Finding guilds

[theChuck]

Well, this place is kinda quiet these days... but I thought I'd ask.

What's the deal with guilds? A lot of posts here and elsewhere talk about guilds, but how does one actually find and get involved with the guilds? Are they fair sanctioned, or is it like, "go on Facebook and search for groups for your fair"? Are the ones listed on Lundegaard legit, or is that some kind of marketing thing?

I'm just not sure how to get involved, so any advice is helpful.

[groomporter]

It depends on the fair...
Some like MNRF doesn't actually have guilds for the cast. The closest thing MNRF has to a "guild" currently is the "Viking Encampment" that auditions and trains its members, approves their clothing and personas and then contracts with the fair as a group.

At some fairs various guilds seem to have made up a fair portion of the street character cast and contract with the fair to provide a certain number of actors who have been trained by the guild depending on the theme of the guild. That may include stage combat people for "street fights," or members who do more of a "living history" presentation of certain crafts. For example (I don't know if they called it a guild) but AZRF used to have a group who specifically portrayed Irish (or was it Scottish?) personas.

There have also been some "just for fun guilds" which can be made up of participants and playtrons and used to have meet-ups at various fairs, but may not be an official part of any one fair.

So it depends on whether you are looking to become a participant at a specific fair, or just looking for some like-minded people to meet and hangout with at fairs you visit and maybe occasionally get together with off-season.