Valhalla Renaissance Faire

[NorthBayDreamer]

We are planning on doing both weekends.  The first weekend with guild and the second weekend with friends.

[chainshot]

Hi there!  We are planning to attend the second weekend due to prior commitments at the Modesto Highland Games on the first.

[NorthBayDreamer]

We will be there the 2nd weekend.  We booked a hotel room at Camp Richardson.

At this point, it is our next faire, now only a few weeks away.  I can't wait.

[Hoowil]

We're planning on a day trip on the 30th. First time to Valhalla, and we're looking forward to it. No full weekenders for a little while longer, with 2 little ones in tow now...

[Hoowil]

This was our first time at Valhalla. What a great faire! We kept our visit to just the first Saturday, since we were just far enough to need to get a room for a night, but too close to not want to let the kids get home. As usual, keeping track of a wandering 2 year old kept us from catching too much of the performers , but I was impressed with the number of smaller stages that seemed nestled in just about everywhere. We did catch some of Tartanic, which was a must as you could hear them pretty much everywhere and my daughter loves pipes, and demanded to go watch. What really caught our eye was the number of people in garb! I don't know if it was the cooler weather, or the threat of rain that kept the crowds mainly those in garb or what, but I have never been to a faire where those in garb were such a huge majority. And the setting was wonderfull. I loved all the trees, and kind of wild feel to it all.

I did have a bit of a chuckle at the merchants' expense watching the scramble when it started to sprinkle mid afternoon. People were running about, getting their wares under cover, even the stone carver. Then when it stopped a few minutes later, most of the scrambled to get everything back out.

My daughter was fascinated by the wandering bubble fairie, even if she ran and hid against my leg whenever she tried to talk to her. I thought it was neat when the faerie blew a large bubble into her hand, where she had a clear glass stone hidden, which she was finally able to lure Amara out with. Over the day, Amara was gifted with the faerie bubble, a 'dragon eye', and two 'dragon tears'. I'm going to have to get her a special box for her faire treasures. She also stopped to watch a few merchants who worked on their wares on site, and asked seemingly endless questions. Everyone was good about it, and tried to answer her as best they could, but I felt a little guilty for taking up so much of their time, and not buying much.

This was Tristan's very first faire! And once he came out of the stroller to play, he was the beau of the ball. We couldn't go more than a few steps without getting stopped by somebody. We even found one of the vendors had little renfant hats.

[Lady Toadflinger]

What beautiful pixies you two have! They are lucky to get to grow up at faires, too!
I'm glad you enjoyed Valhalla, Hoowil. I live near Placerville, so consider it one of my "home faires", and really love the atmosphere at  Lake Tahoe.  I think this faire has a special feeling that I can't pin down, but the location is only a part of that feeling.  I am really looking forward to next weekend, when we will have a party of eight staying at a friend's house in South Lake Tahoe. We will be invading  Camp Richardson on Saturday!  Huzzah!!!

[NorthBayDreamer]

OK, I am packed and ready. We head up tomorrow night, straight from work.  We are doing both days.   

I am soooo ready.