Which faire do YOU think best embodies the 'Renaissance' theme, and why?

[Rowan MacD]

   There are now officially hundreds of Renaissance and Medieval themed festivals, Faires and events out there. 
   This topic has been arisen in one form or another, usually inside of another thread or as a side discussion.
   I would like to give the Playtrons a chance to describe their favorite festivals that, even if it's just on specific weekends, in their opinion embodies the feel of the 'original' renaissance faire tradition.

  For example:  Hubby and I have visited KCRF and enjoyed the strong Elizabethan theme, the gigs involving actual historical scenarios and scandals and some very colorful and sometimes clownish caricatures of royalty and visiting dignitaries who are there to wait on Queen Elizabeth (who graciously takes the odd exaggerated codpiece and overdone hat into stride).  The cast was very dedicated to staying in character and the court was large and well garbed.
   These things appeal to hubby and I more than an insult comic or contemporary themes disguised as renaissance entertainment.  We're kind of old fashioned that way.  Once a place gets overtly commercial it turns into a caricature of itself, and is not really fun as a renaissance faire anymore.

   I plan to finally attend MNRF (hubby has already been) and Bristol in the near future, and I want to know what the faires are like from a Playtron's point of view.  Sort of an insiders guide.
   

[Lady Nicolette]

I have to say the original Faires certainly did...Agoura and Black Point were the best ever.  Of the Faires I've visited, I would have to say that Maryland comes closest, but hearsay is that Sterling is closest in style and substance to the original Faires, although I've not been, I do want to go at some point.

[DonaCatalina]

I have to say the original Faires certainly did...Agoura and Black Point were the best ever.  Of the Faires I've visited, I would have to say that Maryland comes closest, but hearsay is that Sterling is closest in style and substance to the original Faires, although I've not been, I do want to go at some point.

I've heard that Sterling or Bristol do; but I haven't been to either. Scarborough comes pretty close.Although there is a lot of 'backsliding' there as well, just not as much as TRF.

[Merlin the Elder]

I liked KCRF as well, Rowen, save the corporate ads sprinkled around inside the grounds. We didn't get near as much visibility and interaction with cast there as we do at Scarborough, however.  Scarby does tend to try to live up to its namesake. The size of the cast there is, perhaps, why they can do it so successfully.

Might attend Bristol in the next year or so, as I have relations — and friends — in the general area.

[Rowan MacD]

  I'm thinking Bristol will move up on my list too. I've heard lots of positive things from friends who like the more traditional Renaissance Faire experience.
   MNRF get good marks there, as most of the California Faires do.   Already added Scarby and Sherwood to my list If we get down to Tx.

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

Since Bristol is my home faire, I wanted to mention something so new visitors won't go "huh?"

Yes, it is a large, well laid out permanent faire.  The buildings are beautiful, and the grounds and landscaping are meticulously kept up.  After attending for 17 years, I can still say that on every wander around the grounds, we find something new and beautiful to admire, whether it be a new flower arrangement, sculpture, or whatever.  Many surprises still!

The Artistic Director and Owner are insistent that cast, vendors, and food places have people that are dressed correctly according to their station and definitely H/A.  Whether it's a hundred degrees or pouring rain, their garb has to be approved.  Two skirts, bodice, chemise, hat for the women, no kilts for the men unless they work in the kilt shop, and appropriate footwear for all.

As for vendors, it is juried, and you have to produce it yourself.  No bringing in junk from China, or mass produced items.  And it shows in the quality of the products.  We buy presents and also stuff for us that are one of a kind, or definitely not something would find anywhere else than in a store that crafts it's own products.  All of the above lends to a faire that is more like what faires used to be (we started in the late 70's, much like Lady Nicolette, so we've seen the evolution, too).

Having said all of this, now comes the reality.  Bristol is a business, and the owners want to make money, so a lot of the "whatever brings them through the gates" mentality is present.  As for authenticity, we have Queen Elizabeth and her court running around the lanes amongst Robin Hood, Maid Marion, And Little John.  Shall we say about a 300 year time span difference?  The Fantasticals, the fae, aren't anything historically accurate, and when we first attended, they weren't there.  For non-verbal creatures, you would be surprised at how many people follow them around taking  pictures and watching to see what they will do next, like climb a tree.  They are very good in what they do.

And my favorite (sarcasm).  Bristol has designated a whole weekend as Steampunk Weekend, with their own costume contest, parades, special music.  And this summer, there were some new shops, wholly Steampunk.

So there definitely is a juxtaposition in the faire atmosphere and the whatever goes atmosphere.  We take from faire what we like and ignore the rest.  We love Bristol and when the gates open after a long winter, we feel like we are finally home.

But I did want to mention the stuff I did, because if anybody came expecting it to be 100% like faire in the past, or H/A, they may be disappointed.

[Lady Nicolette]

Lady Renee, you know Bristol is on my list of faires to see...I'm impressed that they do as much as they do in the spirit of the old faires (see my post in the Steampunk thread re merchants etc), makes me even more sure it will be one that I will get to! 

[Rowan MacD]

^^ what she said^^. 
   I think all faires that make the effort to at least respect the spirit of the original Pleasure faire are worth visiting. 

   Renaissance faires can be fun with or without drunks and nudity; but if you have both they need to be segregated.  Different weekends, different crowds.

   During the last few years as our little local faire has grown larger and more popular;  we have had feedback from both sides:
  We have the parents who were hesitant to bring their kids to faire here because the only previous experience they have had with a renaissance festival was a visit to one of the bigger and much less inhibited venues. 
  They are pleasantly surprised to find out there is a kinder and gentler version, and they come back every year on the Romance and Magic weekend. 
 

  The other is the rowdies who think every Renaissance festival should be a 'Bewbs & Beer' fest.  There are a few who gripe about how lame our fest is,  along with our lack of anything to look at more risque than a belly dancer, since we have a strict clothing code for anyone coming on site on the non pirate weekends.
   Thankfully these guys (and some girls) are in the distant minority, they usually get drunk quickly and leave, or arrive drunk and decide they don't want to stay. 
   Our producers have started a separate Pirate fest for them in the fall.  I hear it's pretty loose, and I don't attend.

   

[Lady Nicolette]

This is a great subject, Rowan...Thanks for bringing it up. 

[Rowan MacD]

This is a great subject, Rowan...Thanks for bringing it up.

I figured I should start a dedicated thread-since the subject comes up repeatedly in other topics.  It seems to be a subject we like to discuss, and I can use the information to help me put together a list of faires worth checking out when we finally have the time.  I would like to avoid spending the time and money to get there, just to leave after an hour or two of trying to find the Renaissance in the Carnival. 

   Hubby is firmly Old School-He feels that Renaissance faires should be about the Renaissance, preferably Elizabethan and as HA as possible.
   I am quite a bit more liberal, but I go to faire to immerse in the middle ages, not Mardi Gras or a Comic Con.
  I have already decided I will attend only certain weekends. 
  The rest can be what they are.  If it helps the faire make money, I'm good with that.
    I just want to be certain I'm going to have a reasonably 'renaissance faire' type experience when I go.

[Gauwyn of Bracknell]

I've never met a faire I did not have fun at. 

For what it is worth each year we make it to Scarby, KCRF, Minnesota, Colorado and Bristol and also support our local faires (DM, Amana and Dubuque).  For cast interaction, Scarby is hard to beat.  For grounds/ambiance - Bristol and KCRF.  They all seem to have things we really enjoy and we just ignore any bad stuff (really not much at all).  Also not a big fan of the out of place costumes, but not hardcore for HA either.  (Real decisive - eh?!?)

[Rowan MacD]

  We would love to go to more festivals-but we just don't have thetime anymore to travel all over the U.S. for faire.
   Hubby's in school (history major)  and I work 6 days a week for 2 weeks out of every month.   I don't even use all my vacation days each year, and that's usually for emergencies.   
   That will change in the near future.  I'm getting tired of handing back personal days at the end of every fiscal year, and I'm starting to get burnt out.   I'm planning a few visits to more distant festivals in the next couple of years as a get away from this area.
We have reduced  faire attendance from around 20 days per season to 8, and we concentrate on the nearby and 'home' fairs like NRF, DMRF and Siouxland. 
    We do Iowa and Riverssance if the weather is nice, since we really love the ambiance at those little events.

[Merlin the Elder]

...For what it is worth each year we make it to Scarby, KCRF, Minnesota, Colorado and Bristol ...

Do you know which weekend you will be at Scarby? We're definitely scheduled for opening weekend, but might be able to squeeze another visit in, depending on when.

[Gauwyn of Bracknell]

...For what it is worth each year we make it to Scarby, KCRF, Minnesota, Colorado and Bristol ...

Do you know which weekend you will be at Scarby? We're definitely scheduled for opening weekend, but might be able to squeeze another visit in, depending on when.

Historically it is usually later April (around my day of birth - 27th)

[SirRichardBear]

I know Scarborough works hard at keeping to the Renaissance Theme most of the cast if not historical characters are based on historical types.  And many of the cast bits are based on history.

Sherwood does a good job of keeping to the Robin Hood theme and legend it is debateable how much of that is history and how much is myth.