Explaing Faire to someone Internationally

[LadyStitch]

I'm in the process of talking a friend and her friends into coming to Scarby in the spring, and then camping at TRF next fall.

We all know how difficulty it is to explain our mundane friends why we like the faire so much, and why we like camping aspect.  Now how do you explain to someone who is visiting this country that bit of our culture?  Our friends are from Egypt, Brazil, and Israel. 

[Orphena]

I tend to use phrases like "historical re enactment" adding "with a fantasy twist" if that applies. I've also used outdoor festival that celebrates a specific time in history, has music, acting and great things to look at.

I'm in it for the clothes, so I start there, but I consider what my audience may relate to. Show a couple of pictures, and see what nibbles come in the way of questions.

Some of the people I work with are intrigued, (Faire isn't as widespread in Canada as it is in USA), and many of them are from varied backgrounds.

[RenStarr]

I would ask them about festivals in their home country.  Not about RenFaires speciffically, but I'm sure there are outdoor festivals that they have been told about or have attended.  If they did attend one, what did they like, what did they not like, etc......  Might give them a point of reference so they don't go in having no idea what to expect.  Then you can just fill in the gaps by answering questions that they might have.

[RahBur]

My husband is not very interesting in the Ren Faire scene, but I asked him if he'd go to at least one with me. Two words got him to agree : kilt and beer *  The fact that he loves me (and I'm wearing a corset) might be a bonus too.

[RahBur]

My husband is not very interesting in the Ren Faire scene, but I asked him if he'd go to at least one with me. Two words got him to agree : kilt and beet  The fact that he loves me (and I'm wearing a corset) might be a bonus too.

Hopefully you meant 'beer', not 'beet' - kilts and beets are not a good mix

Uhhh...wow, my first typo EVER! Let me just correct that never-has-happened-before-typo right now 

[Gauwyn of Bracknell]

My husband is not very interesting in the Ren Faire scene, but I asked him if he'd go to at least one with me. Two words got him to agree : kilt and beet  The fact that he loves me (and I'm wearing a corset) might be a bonus too.

Hopefully you meant 'beer', not 'beet' - kilts and beets are not a good mix

Uhhh...wow, my first typo EVER! Let me just correct that never-has-happened-before-typo right now 

I removed my post - now I can agree
Now you need to come to closing Saturday at KCRF.

[Toua Taru]

My husband is not very interesting in the Ren Faire scene, but I asked him if he'd go to at least one with me. Two words got him to agree : kilt and beer *  The fact that he loves me (and I'm wearing a corset) might be a bonus too.

That's similar to how I got my husband into going to his first fair. "turkey legs and beer"