I've been wondering if any rennies have had an opportunity of being proud or maybe embarrassed to be labled a rennie. I was trying to remember the word used for "non" rennies but can't recall the word, anyhow we all have probably experienced the non rennie encounter through friends or workplace. I know from my experience that the outside world non rennies don't quite get our love for all things renfest and the passion,romance and chivalry we have for all things renaissance or medieval. I personally try and show them how much they are missing and encourage them to just give it a try and see. Anyhow just my ramblings.
Might the word you are searching for be "mundanes?" My Bride likes to call them "muggles."
I'm never embarrassed about being a Rennie. If they don't like it, they can bloody well bugger off.
Most of our friends are rennies. For those who are not, they know how much we enjoy faire and never comment negatively about it.
When we are with strangers or just meeting people (like if we are in garb and have to run into Walmart to pick something up on our way to or from the faire), if people ask why we are dressed up, I say we are historical reenactors from the Renaissance time period. Usually, when they hear that, they are impressed!
Ou picture in our church directory is of us in noble garb, so no, we're not embarrassed.
After my first season as a regular playtron I was referred to as a Rennie by a peer in the community and I took that as my Right of Passage.
Since then (13+Years) I always have something in my day to day life that reminds me of festival.
Now, I have one of my coworkers hooked, and he is now visiting our festival weekly. The addiction is strong in this one.
Never Embarrassed!
Although it is not one of the first things that I talk about when meeting new people or coworkers, it is a huge part of my and hubby's life. It's how we met (on this site) and came to be together. When you visit our home, yes you can tell that faire and celtic influences our life.
When I have been in stores in garb, I often overhear "are they Amish?" or "I bet their in a play". And hubby gets all sorts of comments on his kilt and badger head sporran.
But it takes other rennies to really "get it" and understand the magic and fun that goes along with getting into garb and walking through those gates into another world. I am very happy to be referred to as a rennie or playtron.
And hey everyone....pop into chat sometimes....it's really lonely there and I'm often the only one lurking.
I'm not embarrassed to tell co-workers about Renfaires at all. I send out a list of upcoming faires to a couple dozen of them twice a year. On jean day, I wear a faire t-shirt once in a while to strike up conversations. I also try to recruit newbies to this wonderful world all the time. It's fun to hear that some of them have been to faires before so I can compare notes.
I enjoy telling my volleyball friends and relatives about faires as well. They go once in a while.
At Halloween, I set my pop-up tent on the driveway and decorate it differently every year. Three years ago, we went with a Renaissance theme and I handed out flyers telling where to find faires, like I do at smaller faires in and around Oklahoma.
I agree with y'all completely. And yes mundane was the word I was looking for. It surprises me this day and age that there are many people totally clueless about ren faires .
I too go to chat but nobody around. The hours I keep , most folks are sleeping I guess but I'm always open to chat and meet new people, esp. rennies , medieval minded or just down right celtic or a Scot... doesn't matter.
It seems to be a regional term. I often consider a Rennie just a participant but a friend was kinda surprised when I call myself a Rennie as a booth owner. So for some it has a pejorative context.
But I have a friend from California who said in their terms were that " Rennies" are participants who are interested in the history, whereas "Festies" are those who are just out to party, imbibe recreational substances, and get laid.
language/slang is fascinating.
groomporter very well stated. Festies is a new one to me but very accurate indeed.
My few Rennie friends are spread out over the country (childhood & college friends). My group of friends that live close to me are wonderful people but NOT Rennies and I do feel embarrassed about it sometimes. My husband tries to encourage me to let my Geek flag fly but I'm still pretty closeted about it. Lately I've been thinking I just need to build up my friend group with more folks who like Faire and Cons and such but as an adult it's sort of awkward and intimidating. I'm not sure how to do it, as sillyas that sounds. How do adults make friends? :P
calledbirdy , I understand what ya saying. I found myself once or twice a bit hesitant in telling some friends where I was going so they wouldn't think me to be some kind of weirdo geek or something like that. Yet some friends I encourage them to come along. Go figure. That was when I was much younger and now I couldn't care less . It amazes me still how some people haven't heard of renfests before. If it weren't for an ex girlfriend , I too may have never heard of renfests. Once bitten tho , that was it. rennie for life.
CalledBirdy, I was a terribly introverted person before stumbling onto this forum. Back then, it was still very active. I could freely converse with folks here on the forum, but not so in a face-to-face situation.
I approached a couple of people at Scarborough who I had conversed with here, and introduced myself and my Bride. It was life-changing. Many other people I've talked to here have become good friends. We've traveled to various faires meeting many of the cyber-friends we made here.
I don't think I caught where you go to faire, but there is always the possibility of connecting with one of us, and letting things blossom from there. What is your home faire?
Quote from: Merlin the Elder on June 05, 2018, 07:02:47 AM
I don't think I caught where you go to faire, but there is always the possibility of connecting with one of us, and letting things blossom from there. What is your home faire?
Merlin, that's so sweet of you to say. Home fair is now the Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire. It's a real family event for us as my 9 year old stepson is totally hooked and even volunteered with me last year. I suspect we'll eventually build MORE friends through that fair because I have made one, though she's a busy college student who lives across the state. Anyone know of families in the PNW, send them my way ;)
Well, dang! You're a bit far away for me, at least until retirement. It would be a nice drive from central Arkansas... I'll have to think about who I might know that far away! Closest Ren Friends I have to you are at Colorado faire in Larkspur.
Quote from: Merlin the Elder on June 05, 2018, 10:32:28 AM
Well, dang! You're a bit far away for me, at least until retirement. It would be a nice drive from central Arkansas... I'll have to think about who I might know that far away! Closest Ren Friends I have to you are at Colorado faire in Larkspur.
And someday I hope to head down your way... I hear good things about several fairies in the south... though my retirement is a ways off... ;)
One thing I have been thinking of is contacting the folks who organize WMRF and asking if we could host interest nights for potential volunteers in Seattle. The Faire is held over an hour away and attracts folks from all over the region. So, while I know our Towne Gate supervisor well enough to be friends on Facebook, she actually lives in a different state.