Pirates and Renfaire - Your Thoughts.

[Capt Robertsgrave Thighbiter]

 You know, it you take away the stupid eye shadow, dreads,. dangly crap in his hair and bucket boots, Jack Sparrows costume is not all that off from HA.  In fact I use a JS weskit in my garb, made in fabic that is HA and infact discolors and wears like HA material ( some sort of linen I believe).  For brown eyed, dark long haired pirates, the temptation to do a JS imitation must be pretty compulsive.  For us red haired, blue eyed pirates.. well we forge our own image.

Pirates are here to stay at faire, and ye best make chummies with them, since there is naught for dirty tricks like a freebooter of the sea.

[Charlotte Rowan]

I don't mean this negatively, but it seems like this topic comes up really often. Why are people so concerned with the presence of pirates at Faire? They are certainly not the only non-HA aspect. I never see anyone discussing the presence of belly dancers or fairies at Faire. What is it about pirates?

Again, don't take this the wrong way. I'm just wondering.

[Captain Jack Wolfe]

I've been wondering the same thing myself, Charlotte.  The fact is, pirates ARE period correct, for virtually any period in history.  Granted, pirates from the Golden Age of Piracy aren't HA for the Renaissance, but neither are fairies, elves, dwarves, wee kilts, fops, Steampunks, etcetera, but those never seem to come up in these discussions.  Why some are apparently eager for pirates to disappear is most curious to me.

[~pixie~]

pirates are just hot...plain and simple, and a welcome sight at faire in my eyes!

[Butch]

Mad Jack Wolfe hit the nail on the head! 

[Lady Kett]

pirates are just hot...plain and simple, and a welcome sight at faire in my eyes!

Now THAT is the God's Own Truth!

[Seamus Ex Machina]

pirates are just hot...plain and simple, and a welcome sight at faire in my eyes!

And as long as there are Wicked Wenches,  there will be pirates sighted!   We have more fun...

"something ....something....something......Dark Side!"

[robert of armstrong]

  Why some are apparently eager for pirates to disappear is most curious to me.

I don't think it is pirates that are really being slammed so much.  Maybe some aren't articulating it quite right here, but in the conversations I have had at more than a few faires in the northeast is more a criticism of the impression of the lack of imagination and originality one is left with when seeing a dozen or more Jack Sparrows in a single day.

I mean, for most characters you see at faire, it is rare to see two of anything even close to being the same.  I have been to a few faires where there are many elves wandering about, but I have never seen one and thought "Hey, that's a pretty good Legolas."

I love seeing a little bit of everything at the faire.  The pirate thing isn't for me, but I have found myself having a good look at many men (and women, Arrrrgh) of the sea and walking away impressed with the creativity and attention to detail of the costumes and the characters the person has developed, whether H/A or not.

I just don't want to see a dozen Jack Sparrows in a day, although it is funny seeing them eye each other's garb jealously at the pub or try to avoid being too close to each other on the grounds.  It's like two women wearing the same dress to a function.

[Capt Robertsgrave Thighbiter]

Robert, could it just be that you folks in those clanking suits are a wee bit envious of the pirates ( not you personally).  I mean Knights used to be the hot ticket to be at Renn Faire.  Hell, I was one once too.
I dare say pirates eclipse even the most dashing Cavalier or pumpkin panted nobleman in that regard.
Pirates have leeway to do the most dastardly tricks ( for faire), drink the best beverages,  wear cooler ( temperature wise) garb. Pirates are not dashing or noble or even particularly good natured - but the wenches love us! 

WHo esle but a Pirate at Faire can call out to patrons with kids "Sell us your daughter! Yes, all your childeren! We have gold for them! " , brand passers-by with the pirate P and generally cause mayhem?

Plus , if you're adept at seamans shipboard terms, you can freely insult anyone and they will have no idea !

It's all in good fun, and that IS the most important thing!

[Welsh Wench]

pirates are just hot...plain and simple, and a welcome sight at faire in my eyes!

And as long as there are Wicked Wenches,  there will be pirates sighted!   We have more fun...

"something ....something....something......Dark Side!"

Yeah, Seamus does OK.....




Can you even FIND Seamus?

[Seryn]

I love pirates at faire!  Of course, I usually am one

But I also love knights, nobles, fairies, belly dancers.  And even Storm Troopers.  I'm just there to have fun, to indulge my love for history, fantasy and theater all at once.  And to be with my fairemily.  As long as we're ahving a good time, all else matters very little to me.

[Don Giovanni de' Medici]

I've been wondering the same thing myself, Charlotte.  The fact is, pirates ARE period correct, for virtually any period in history.  Granted, pirates from the Golden Age of Piracy aren't HA for the Renaissance, but neither are fairies, elves, dwarves, wee kilts, fops, Steampunks, etcetera, but those never seem to come up in these discussions.  Why some are apparently eager for pirates to disappear is most curious to me.

Touche'.  It is very true that there are many different things found at faire that are not necessarily HA or even real for that matter.  I know that some faires are Renn and Fantasy and in that case the fairies, elves, dwarves, etc. are great additions.  Though I will say that it is my experience and also having talked to casts at other shows that many Renfaires now have fairies as a part of their cast.  As for the steampunk and stormtroopers and Halo (yeah, we had one this year) characters, I would say that there is not necessarily a niche built into the faire for those types of characters; though again guest come wearing what they like to have fun in and they are paying so, whatever.

As for singling out Pirates, you are right in that all the other above should be mentioned as well.  I guess that since I am in an area where we have quite a few pirate festivals and a few Renfaires, it just has me wondering why folks don't open themselves up and try to diversify the looks for different shows.  I know garb is expensive.  But as you said there are pirates in almost every period in history.  I for one would love to see some Ren style pirates!  It is not something that is done that much compared to pirates from the GAOP.  Then again too, it may be that in many places, there are not so many shows available for pirates as there are in my local.  That then would create a situation in which one does not have the opportunity to go to a show set in the GAOP, so what is the next closest thing...renfaire.

All in all, I think pirates are great additions to any show, but I personally, would just love to see them in the right era of piracy for a show.  Again, not trying to offend anyone, but that is just where I am coming from.

[Carl Heinz]

The only time you have to be HA is if you're a participant.  And woe to the participant who criticizes a customer's garb.  We're there to entertain, not kill the gate.

[Charlotte Rowan]

I've been wondering the same thing myself, Charlotte.  The fact is, pirates ARE period correct, for virtually any period in history.  Granted, pirates from the Golden Age of Piracy aren't HA for the Renaissance, but neither are fairies, elves, dwarves, wee kilts, fops, Steampunks, etcetera, but those never seem to come up in these discussions.  Why some are apparently eager for pirates to disappear is most curious to me.

Touche'.  It is very true that there are many different things found at faire that are not necessarily HA or even real for that matter.  I know that some faires are Renn and Fantasy and in that case the fairies, elves, dwarves, etc. are great additions.  Though I will say that it is my experience and also having talked to casts at other shows that many Renfaires now have fairies as a part of their cast.  As for the steampunk and stormtroopers and Halo (yeah, we had one this year) characters, I would say that there is not necessarily a niche built into the faire for those types of characters; though again guest come wearing what they like to have fun in and they are paying so, whatever.

As for singling out Pirates, you are right in that all the other above should be mentioned as well.  I guess that since I am in an area where we have quite a few pirate festivals and a few Renfaires, it just has me wondering why folks don't open themselves up and try to diversify the looks for different shows.  I know garb is expensive.  But as you said there are pirates in almost every period in history.  I for one would love to see some Ren style pirates!  It is not something that is done that much compared to pirates from the GAOP.  Then again too, it may be that in many places, there are not so many shows available for pirates as there are in my local.  That then would create a situation in which one does not have the opportunity to go to a show set in the GAOP, so what is the next closest thing...renfaire.

All in all, I think pirates are great additions to any show, but I personally, would just love to see them in the right era of piracy for a show.  Again, not trying to offend anyone, but that is just where I am coming from.

Not offended! I just find it curious, that's all.  I think that you are right that for instance, in Minnesota, there are no pirate faires. (Okay, there is a little one on the other side of WI, but I've never been able to make it out there.) If I had the opportunity to go to a GaOP event, I might wear my pirate garb less often at MNRF. Maybe. I might not, though. I really like my pirate garb.

[jcbanner]

I'm not so sure that having a Pirate festival in the same area as a Renaissance festival really changes too much how many people show up as a pirate to the renfaire.  here in STL we have both a renfaire and a pirate-fest hosted on the same grounds about 2~3 months apart.  the piratefest is set in the mid 1700's, and the renfaire in the early 1500's. 

I definately see more pirates at the p/f, but there don't seem to be fewer pirates at the r/f then there were before we started the p/f a few years ago.