Anybody have real memories they would like to share?
My favorite memory is, of course, my wedding 18 years ago. It started off as a rainy day, I was doing my best to slog through the rain and mud wearing my friends cloak which was dragging the ground (he's 6'8" and I'm 5'5"). This was before the weddings got hugely popular. I had an awesome parade to take me to the chapel, EJ leading the way with his bagpipes, Sholo and another barbarian right behind the carriage protecting me, my sister (who was a drowned faerie by this time) and my friend, cracking jokes the entire time. They had us rolling the whole time. We had many members of the cast there, including the queen and the King of Frances' gift to the King (a rather lovely lady in blue ;)). Just as we started saying our vows, the sun broke through the clouds, shining right on us. We had well over 200 people attend our wedding, most of which we didn't know and didn't realize it was a real wedding until the end! We had the best time that day at faire, spending a day at faire with our closest relatives and friends celebrating.
Thanks, Trillium,
That sounds somewhat familiar, similar to my Daughter's wedding 15 years ago. Overcast and the sun's rays dropping just as they got to the "with this ring" part. They, too, had several hundred people surrounding the chapel, who did not know until the minister programmed "by the Church of England, by King Henry the Eighth, and most importantly of all, the Great State of Texas ..." There was a solid gasp from all around, then huzzahs from inside the chapel and yeehaws from outside.
I think perhaps somehow TRF has some kind of deal with the sun and clouds for special occasions.
I remember the joust being a little less choreographed; there being a stream bed cutting off Sherwood Forest in the lightest rain; no bungee, but they did have the big boat swings. There was still crowding, but not quite as much as I'm seeing now. Fireworks in the evening, but not the lighted toys.
Remember when the big swings in sherwood were fully man powered? The guys would flirt with us and playfully grab at us. And the chariot races where so cool!
some photos (not mine) from 1987 ;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bubbasavage/7624865944/in/set-72157630701269140/
A few random thoughts from TRF - thirty years ago. There was a "battle mound" where The Basilica garden (AKA The Roman Basilica and the Golden Angel Wedding Chapel) now stands. The SCA would hold non-choreographed fights there and the winner would marry a fair maiden in a brief ceremony. Women participated in these fights. The crowd did not generally know there were a couple women fighting, and when a woman would win, they would keep their helmet on during the wedding ceremony. There was also a Human Chess Match there that was later moved to The Falconer's Stage.
There were several trees carved into large, beautiful sculptures depicting various characters and scenes around the village. They deteriorated over the years and were removed, but this year Miss Teri carved a new dragon sculpture out of a tree near the Barbarian Inn, so I hope the tradition will continue and we will see more of these in future years.
There was a gypsy camp near the entrance to Sherwood Forest and the Gypsy Wagon Stage had various minstrels, magicians and comedians perform over the years.
A track ran completely around the lake behind the jousting arena and there were chariot races. These were a grand spectacle.
Where the Odeon now stands, there was an older stage called The Players Podium. I believe the Players Podium actually replaced one of the original stages at TRF which was called . . . The Odeon.
The Mud Show did not have its own stage, but was actually held in a large mud hole in the ground.
The Birds of Prey Show was performed by Last Chance Forever, a conservancy based in San Antonio. They left TRF (I think) in the 90's and now perform at Scarborough. Wild Sky Productions now handles the Birds of Prey show.
The King's Feast was held outdoors in the area of Sherwood Forest now known as The Royal Reunion (behind The Italian Village).
There was an Ogre who roamed TRF (although I usually saw him in the area that is now known as The Agora). He was ugly, nasty, and outlandish (he had a bag full of "boogers" and a device that made fart noises). The Ogre was arguably one of the most memorable characters in TRF history.
Oh yeah . . . there was also a chainmaille show. :P
ah, yes, the ogre was fun! And there was the jaborwaky who would perch in his spiderweb stretched between the trees....
There was a strong SCA presence, with a lot of continuous historical craft demonstrations going on in their castle (which is now the Brazilian strip club). Armored fighters on the battle mound and some fencers of different styles, rapier + something in the offhand (very renaissance I might add) spread out and about. I seem to remember them mostly in their compound.
More craftspeople, and I don't just mean the "official" demonstrators like the blacksmith / glassblower / armorer. I remember a lot of people crafting in their booths, pottery wheels, wood carvers working, people actually making at least some of what they sell on premises. Mostly the artisans have been undercut out of business by the "made in Taiwan" crowd or forced to join them as a business necessity.
More lane acts and a huge variety of them, it wasn't just "the cast" in the lanes, it was jugglers, magicians, I even remember a contortionist or two. The cast randomly engaging a good number of people and going "off script" in wonderful ways.
It really felt like an airy, magical, escape from reality. I know someone who slipped out of character many years ago and was reproached by Jeff who told him "the illusion was the only thing we have".
I will point out, that despite having half or even 1/4 of the gate numbers, traffic on a pretty day could get EPIC. I remember jams backed up easily to Decker Prairie and using 1488 (at the time a 2 lane blacktop) as the "fast" way in to TRF.
My first TRF visit was 22 years ago, I believe. Some things that stick out in my mind from those early experiences:
- The "throw a tomato at me" guy cursing at people up a storm, Christophe style. This man excelled at colorfully and tastelessly insulting people walking past, to the point where he'd attract a crowd of fifty or more people just standing around listening to whatever insults he'd be throwing out next. He did a very swift business in tomatoes. A year or two later, he was no longer allowed to curse at people and I've never seen that level of attraction at any time since then.
- Chain mail without the now required pieces of cloth underneath.
- The SCA battle mound.
- Fireworks being reflected into the lake. Hell, being able to see the lake at all!
- Ded Bob as a lane character. I actually kind of liked him back then, just interacting with people individually. Before he came up with the show that will never... ever... ever... change.
- Some of my favorite now retired groups: The Flaming Idiots and The Scottish Rogues (or later, just The Rogues). Yes I'm aware The Rogues are still technically in existence, but they don't feel at all like the group that performed at TRF anymore.
One thing I really don't miss is Last Chance Forever doing the bird shows. That guy is just ridiculously pompous and I'm always embarrassed when he starts laying in to how stupid he thinks his assistants are. I usually avoid the bird show at Scarborough now just because of him.
I remember swimming in the lake after hours, and the SCA and the md pit. One night, I woke up and snuck out of the booth to see what the commotion was. A monk was performing a late night wedding. The bride thundered up to the chapel on a white horse.
It remains one of my most vivid memories.
"One thing I really don't miss is Last Chance Forever doing the bird shows. That guy is just ridiculously pompous and I'm always embarrassed when he starts laying in to how stupid he thinks his assistants are. I usually avoid the bird show at Scarborough now just because of him."
From what I hear, he's 'only in it for the birds', otherwise he wouldn't do it. He's fed up with the fake accents and the clothes and the people...only for the birds.
Yes, battlemound with SCA fights.
The muddy stream bed heading up to Sherwood Forest area, before the concrete drainage was laid in. Actually, a wooden bridge there would (wood) be more attractive.
The Cursing Tree. I believe it's now tucked in an out-of-the-way corner.
The Rat Man.
Flowers along the path in the parking lot.
The Maypole. Opps, that's Scarby.
Catapault war between the castles (now Enigma and the sword shop across the way).
Campgrounds filled with tents. Okay, okay, we've all grown older and now travel trailers/RVs are more prevelant.
When I joined the barbarians in 2001, the front gate was still a functional wall. Kiva, Taarna, and I scaled the wall every day and misbehaved picturesquely. One day, I got a patron to give me his half-eaten turkey leg (he was about to trash it), and I tied it to my quarterstaff and we went patron-fishing.
The front gate is no longer sturdy enough to stand on. I am dying to get it reinforced so the Horde can get back up there.
I remember when EJ used to play his pipes on the front gate wall before opening ceremony. I miss that.
Lessee... In addition to what everyone else has mentioned, it was more of an artisan's faire than a medieval flea market, the Industrial Section had actual medieval industries, such as Chris Poor as the blacksmith making weapons and other items, the wheel crane and masonry area teaching people how medieval construction was done, etc.
It always gave me chills, hearing EJ play on the wall in the morning! Magical!
The Maypole at TRF was pretty cool. Its only been gone a few years but lots of people enjoyed it. It was replaced with one of those bungee things for the kids.
The Cursing Tree is gone (too bad ... it was an incredible sight), but the lower section of it still remains and it is now called The Cursing Well. Lots of folks have probably walked past it without noticing, but it is located next to Dave Shepard's Satyr Horns shoppe.
I don't know if this cast member had a more formal name, but I do remember a woman who was referred to as the "German Attack Wench". She would make bawdy jokes and pull up her skirt to reveal a heart-shaped design on her bloomers directly over her youknowwhat. I haven't seen her in many, many years. Her modern-day counterpart (who has now been at TRF for about 20 years) would be Jenny O'Manion, the Scottish Welcome Wench. Jenny isn't nasty as the German wench was ... she's good with kids and she sings well also.
That was Schatzie! TRF was her home faire but she did others on the curcuit as well. As she got older she started making "kissing lips" pins. I have a whole collection. She is now retired & teaching school.
My first time was 22 years or so ago. The industrial section was my favorite. We would watch armorer plying his craft for hours. The "drunken wenches", don't know who they actually were called, but there were normally one or two walking/weaving the lanes. They would call out to the guys and make all sorts of suggestive and funny comments. I got goosed so many times by one or the other over the years that we began to recognize eachother. It was great! I had 2 friends that worked the "Cajun" booth with the fried alligator so we came almost every weekend to visit with them. I also remember all of the chain mail without the need for the cloth underneath. Ah, such delightful women! The SCA events also kept me coming back and I was very saddened when they got the boot. I also loved the Flaming Idiots. They were my favorite act
First time I ever went to TRF was in the late 80's early 90's time frame (don't remember specific year now).
My memories of "how it was back then" was something like this:
More lane entertainers ( the Ogre, the wenches going around kissing all the guys, the character in the rope web that was way up in the pine trees down in Sherwood, etc...)
SCA presence in the faire.........the battleground fights. My brother in law was involved in that for about 10 years. They obviously weren't trying to seriously hurt each other, but they were fighting for real........NOT a choregraphed event. I saw some of the welts and bruises on his back and the backs of his legs/arms. Thought he was nuts for doing it, but I watched it every time I went. And the historical presentations that they provided.
Pretty much NO production items sold by the various vendors. Allot of hand made items. Made strolling thru the shops more interesting back then.
Oh yeah, did I mention the Ogre? hehehehe As someone pointed out, clearly one of the most stand out performers of all time at TRF in IMHO. I'll never forget his booger bag. He'd pull a long nasty looking booger out of his big hooked nose, and either fling it at someone in the crowd, or save it in his booger bag. He'd brag about the boogers that were in his opinion too good to be waisted, they were to be saved in his booger bag. There was always a big crowd around him as he moved thru the lanes.
I know I'm forgetting some stuff (much like going to the grocery store, always forget something), but those are a few things that stand out in my memory.
The rows and rows of orange-and-yellow flowers (marigolds?) in the parking area
WOW, just WOW.. I'm now 30. but was brought here a few times a child. Never really remembered to much until now..... Thanks all for posting.. The memory gates have been opened and its a floodin.
I miss the Highland Games the most. There was a fairy picnic in Sherwood. The fairies would spread out blankets and all the little kids were invited to join the King and Queen of the fairies for cheese and fruit. It was magical. And the Maypole. And the wenches over the front gates calling down colorful remarks to people. And of course the marigolds.
The highland games are probably the thing I miss the most as well!
We moved to Houston in 1982. Many years gone by and memories of those days aren't too clear. We went to TRF several times. Can't have been later than 1987 when our son was born because I don't think we went after that. I can't recall the acts at all, though I do recall watching them. I recall SCA being there with their duct taped swords and weapons. I recall the first year we went, must have been '82 or '83, that the mud was horrendous. There were no paved walkways anywhere. You just slogged through the mud. And I recall going back and there were walkways. I recall lots of interesting vendors. I still have a skull coffee cup with a broken handle that came from TRF. And a vendor that sold little pieces of castles made of plaster. Pretty sure the box of those pieces is still around here somewhere. Scotch eggs. And beer. Somehow, I was surprised you could get beer.
We were able to make it back last fall and I was amazed how large it had grown. We only had one day, and didn't really get to see it all. I don't really know why we never went back after we had kids. Fortunately, those memories of TRF kicked in some years back and we went to CORF. Well, the kids are grown now and we have more time, so, well, we're totally hooked.
Welcome to the addiction... it's a habit you don't want to kick. LOL :D
We have mugs from `89 & `90, so I'm guessing we went in, erm... `89 & `90 ???. Haven't returned since then.
We were there as time travelers to present day, so were in disguise in `dane clothing. Lady Nimue was wearing a white dress, and we stood behind the audience to watch the mud divers. She still got some on her. I seem to remember watching a glass-blowing demonstration. I also seem to remember wide open expanses on the grounds. Maybe someone could tell me if I am remembering correctly.
Nim's folks took us there because we had talked about a similar place near Dallas that some friends had taken us to. Ten years later, we were financially able to start going to Scarby on a regular basis. TRF is still a long trip, but we may get back there one of these days.
Quote from: Wheatie on June 18, 2013, 08:33:57 PM
And a vendor that sold little pieces of castles made of plaster.
James Martin made those, and sold the molds and pieces to someone up north years ago. Ironic you should mention that, as our company is about to bid to get all of the molds and materials for those and start producing the castles again :D
I remember in 1986, on my first trip to TRF, there was a section called 'Oriental Gardens'. Every boy on our high school field trip bought those foam-covered nunchuks. The bus ride back to Silsbee was, shall we say...animated. :)
I also remember the fencing lessons out in the lane, where kids could fight each other with balloons tied to the sides of the faceguards. If they still do this, where did it move?
And the SCA battlemound, duct tape and all. To be honest, I think this is the first memory I ever had of wanted to dress apart from the mundane world.
I can barely remember the dirt track for chariot races. I remember attending several years later thinking, "Wasn't there a race track around this area?"
I remember a lot of the things that have already been mentioned but a few things that stick out were the simple pewter tankards and the act of filling them. They were seen as a waste savings and that was better then using another disposable plastic cup. It makes me sad nowadays when you have your mug filled only to see the wench throw a clean cup in the trash because someone is "counting them".
On very rainy days the "mud surfers" would have sliding contests for distance. In general everyone was wetter, muddier and far more happy.
The wenches and the SCA fights sound amazing. I like TRF now, but it sounds like the past TRF had some great points going for it.
I kinda see TRF as a marketplace. Its busy, a little crowded, but it has, as far as wares go, pretty much everything. I would like to see more small time merchants, such as sewers or whatnot. Like the Gypsy Encampment at Sherwood - a dedicated place for smaller/newer businesses.
Quote from: scarletnyx on September 12, 2013, 03:14:59 PM
The wenches and the SCA fights sound amazing. I like TRF now, but it sounds like the past TRF had some great points going for it.
I kinda see TRF as a marketplace. Its busy, a little crowded, but it has, as far as wares go, pretty much everything. I would like to see more small time merchants, such as sewers or whatnot. Like the Gypsy Encampment at Sherwood - a dedicated place for smaller/newer businesses.
There was an announcement on the TRF Facebook page on 24-AUG-13 -
Quote from: TRF
This season we have something special for you.
Lords and Ladies, I introduce to you the NEW TOWER SHOPPES.
This offseason we have built 10 new shoppes across from the Tower Stage in the German area.
In previous years we had some games in this section.
These shoppes are not like any other, as they will be used strictly for new artist that we are welcoming to the Texas Renaissance Festival every year.
We wanted to build a place for you to be able to easily seek out the new artist that will be joining us and keep them in a central location.
...