Gates to Open In A Few Weeks.......Where is Everyone?

[kcdcchef]

seriously, the fifth most attended faire in the nation, is the Kansas City Renaissance Festival. hell, we even draw more than some faires that are open 12 weekends instead of our 7, and we outdraw some of those. yet, we have the smallest participation on the forums. the only people that post regularly about the kcrf are myself, a patron of 30 seasons, a teenager that lives nearby, and that is IT. and we have some of the best home grown faire acts in the country. i oughtta know, i go to kc each fall, pennsylvania renaissance faire, new york renaissance faire, pittsburgh renaissance festival, and some years maryland too. yet no one posts on here, whats up??

back to kcrf, glad to see chess is back again this season. hopefully the joust will FINALLY change. hasn't changed in 7 seasons. i can almost taste the crepe right now!!

[Aniroaldawen]

I'm a board newbie, but longtime KCRF fan!  It's my home faire, and I'm a HUGE fan of the Jolly Rogers and try to catch all their shows every time I go.  This year I attended my first renfest other than KCRF, in fact (OKRF)--and got my first garb.  I can't wait to play at KCRF again, in proper attire this time!    And ohmygod, KCRF has the BEST crepes EVER--my must-have food every time I go. 

I'm hoping to attend faire at least four days this season (last year I went five times, but this year my money situation might put a damper on that plan.  However I'll have two complimentary passes and am probably getting two tickets from mom who can get discount tix).  I'm going to Mini Faire tonight to get a bit more of a faire fix before next month after I went to the Coronation Feaste Saturday, but I can't WAIT for opening weekend--there is nothing quite like strolling around Canterbury!

[Gauwyn of Bracknell]

M'Lady and I will be attending for the first time (just coming from Iowa) and are looking forward to it.  We will be attending MnRF next weekend so have been 'preparing' for that.

Any particular 'don't miss' things - acts, food, etc))  We will be there 2 days (Labor day weekend)

[kcdcchef]

Any particular 'don't miss' things - acts, food, etc))  We will be there 2 days (Labor day weekend)

    Human Chess - Best ren fest human chess I have ever seen. and i do 4-5 faires a year. always so damned funny you almost die of laughter.
                         and they find a way to get close to 50 players involved. GO!!
    Robin Hood and the Swill Pond Show - See Robin, Lady Marion, Little John, and Sherriff of Knottingham, again, very funny, excellent humor.
                         Seems they all take turns getting knocked in that filthy disgusting pond.
    Jolly Rogers - Same stage, funniest pirate humor ever, i kid younot. They are always funny as hell, one of the most attended shows there.
    Pub Sing - Other ren faires have finales that have more of a climax to them, but again, funny FUNNY FUNNY!!!! seriously, usually every player  at the festival is either there, or in the audience watching. and it is the raunchiest humor of the day, and the funniest. you will
                   laugh so hard it isnt even funny.
    Crepes - really good crepes, sweet and savory ones. the ice cream one with strawberries, almonds, and chocolate. MMMMMM!!
    Bread Bowls - Good yummy nummy soups. In bread bowls, need I say more.

have a blast. one of the few authentic feeling ren faires in the country. no pavement, landscaping that is kept up yet still feels like it is growing wild, and lanes that are shaded sooo well. ENJOY!!!

[Aniroaldawen]

The Jolly Rogers are a DEFINITE "don't miss."  They're a singing/improv comedy pirate group.  Their stuff does get quite a bit bawdy, but it's all in metaphoric terms or implied, and that makes it all the more hilarious! (Look up "Curvy Girls KCRF" on Youtube and click on the first JR result for an example.)  They've been my favorites for years and years, and they're absolutely the nicest guys ever too.  Make sure if you want to actually sit down at one of their shows that you get to the stage early--I've seen numerous crowds packed onto the benches so there was only standing room left!

The Sonic Sidhe Tribe is another cool act--fire dancers, gypsy dancers and drummers.  They do some scary yet awesome stuff with those fire poi!  (Side note: the two fire spinners of the tribe got engaged last weekend at the KCRF coronation feaste! :-))  The joust is fun too if you like that.  I also enjoy watching the noon parade, as it's a good way to get to see most of the street characters.  As far as food, other than crepes (try a ham and cheese crepe or the "princess" crepe--ice cream, strawberries and chocolate), KCRF has an apple dumpling that is to die for.  The turkey legs are a pretty big hit, although they're not my favorite.  They have some good Chinese food too.

[Genievea Brookstone]

Myself and my pirate attended for the first time last year and we will be attending again this year.  We had a blast, unfortunatly we live in the St Louis area so attending more than one weekend for us is a bit difficult.

[Aniroaldawen]

Oh oh oh--I can't believe I forgot Get Shrewed!! It's like a Renaissance "men are from Mars, women are from Venus" thing--a pirate (Devon from the Jolly Rogers) and a wench (his wife, I believe  ) battle it out with weapons and wits.  Swords, whips, frying pans, pistols, jokes, hilarious insults against the other sex, this show has it all, and it's heavily audience participatory; you'll find yourself cheering for whatever sex you're a member of and booing the other one right along with the performers. 

[kcdcchef]

Oh oh oh--I can't believe I forgot Get Shrewed!! It's like a Renaissance "men are from Mars, women are from Venus" thing--a pirate (Devon from the Jolly Rogers) and a wench (his wife, I believe  ) battle it out with weapons and wits.  Swords, whips, frying pans, pistols, jokes, hilarious insults against the other sex, this show has it all, and it's heavily audience participatory; you'll find yourself cheering for whatever sex you're a member of and booing the other one right along with the performers. 

that is a great show. i only forgot it because it hasnt changed in 4 seasons. but i am guilty of checking it out from season to season.

[Norfolk]

KCRF:  A visitor's perspective

The Baroness and I are "playtrons" at the Colorado Renaissance Festival, having attended nearly every session of our home festival for the past decade or so.  In addition, we have travelled to the Festivals in Shakopee (MN), Apache Junction (AZ), Plantersville (TX) and Waxahachie (TX).  This coming Labor Day weekend, we are planning our sixth trip to Kansas City.  For those who might be interested, what follows is our impressions of this venue.

Pros: 

-- The cast.  The KCRF has one of the very best entertainment casts we have experienced.  They have a theme, and carry it from the opening gate show to closing canon.  They interact wonderfully well with patrons, and enroll them into the various themed skits that take place all over the Shire throughout the day.  The cast members' garb is also extremely well done, perhaps the best we have seen.

-- The site.  Of the Faires we have visited, "Canterbury" is probably our favorite.  Constructed on gentle hills located on either side of a small stream, with loads of deciduous shade, it is a truly lovely site.  Later in the season, when the leaves are turning and the woodsmoke hangs in the trees, it is almost magical.  The layout is especially attractive, with lots of winding lanes and "hidden" coves.
If you haven't been here before and see something you think you might like to buy, I suggest that you do so immediately since you probably won't be able to find it again in the "maze".

--  The shows.  Lots of stage shows, nearly all of them quite good.  Robin Hood's mill pond act and the Human Chess skit are not to be missed.

Cons: 

--  The "no weapons" policy is childish.  If peace-tied weapons were a problem, none of the other Faires would allow them.  Since nearly all do, KCRF's policy doesn't pass my reality check.

--  In past seasons, there was a stern warning on the KCRF website that patrons attending in garb were forbidden to interact with other patrons as characters.  The Baroness and I found this quite off putting.  Fortunately, management seems to have eliminated this spirit-dampening policy for this season.

All in all, we consider a weekend, especially a 3-day weekend, at Canterbury well worth the 10-hour drive from Larkspurshire.  We are looking very much forward to seeing all of you KCRF'rs four weeks hence, when we plan to arrive in your lovely shire with between eight and sixteen (you know how that goes) of our fellow Coloradans. 

[Feline Groovy]

I don't know if I'll be able to hit KCRF this year (the commute from the East Coast is a pain) but I know I'll be nudging the niece and nephews to go say 'hi' to it for me.  It was my first faire (some twenty-plus years ago) and it was their first faire as well -- as soon as the youngest had the legs to get through the day, I timed my fall family visits to land during faire season so I could take them (and their parents) to KC.  Over the past couple of years, schedules have become harder and harder to coordinate as their lives continue to grow and get even busier so we haven't done it the past couple of years.  But if I find an opportunity to 'go west' during the run, I still try to squeeze in one faire day, just for fun.

[Lady Rebecca]

I'm planning to head up there from OK for one of the weekends. Especially if I can convince some of my friends to go with me (probably the Columbus Day weekend). But it all depends on what shows I'm doing at school.

[kcdcchef]

I'm planning to head up there from OK for one of the weekends. Especially if I can convince some of my friends to go with me (probably the Columbus Day weekend). But it all depends on what shows I'm doing at school.

that is my weekend, columbus day weekend. i will have to say hey if i see you roaming around the lanes!

[TKM]

a teenager that lives nearby

HEY! I'll be 20 before this season starts! so there! 

[Lady Rebecca]

Well it looks like Columbus Day weekend does not actually line up with our fall break (weird...), so I think we're now planning on both Sat and Sun of closing weekend. I'm looking forward to it!

[kcdcchef]

Well it looks like Columbus Day weekend does not actually line up with our fall break (weird...), so I think we're now planning on both Sat and Sun of closing weekend. I'm looking forward to it!

columbus day weekend is so much fun because you can do a monday when the weather is not too hot. and i generally get to do 2 days that way. if i come on the non columbus day weekend, i only get to do one day generally. but closing weekend is the best weekend for faire, NO QUESTION. i mean, the weather is really cooling off, the acts are going full throttle knowing it is their last chance to entertain the masses until the next season, no holds barred, it is AMAZING on closing weekend.