Bristol Bound Jul 31st-Aug 3rd

[Marietta Graziella]

Don't know if anyone else is planning to go but VV and I will be heading to Bristol next weekend!  Holy cow!

Can't wait to see this beautiful faire and get my Moonie fix.

Are you planning to go?  Can you be talked into going? 

[Capt. Bacardi]

I wish we could go, but we can not work it out. 

You two have fun for us. 

[Muffin]

I so wish we could go!!!!!

Have fun!!!

[Charlotte Rowan]

Sounds like a lot of fun. One of these years I need to get to Bristol... but not this year.  Having the parents over for a big Thank You dinner this weekend!

[DeadBishop]

Dang, really wanted to go this year, but it's not in the cards for us.  Have fun!

[Leyla]

A twist of fate has found me without work this weekend. I'm going to have to look into this! See about hotel etc at this late date. Maybe I'll get a chance to try on a Moresca bodice for myself.

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

A twist of fate has found me without work this weekend. I'm going to have to look into this! See about hotel etc at this late date. Maybe I'll get a chance to try on a Moresca bodice for myself.

Moresca isn't at Bristol anymore. But there are lots of other vendors, including my favorite bodices, Pendragon Costumes.

[Marietta Graziella]

Leyla it would be so fun to see you there!!!

[Leyla]

OK, I got el'cheapo hotel booked! I'm definitely going this weekend!

Bummer that Moresca isn't there, but I'm looking forward to trying out Pendragon! 

***SQUEEE*** I'm so excited!!!

[Dayna]

Remember, especially if it's hot out, the Friends of Faire garden (just past Pendragon around the chainmaille shop) will gladly have you as a guest member for the weekend.  All the cold water and Gatorade you can drink, plus places to sit, shelves in the back to store your stuff, and the conversation of some of the nicest people you'd ever want to meet!  All for the measly fee of $5.  Most people make that up the first day just in the bottled water they're Not having to buy!

Added bonus, this weekend, classes on Herbs and their uses in the Renaissance AND Sword Etiquette, or Watch Where You Point That!

Dayna Thomas
Bristol FoF Hench
Education Goddess... yeah, right

[Marietta Graziella]

First   *SQUEEEEEE* for Leyla!  Holy cow woman, I'm so excited for you!
We'll be arriving at the Raddison on Friday so look us up when you get in so we can meet up once we get to faire.

Unilady, I love the Sword Etiquette class!  TOo funny.   Don't know if we'll do the FoF glen for the weekend.  It's an excellent price, no doubt.  Just not sure if we want to spend anytime in a class or sitting when we have only the 1 weekend to enjoy this amazing faire.  We'll have to play it by ear.   Thanks for the reminder, though!

[Will Gamwell]

Ahh Bristol, the place where I received my first kilt inspection.  Such a lovely place. 

Jealous!  Can't wait until I can go again.  Have fun.

[Dayna]

Classes take at most an hour, and sitting in a shady spot, with a table to put your mug on and a bench to put your butt on and never-ending cold water (with ice if you ask nicely) may change your mind.  The garden is fairly well centrally-located on site, full of people who can give you the low-down on "must sees", "give it a skip" and generally save you wandering around.

We're always there, and you're always welcome.

Dayna

[Goody]

I am so jealous!!!!!  Can't wait for the day when our Fest Friends has classes like that??!!!??! (hint, hint)

[Marietta Graziella]

Bristol is such a lovely faire.  We thoroughly enjoyed watching it unfold as we rounded each curve.  We enjoyed people watching by the spider's web.  We munched some delicious foods and chatted with some very welcoming and friendly booth workers. 

What we didn't have was any welcome by anyone from Bristol R/F.  It was fun to spend a bit of time with Leyla and Josh and we did meet up with one chap from TN (I'm so sorry-I can't even begin to spell your name!) that comes up and works as "unofficial" street cast.  He was there to meet us at 3:00 at the Pig and Whistle and chat with.  I was rather disapointed that we didn't get to meet more of the locals but oh well.  I'm sorry we choose a weekend that Lady Renee wasn't coming as I'm certain that would've made a big difference.

We intend to make this an annual faire and hopefully, have more opportunities to meet more new friends.

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

MG, Bristol doesn't have the same kind of camaraderie as MN or TX.  The people we know from the forum are very nice, but nobody really makes any effort to hang out together.  Except for wildthingjew.  We look for each other and have a great time hanging out and meeting up at different shows and the musicians' revel. Unilady works in the Friend of Faire garden, so we enjoy each other's company when we go into the garden to rest.

When I go, I post a gazillion times about the Meet & Greets (and even when I don't go) but it seems that on the Saturday, nobody shows up, and on the Sunday, when we go, people usually show up.  Not all, but some. 

Like I said, wildthingjew, Miss Katie Scarlet, Steve, and I have a great time together.  We do enjoy seeing other RF members and are always glad when they show up.

[Goody]

MG, Bristol doesn't have the same kind of camaraderie as MN

I beg to differ.

Well as I said on opening weekend, I have a completely different experience at Bristol every time I go. This year I was so busy catching up with everyone that I didn't wander around fest much. Next year, MG, should try to plan to go on same weekend (o'course u know i've been tellin ya that for 4 yrs now!!) I feel like Bristol is my third home faire even tho I only go one weekend per year(to Twig and MNRF). Hopefully, I'll get pics up soon!!

[Dayna]

MG, glad to hear you'll be returning next year, hope I get a chance to spend time with you!

Goody, thanks for making us one of your home faires, next time you're here we really Must spend some time together!

Lady Renee, my experience is that Bristol has at least as much camaraderie as MNRF if not more, however there are so many different groups already.  FoF has close to 500 members and the members are very much usually hanging out and/or greeting each other when passing.  Also there is a Bristol Board similar to Robert Schug's board, so there again members look for each other there.  The R/F connection has competition from those two existing groups, as well as other sub-groups such as Clan Ironwolf, the Barbarians, Dark Cloud and etc.

Dayna Thomas
Bristol FoF Hench
Education Goddess...yeah, right

[Muffin]

MG, glad to hear you'll be returning next year, hope I get a chance to spend time with you!

Goody, thanks for making us one of your home faires, next time you're here we really Must spend some time together!

Lady Renee, my experience is that Bristol has at least as much camaraderie as MNRF if not more, however there are so many different groups already.  FoF has close to 500 members and the members are very much usually hanging out and/or greeting each other when passing.  Also there is a Bristol Board similar to Robert Schug's board, so there again members look for each other there.  The R/F connection has competition from those two existing groups, as well as other sub-groups such as Clan Ironwolf, the Barbarians, Dark Cloud and etc.

Dayna Thomas
Bristol FoF Hench
Education Goddess...yeah, right

I think our lovely Lady Renee was probably referring specifically to our rather large gathering of R/F'ers on any given weekend at MNRF, the same goes for TX R/F'ers not so much the gatherings of other groups/camaraderie..

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

Yes, Muffin, that is exactly what I meant.  Our RF members, not camaraderie of other groups at Bristol. 

The groups in MN, AZ, and TX go out together, bowling, to pubs, and basically meet up with each other at the pubs at faire, walk around together, etc.  Now, not everyone does that, but when we went to MN and also to BARF, there was a cohesive group that hung around, passed the day together, watched shows together, and also meet outside faire.

This hasn't happened with the RF members at Bristol.  I think it's because we all live so spread out, not because we don't want to.  Not meaning to say that Bristol doesn't have other groups and camaraderie.  Muffin caught what I meant.  Thanks!   

[Goody]

Yes, Muffin, that is exactly what I meant.  Our RF members, not camaraderie of other groups at Bristol. 

The groups in MN, AZ, and TX go out together, bowling, to pubs, and basically meet up with each other at the pubs at faire, walk around together, etc.  Now, not everyone does that, but when we went to MN and also to BARF, there was a cohesive group that hung around, passed the day together, watched shows together, and also meet outside faire.

This hasn't happened with the RF members at Bristol.  I think it's because we all live so spread out, not because we don't want to.  Not meaning to say that Bristol doesn't have other groups and camaraderie.  Muffin caught what I meant.  Thanks!   

Well, my favorite group of Bristolites are the ones who hang out in the campground at the after hours underwear party!!!! Also, sounds like there's plenty o people that hang out at local eateries after fest. I'm thinkin we gotta find out more about that for next year!!

[Marietta Graziella]

Sounds like we need to plan a MN invasion of Bristol.  Perhaps if we choose a weekend far enough in advace people could save/plan for it.

Please let me be clear, I'm not saying the Bristol folks are unfriendly. I'm just saying it seems like they are very involved with other groups that are, perhaps, more directly related to their individual interests as compared to R/F with our extremely broad range. 

Regardless, I do plan to make this faire part of my usual summer plans.  It's beautiful.

[Goody]

MG Did you hang out in the Court Glade at all while things were going on?? I was amazed. They reenact ALL DAY! The effort put in by the actors/faire into the actors really shows and I think it's what make Bristol special!!

[Dayna]

We had a group of 6 Minnesotan women come for the day of wrong, Oh My Lord did they do it right!!!!

We had Camo Elizabethan, Miss Renfaire 1574, Nike Elizabethan complete with the Swish, blaze orange numchucks and a flourescent lime green forepanel, an Elizabethan made entirely out of Green Bay Packer fabric WITH a hat made out of a Cheesehead, etc.

They had a blast, and we had a blast having them!!! 

Look for them at MNRF I think over Labor Day weekend as "the six wives of Henry VIII"

Dayna Thomas
Bristol FoF Hench

[Goody]

We had a group of 6 Minnesotan women come for the day of wrong, Oh My Lord did they do it right!!!!

We had Camo Elizabethan, Miss Renfaire 1574, Nike Elizabethan complete with the Swish, blaze orange numchucks and a flourescent lime green forepanel, an Elizabethan made entirely out of Green Bay Packer fabric WITH a hat made out of a Cheesehead, etc.

They had a blast, and we had a blast having them!!! 

Look for them at MNRF I think over Labor Day weekend as "the six wives of Henry VIII"

Dayna Thomas
Bristol FoF Hench

Did ya get any pics!!!???

[Dayna]

Oh Heck Yes!!!