Hoggetowne Medieval Faire 2010

[Squire Mickey]

Is it worth it to drive over 2 hours to this faire? Or do I just wait and go to BARF (which I'm planning to do anyway). I've never been to either.

Well, the more you can get in the better don't ye think?

Went last year for one of the days. Have to say that they do some rather fun stuff there. They're assassins guild was a great bit o' fun as well as some of the other unique things. They had a very cool SCA education area set up that I loved...

[Ditzy Gypsy]

From what other members of my troop have been telling me, there has been a large populace of SCA members there each year that cover many of the aspects of medieval life. I'm actually really looking forward to talking to those people. I'm used to BARF where it's mixtures of Renaissance and fantasy (which is still very awesome cause I'm a 23yr old who hasn't grown out of her love for fairies darnit!) But I think it's neat that there are more people representing the era at this one.

So R/Fers, I have a pouch of favors to give out.

Ma`a el salama,
PG

[Celtic_Fae]

The weekend is almost upon us. Huzzah! Tonight we pack, tomorrow we drive, the day after tomorrow we freeze and drown put on an awesome show for the patrons!

[HawkMom]

For those of you who were at the Hoggetowne Medieval Faire on January 24th, 2009 last year when my Harris Hawk "Cortez" was electrocuted on the transformer. We will have a book for you to sign to express your thoughts. Please feel free to stop by our tent. We are working to team up with Burning Hawk Wines to get the message out about the dangers of powerlines to all species of birds. www.burninghawk.com

[Squire Mickey]

Who is planning on going this weekend?  Looks to be a bit wet on Saturday ?

[Escarlata]

I'm looking to be there Sunday. The Ranger is staying home, trying to finish getting rid of the cold that I so kindly shared with him.

[Celtic_Fae]

Working, so I will be there both days.

[Celtic_Fae]

My review of first weekend:
I begin typing this in our hotel room. If you see updates to this review at a later time, it is because the Wi-Fi is not only costly but also a shaky connection.

I can't believe this weekend is over. It began in the pouring rain of Saturday and ended, for us, shivering in the parking lot of the Japanese restaurant where we bade farewell to some friends after a final farewell feast. The food was rich and plentiful, the company very appreciated and grand. All in all, a pleasant way to end the first weekend festivities.

The click of the hotel room door as it closed behind us emanated across the room that has been our home away from home for the past few days. Still-sodden clothes from Saturday's deluge hang from the curtain and shower rods; the hotel has no guest laundry, so everything has had to air dry. They will soon be packed in our emergency stash of trash bags (set aside for this exact purpose after going through a similar experience at TRF in 2007). The hemlines are muddy and clods of clay fall off the boots as they are placed in their respective bags. The washer and drier at home are in for a workout!

Saturday dawned gray and rainy. So dark, in fact, that I slept through our first alarm and awoke later than expected at 8 AM. We ate a quick breakfast and hurried through our morning rituals before donning our garb for the day. The drive over to the site was fairly uneventful, save for the rather deep (lakes?) puddles that our 4x4 powered through. Apparently, our choice in vehicle was a smart one, as the parking area for Participants warranted its use on the way out. There should have been little hope for the day, and I should be bemoaning the experience. However, though the weather was dreary, the energy from all of those involved in the faire was anything but.

Sunday was still gray in the morning hours but without rain. It was windy (much to the fire performers' chagrin) and cold (leaving many to question with exasperation, "...but isn't this Florida?!?") but soon the sun shone through the clouds. I guess when it's cold, we don't pay as much attention to the power of the sun's rays. For that oversight, I now pay with a very funny looking sunburn that covers my cheeks and forehead, save for where my circlet was. In fact, if you look close enough, you can actually seen the outline of every stone and metal bead that comprised it-a very humorous sight indeed when I consider having to explain its origins to my classmates and college professors later in the week! What can you do? Free publicity for the faire, though...always a bonus!

Linda Piper and Bill Hutchinson, coordinators of the faire, were out there showing their support and braving the elements just like the people they'd contracted. They continuously provide a good sense of unity amongst management and workers, combining the necessary business prowess that it takes to run a quality show with a sense of humanity and connection to the people behind the faire often lacking in show producers. Not only do they take into account the people behind the show, but they also foster a sense of welcome with the patrons, appearing at morning gate, being present all day long, and dressing up in garb themselves.

After close to two months of down time, this faire provided a welcome and much-needed reunion with close friends and fellow acquaintances, from patrons to merchants to performers, I'd made on the circuit. Many of those I did not know by name or in depth, I knew by facial recognition from other shows and faire snafus we'd done and gone through together. That in-of-itself adds to the sense of camaraderie.

Some of our very good friends from other faires were able to make it through the gate as patrons to this faire. Two of the patrons (and good friends whom we were blessed to share all day Sunday with, despite the cold) were also our town neighbors before we moved---a fact we learned only just before we left and a meeting that would have never happened to begin with if not for faire bringing us together! Kudos to those who braved the elements Saturday and Sunday to come out and support the faire and the people behind it. It takes a very noble and dedicated individual to forgo the creature comforts of heath and home and spend it with us in the rain and then the cold at the faire.

Though I could not tarry long and did not have much money to spend, the caliber of merchants found at this faire is exceptionally high in quality. Their wares are exquisite and their etiquette is top notch when dealing with customers. Many were friends or at least recognizable faces from other faires and it was great to catch up with some who, unlike many of the performers, I only see once or twice a year.

Not only was I battling the elements, but I was also recovering from a severe emotional blow and ongoing physical pain issues from an exacerbated neck/shoulder/back injury and shin splints. Though the pain would rear its ugly head when first getting up from sitting and getting moving again or lingering in one place for too long, being surrounded by such lovely and talented people quickly put it out of my mind. Even when battling extreme downpours, cold, and strong wind gusts, the performers were spot-on during their shows. I don't know what the first weekend's gate numbers were, but I do know that every patron who walked through the gate got their money's worth many times over. Not only did the my performer friends put on a good show onstage, but they also showed me heartwarming care and consideration (and a fun time!) offstage, far exceeding that what I'd hoped for in seeing them again. It was truly a pleasure to catch up with old friends and to spend time building up new friendships with acquaintances I'd made the year prior.

The hotel room is beginning to look empty as the garb is packed and our portable kitchen stowed in the back of the vehicle. The room, while basic, was enough to fit our general needs. The beds were hard and the bath linens sparse (and no guest laundry, remember...) but it was clean, warm, and dry, and provided us with a place to rest our weary heads at the end of a long day.

Tomorrow we begin our journey home, one of many done before, but thankfully not as long as some others. Our mundane lives will pick up where they left off Friday night. I'm sure this week will seem very long in some regards and very short in others, and before we know it next weekend at Hoggetowne will be upon us.

Thank you again for making what should have been a low weekend due to crazy weather into one of the best and most memorable weekends at faire I've had in a long time.

[Ditzy Gypsy]

I loved reading that! Thank you for sharing! I'm not really sure if I came across you or not this last weekend. I probably did, I just didn't know it was you, lol. You play with Empty Hats, right? I was the blond Sahnobar gypsy in orchid purple and teal green.

I actually didn't get to meet any R/Fers this 1st weekend...but some of that I attribute to spending most of my time backstage, and trying to stay dry and warm !

I love this faire, the grounds are so nice, surrounded in pine trees! When I came to set up Friday I couldn't get over how fresh the air was. I've been in St. Petersburg to long, hehe.

[Celtic_Fae]

I loved reading that! Thank you for sharing! I'm not really sure if I came across you or not this last weekend. I probably did, I just didn't know it was you, lol. You play with Empty Hats, right? I was the blond Sahnobar gypsy in orchid purple and teal green.

I actually didn't get to meet any R/Fers this 1st weekend...but some of that I attribute to spending most of my time backstage, and trying to stay dry and warm !

I love this faire, the grounds are so nice, surrounded in pine trees! When I came to set up Friday I couldn't get over how fresh the air was. I've been in St. Petersburg to long, hehe.

I don't actually play with Empty Hats, and at this faire I'm traveling more on a "work visa" (being in the good graces of my outside-of-faire job with my in-faire boss got me a pass, since technically, if he wanted me to, I'd be promoting him there) than actually having been given work, but it was still a fabulous weekend. Yes, you guys had a lovely fire going. Came back while escorted by Paolo for a couple of minutes when he needed to retrieve something. Wish we could have come back more often! You have a lovely set up and it was nice to have a quiet space away from the crowds for a moment. Usually hanging with Empty Hats, Bob DaVinci (Kenny Silkie), Mad Maggie (Melinda), or Paolo (Paul), or a combination thereof, during opening meet and greet up at the gate. One day I'm in a blue/red cotehardie and then the other I'll be in a blue/green one.

[Squire Mickey]

Thanks for that awesome write up Kathryn!  Very cool stuff. (sorry that weather pun was unintended) After reading that, I am going to have to break open the piggy bank now and bring some extra funds for the merchants!

Well, life conspired to keep me away last Saturday. Sounds like the kind of weather that I love to go to fairs in though (being from the north).

However, we will fix that this Saturday. So far here is my attendance list for Sat:

Mickey Flint
Michael McFukker
Hector Stewart
Doug Kosarek
Treeman
Dredmor Plunder
Mordred
Steve
Vanessa
Son o' Steve
Angie Pasco
Golden Goddess
Duke Glouster
Red Handed Jill
Skeleton Pirate of Ft. Myers
Jen Shumilak (Sunday)


Looking forward to seeing you all there. Pink Gypsy we are looking forward to your show and hootin' and hollerin' it up. Stay warm!

[renfairenewb]

Squire Mickey...it was great to meet you at Hoggetowne.  See you at BARF.