disagree with the garb for a first attendance. It IS a totally different experience going in regular clothes, and I think there's value in that. I know at our faire (MN) the cast interact WAY more with paytrons in regular clothes and pay less attention to those in garb unless the garbed patron makes the effort. And if I were going to an event the first time I'd feel really awkward getting dressed up. Plus there's a certain level of comfort with dressing for the weather, which is harder to do in costume. You don't need to have a costume to have a good time; most of the people paying to get in will be in regular clothes. There's more than enough to take in when it's all brand new. Plus, having the experience of going in regular clothes makes you appreciate the return visit in a special costume that you've picked out and love that much more.

I LOVE going in costume now, and frequently loan my "extra" costumes to friends when I bring them for the first time. I think that's a little different though since they then have a faire guide and are spending the day with someone else in garb. 

I've gone a few times with my husband and a group of my husband's friends, who only go about once a season (while I get season passes and go as often as possible) and don't dress up. When I've joined them I've sometimes also gone in regular clothes and it's a whole different faire to love and enjoy.