News:

Welcome to the Renaissancefestival.com Forums!  Please post an introduction after signing up!

For an updated map of Ren Fests check out The Ren List at http://www.therenlist.com!

The Chat server is now running again, just select chat on the menu!

Main Menu

Why did you get started? And why do you stay?

Started by Dracconia, September 26, 2013, 09:03:55 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

DonaCatalina

Quote from: Dracconia on October 01, 2013, 08:40:51 AM
But we love this Scot!


BACK ON TOPIC! :D (The Thread Pirate Fulfilled His Mission!)

When was your first faire? What did you think? And why do you keep coming back?

1980 something - it was either the first or second season of Scarborough. We rented costumes and had a blast. By my standards today, the costumes were pretty so-so but we had our photos taken left and right.
Aurum peccamenes multifariam texit
Marquesa de Trives
Portrait Goddess

Bonny Pearl

We can put the blame (or credit) on my parents lol!  They took me to TRF back in my high school days, in the 80's.  I fell in love with it!  Went as a 'dane' for many years at TRF and in California.  Took the plunge and started 'garbing' in 2007.  Not sure why it took me so long but I'm so glad I did!

Faire is like digging in that trunk looking for clothes to play dress up in, but with the bonus prize of booze. ;D I love being able to escape the everyday world and I want to do that as much as possible.  The word 'fairemily' is one that rings true for me.  I consider everyone I have gotten to know as kindred spirits and love them all.
Gypsy Wanderer
Kingdom of Onondaga
Order of the Hatchet
Landshark No.88

elthefairy

I started when I was 11. My dad knew how much I loved playing pretend and fairytale style magic, and took me to the ren faire for our first time. It felt like one of my pretend games turned real.

SandrineDeLaTombe

Quote from: Bonny Pearl on October 03, 2013, 06:59:11 AM

Faire is like digging in that trunk looking for clothes to play dress up in, but with the bonus prize of booze. ;D

I'm pretty sure this is the most perfect statement ever uttered. For me, I had an ex take me to Scarborough for the first time in the early 2000s, and I was hooked from that point. My visits to the faire were infrequent, but every time I went I always had an amazing time and was fortunate enough to make some great friends.
I aim to misbehave

Sir Michael Geare

I've always been into history but the one thing that drew me to fare was the swordplay.  I always loved playing with swords and what better place to see it than at faire.  Being from the D&D generation, what better way to indulge yourself further than dressing up and roaming through a village.  I have digressed since the early beginnings and now as part of the cast portraying a historical character doing what I love, swordplay. What reason keeps me coming back?  It is the same as everyone else....my faire family.  There is nothing like the bond that is made in the magical place we call faire.
'The exercising of weapons puts away aches, griefs, and diseases, it
increases strength, and sharpens the wits.'

Bonny Pearl

Quote from: SandrineDeLaTombe on October 08, 2013, 12:00:36 PM
Quote from: Bonny Pearl on October 03, 2013, 06:59:11 AM

Faire is like digging in that trunk looking for clothes to play dress up in, but with the bonus prize of booze. ;D

I'm pretty sure this is the most perfect statement ever uttered. For me, I had an ex take me to Scarborough for the first time in the early 2000s, and I was hooked from that point. My visits to the faire were infrequent, but every time I went I always had an amazing time and was fortunate enough to make some great friends.

;D
Gypsy Wanderer
Kingdom of Onondaga
Order of the Hatchet
Landshark No.88

Amyj

15 years ago, my Sweetie and I were visiting my Grandmother in Kansas City.  She was tired and probably wanted to rest, so she told us about "This fair thing going on in Bonner Springs".  We drove out and basically had our minds blown!  We must have looked like codfish walking around with big eyes and our jaws hanging open the whole day!  By the end of the day, I'd decided we were not only coming back the next year but we were doing it in GARB!  I spent the rest of the year researching (stalking photo sites) garb and making our first set (ohhhhh, boy, looking back...shudder! :o ).  Since then, we have not missed going at least one weekend to KCRF (since Bob and I fell in love with faire together there...and we'll be celebrating our Crystal Anniversary of KCRF visits this year!), and we are now regulars at our local faire in St. Louis (we're "The Rums" there).  What keeps me coming back (and dreaming of expanding our faire list) is that I have never met a group of people who are more accepting and welcoming.  We have our dramas and issues like any group...but we handle them without (for the most part) destroying friendships.  We revel in each other's successes and comfort each other through our sorrows.  You can be who you ARE or who you WANT TO BE...and you'll be accepted equally.  In short, it's my FAIREMILY that keeps me coming back.  The event of faire itself is for me basically like getting to climb into a fantasy/historical novel FOR REAL and escape a while.  I love it when we "convert" a newbie and see them fall in love with faire for the first time!
I'm not fat, it's just that a skinny body couldn't hold ALL THIS PERSONALITY! ;)
Historically Accur-ISH

Dracconia

I got reminded of why I stay this past weekend, had a tornado rip through camp at TRF and the way everyone pulled together and took care of each other on Sunday morning and Saturday night....that is why I stay. There is no other group I would willingly weather a tornado with. :)
PR ~Faire Daughter~
Shake-N-Bake

FreyBjorn

I buried my head in books about history, fantasy and science fiction since I can remember. Finally went to a faire in my mid-twenties with some friends. (Sterling) Absolutely loved it. The closest I could get to my romanticized view of history. Went for six straight years and got to introduce my wife to it. We moved to Hawaii and had no faires for five years. Then we moved to Texas about an hour from Scarborough. We've gone every year since. Went to TRF for the first time this year and loved the faire and camping. Also dressed for the first time, myself as a Viking farmer/merchant and she as a lady. (we met on the road and I promised to protect her from highwaymen)

I have gotten to learn about history, have fun and look inside myself to figure out what kind of life I would choose to live (still working) because of the tantalizing glimpse into another world that faire presents.

Looking forward to another year including checking out Sherwood and getting to know more people. We have always attended as visitors before, I think I'd like to attend as friends. So I guess I should get to know some more people! :-)

Sent from my GT-P7510 using Tapatalk

There is more in you of good than you know, child of the kindly West. Some courage and some wisdom, blended in measure. If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world. - J.R.R. Tolkien

Crimson

I was in that tornado at TRF Halloween weekend.  Crazy!

I went first time 3 years ago to TRF. I had always wanted to go but never had.  I was brought by a friend and greeted warmly by the Celtic Rogues.  I now consider them my fairmily, I've made most of my garb and my teenage kids are hooked too.  I have friends of faire pass for Sherwood and consider that my home faire. I have always liked camping so the comaraderie around a fire I love. 
Lady Crimson Cadena

Clan of the Celtic Rogues
TRF
Sherwood Forest Faire (Home faire)

"I know who I WAS when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then" - Alice

jackrocks

I have enjoyed costuming for a long time, but it was typically confined to Halloween. I had heard of the big Ren Faire in our state, but did not have the means to go. I love to costume, I love to see the creativity of others, I love to see unusual items, especially handmade items for sale. However, at the time we could not afford the tickets.

About 4 years ago, we learned of a smaller, nearer faire with reasonably priced tickets. I badgered my family into dressing up and going with me, "just this once."

We loved it so much! Pretty much every single thing we saw there, we were absolutely tickled by, and the dressing up we found was a fun thing that all six of us enjoyed.

We have been going every year, and now I am a vendor. My husband and I have even gone to the big Faire a couple of times, which was also fun.

Also, I can't lie, I have always had a thing for piratey gear, frock coats, and the like. It's just plain fun. It's another excuse to costume up.

I enjoy playing somebody else for a bit, and I don't believe I've ever met a friendlier bunch of people than Rennies.