Faire: Should it be Fantasy or Historically Accurate or a Mix?

[Valiss]

I'd personally like to see them more historically accurate. This would also include the many side shows which are more or less vaudeville/anachronism type shows and seldom in character or historical. I know there's a handful of really great exceptions to that last statement. I'd love to see more of that.

While I am inclined to agree that there should be SOME historical accuracy, I think if you were to make it mandatory that all characters be as such, the faires would lose some of their appeal, and therefore many of the patrons. The fantasy characters are often times that which brings in the crowds, they want to see the new characters.  I remember TRF had a Goblin Horde a few years back and they were a crowd favorite... then they went away, now there's another Barbarian Horde, and a new court is being introduced this season.. All in the name of changing things up a bit so customers aren't saying "Oh, this show again this year??"

Some faires DO make it mandatory that you are historically accurate if you work there or otherwise gatelist there (NorCal faire, for example).  They check your garb, accent and all that fun stuff to make sure you are helping to recreate a piece of history.  Of course the paytrons will wear what they want, and that's fine.  But I tend to agree that if you are trying to create a specific atmosphere (i.e. the renaissance), then having your employees show up dressed as Gandalf or Harry Potter just isn't going to scream authenticity.  I think the people that show up and pay good money for the renaissance-type experience deserve to have the company that puts on faire strive to make that experience happen.

Again I have no problems with the paytrons showing up as whatever they want (though personally I would prefer if they choose to dress up that they attempt a renaissance-type costume, but whatever). And if you want to have witches, faries and all that, then why not put those characters on the stage (or street stage) where they can put on a performance as an actor. 

I think the main issue of the original post was the acts and such..  Unfortunately, there aren't that many Shakespearean trained acting troupes to fill the stages at the festivals to put on historically accurate shows and such. 

If you take the "fantasy" type characters out, or go for the historically accurate aspect, the Pirates have to go away as they are about 100 years before their time in most Faires.   

But I'm not even talking about Pirates, per se. Pirates actually existed at one point in time.  Look, the truth is that "the renaissance" to the general public covers everything from King Arthur and his knights to Shakespeare.  And really, I don't mind if someone (customer or actor) is 100 years off the faire in their costume attempt; at least they are trying, right? I'm more referring to the fantasy characters: wizards, elves, witches, fairies and other stuff that never existed to begin with. And to that end, I'm only referring to the actors that work for the faire, not the customers, when it comes to avoiding the fantasy costumes.

There are entire "fantasy fairies" dedicated to this genre and many come dressed as dragons, Harry Potter, etc.  So to the end, I think that most of that stuff should stay at those faires and the more reality based stuff at traditional faire.  But that's just me. 

Zorak

[Valiss]

If you take the "fantasy" type characters out, or go for the historically accurate aspect, the Pirates have to go away as they are about 100 years before their time in most Faires.   

Space Ghost baby!  He's Coast to Coast!

Common misconception.  The garb would have to change (thrum caps instead of tricorns, short jackets instead of justaucorps, etc), but the pirates would still be there.  Pirates have been around since Ogg paddled around in the water on a log and Brak decided he wanted the log and took it by force.

So what you're saying there Jack is that Brak had to fight with Ogg and then of course his feud with Zorak started and well we all know how that goes. ((bonus points for the first one to get the reference))

[PurpleDragon]

So what you're saying there Jack is that Brak had to fight with Ogg and then of course his feud with Zorak started and well we all know how that goes. ((bonus points for the first one to get the reference))

Space Ghost baby!  He's Coast to Coast!

You know Valiss,  I knew I liked you for a reason...  You get a COOKIE!!!!!!!!

[Valiss]

So what you're saying there Jack is that Brak had to fight with Ogg and then of course his feud with Zorak started and well we all know how that goes. ((bonus points for the first one to get the reference))

Space Ghost baby!  He's Coast to Coast!

You know Valiss,  I knew I liked you for a reason...  You get a COOKIE!!!!!!!!

Huzzah!!  (appearantly there arent enough Huzzah's nowadays) 

[JeanClaudeLeBlanc]

Just curious on this topic.
I've been going mundane to Ren Fests for years now and never really got the urge to dress
up but this year my wife and I are.

Not really knowing much about HA I went out and put together a pretty nice (imo)
musketeer outfit.   I've always enjoyed Dumas and the romantic chevelier notion.
Should I feel self-conscious about it or am I pretty much going to blend
in and not get dirty looks from most of the people dressed up...

It's more of a 1630-1660ish period costume probably and isn't HA to the last detail...

(price constraints do come into play also hehe)

[Sitara]

I don't think I have ever been to a faire and not seen a Musketeer, you will be fine.

[Sir Ironhead]

  You mean there are musketeers at the faire??? 

[SterlingFan]

I don't see a problem with fantasy characters at Faire especially my home Faire of Sterling.  Sterling is an Elizabethan Festival based on her many summer progresses. Queen Elizabeth had outstanding pageants performed for her with many different fantasy characters (fairies, sprites, elves, Arthurian characters, Ancient Roman, Medieval, etc..) so it wouldn't be out of place to see them wandering around the Festival.  The fantasy characters are HA in my opinion.

[BubbleWright]

You mean there are musketeers at the faire??? 

...are these the ones who wear the big round black ears and white sweatshirts with their name on them?

[cowgrrl]

Just curious on this topic.
I've been going mundane to Ren Fests for years now and never really got the urge to dress
up but this year my wife and I are.

Not really knowing much about HA I went out and put together a pretty nice (imo)
musketeer outfit.   I've always enjoyed Dumas and the romantic chevelier notion.
Should I feel self-conscious about it or am I pretty much going to blend
in and not get dirty looks from most of the people dressed up...

It's more of a 1630-1660ish period costume probably and isn't HA to the last detail...

(price constraints do come into play also hehe)

FWIW, we took my parents to Faire for the first time this year & my moms favorite of all the garbed 'characters' were the Musketeers. 

[ladyharrogate]

Ooooh, how many times I have discussed this topic with various friends LOL.  In reality, SCA is really where the ren fests started.  It's grown and taken on a life of it's own since those early years. So, the roots of the renaissance festival are founded in historical accuracy.  As a parent I kind of like the historical accuracy, what better way for my kids to learn about that part of history.  However, as a business woman this is a fine line I walk every day.  I make horse costuming (and people costuming).  Take horses and the joust, the joust cannot be historically accurate.  It can be historically representative but if we made it accurate we would see jousters dead on the tilt due to the nature of jousting in the renaissance.

Also, from a business mindset, what brings in the money.  Yes, I know we all hate going to this subject but it's the reality.  It costs money to run a festival and you have to look at what brings in the profits.  Lets be honest, while we get a smattering of folks coming into festival that are involved in guilds and SCA or are just historians seeking a historic experience, most of the paytrons are everyday people from the surrounding communities.  In marketing you have to look at where the biggest draw is, what appeals to a larger demographic.  Most families that are coming with their kids love the whole "make believe, fantasy" setting the faire provides, etc.  It's all about finding a balance.

[Capt Robertsgrave Thighbiter]

Balance.... that's the ticket.  I'll tell you a lil story.

Back in the late 70's , country music in NYC was a small ( very small) niche, but there was a few places to play.  Then the whole
Urban Cowboy thing exploded and suddenly if you played fiddle ( I do) you could make good money playing in country bands, like playing 6 nights a week and 2x on Sunday.  But it was all line dancers, they pays the cover charge and drink water all night.
Time went on and suddenly none the clubs could afford to have live music and so the country music craze that swept NYC swept right back out again.  And we were back to not being able to fill a card table with people to come and hear country music again.

The point being you need different folks that like different parts of your venue, or when the shine is off the apple, you will go down.
Being so HC that most folks won;t care to come is a sure fire receipe for gov't bail out money.  And too far the other way just makes it seem like a Halloween party.

Balance.

[Jezzy MacPeaks]

Has anyone mentioned "Steam Punk"?  There are so many pages, I've not taken the time to read them all.

I've just returned home from the Kentucky Highland Ren Fest, where I had a very interesting conversation with no less than a Knights Templar, who educated me on the new cult of "Steam Punk".
He, himself, is planning to attend the faire in full "Steam Punk" garb, and warned me that there may soon be an influx of such weirdly clad patrons at our Ren Fests!

I, for one, don't mind seeing a variety of historic-types, but I'm not impressed with Star Trek characters, Vampires, Zombies, and the like.  They have their own conventions and festivals where they're more than welcome.  And I think Steam Punk is going to be something I won't be tickled to see, either.  But, it is a faire, and it is for fun.  I, being a Pirate, am not always welcome at some Renaissance or Medieval Faires, being told that Pirates didn't exist in those days....(I beg to differ, but...)  I just wish that these more modern types would understand and respect the fact that it IS a "Renaissance or Medieval" faire where characters are based, however loosely, on HISTORIC times.  I do enjoy seeing fairies, ogres and trolls.  They're are part of the magical realm of that time period, so they do belong and they do give more color to the faire in general.

[Merlin]

Who cares.... I mean...some are more historically accurate than others... but I've seen gorillas, Darth Vader, fairies, monsters, etc.... I'm Merlin as I see Merlin...who is a fictional character... I'll also be wearing a kilt of my family clan but I can guarantee that my viking/scot relatives didn't have a sporran made of poly-leather and wore boots with non slip rubber soles.

The Faire is a place that anyone should feel comfortable and have fun... it's the one place that you shouldn't feel like a weirdo or a nerd. Wear whatever you want.... just accept others as they are and have a good time.


HUZZAH !



DW

[DonaCatalina]

I've avoided weighing in on this topic for some time. But some things I've seen recently have crystallized my thoughts quite a bit more.

I realize that no Faire is going to turn away a paying customer.
But my personal preference would be to shy away from anything that smacks of modernity....
That includes storm troopers, star trek characters and modern goth with pale skinned girls on
black leather leashes.

Why? Because it does take away from the magic of those trying to imagine a time gone by.
And I know people who worked an SCA booth at Sci-Fi cons who were hassled by the Sci-Fi types.
As far as Ren-Faires; the pirates, the musketeers, the fairies, the elves , the Indians and the magicians don't bother me because they would have been, at least somewhat, comprehensible to a 16th century person.

If a boy in black leather leading a girl on a leash had walked by the real Marquesa de Rende in 1535,
she would have ran screaming for a priest because devils were loose on the streets.

And I think casual visitors to the faire agree with me somewhat, because they flock around the people
in some type of historical dress, when the trekkies and such are given a wide berth.
I think Faires like TRF and Scarby see this also, so they'll have Fae on cast, but probably never, ever a Storm Trooper.