I have to ask..

[Anna Iram]

As is my homefaire of BARF. We are known to be more of a fantasy faire, I think, so lots of fairies and pirates and some LOTR characters now and again.  Saw a barefoot Hobbit one year. Charming, but all I could think was *ouch* 'cause our fair is woods and mulch. Tough  to walk barefoot in. Chainmaille babes and yes, ocassional goth and Vicky's pirates. No StarWars yet or ninja's. Our Queen can see the fairies, our King does not beleive in them and so they do not exist. He cannot see them. Perhaps adopt that bit of wisdom and see what you wish while there. Like the Coke logos, tune out that which you find jarring.

[Welsh Wench]

Well, presentation IS everything!

The mystery bidder and her Spam


Photo by Quiet One

[Anna Iram]

Ah yes...Captain Spam at his finest. 

[Captain Cornelius Howard Duckman]

And there's not really anything managment can do about it. "Hey, you're paying money tto come in to our faire dressed like a ninja? No problem!"

[Lady Penelope]

But could that be part of the rules? Saying that management has the right to ask people to not wear certain clothing/costumes?

[Keno]

I'm not talking about people paying in dressed like that, I'm talking about non-paid performers. 

[renfairephotog]

Could be some Pirates vs Ninjas skit.

[Betty Munro]

I agree with Keno.
I'd love to not have the grossly out of period costumes, but I do so love the Pirates, even though they are arguably out of period dress by a few decades or so.  I love the fae people too, but in my opinion they belong as part of the folklore of the time.

[Anna Iram]

I think you're right and it is the Pirate vs Ninja game. Interesting that a Ren faire would incorporate that into their story.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirates_versus_Ninjas

[RSLeask]

haha, I love the fact that Puzzle Pirates got a mention in that wiki page!   

[renfairephotog]

Well if they do Ninja vs Pirates the next thing would be the Zombie game. It uses nerf guns and socks.

[Keno]

^^^ Now I'm scared...

[WindChime]

well in 2008 ORF had a Zombie Choir. A bunch of the cast members were zombies and a couple times a day they would sing at one of the smaller stage.

[BLAKDUKE]

Well this is very interesting and somewhat close to home.   When my wife and I reigned in Tenn.  There was one year where an individual staged a mock asassignation on me.  It was done quite well and as such I was mortified that I could be done in so easily.  His purpose was to point out that I walked the faire with no guards, a common problem then, the volunteers could not keep up with me.  He offered to portray the kings shadow(i.e. my body guard).  His character was that of a ninja, complete with black outfit, katana etc. etc.   I accepted him post haste.   Then I started to run into flack from certain elements within the faire saying it was not period.  I stated the fact that Ninjas were around way before the renaissance(as was stated before), and as far as I was concerned, since I was not an historic actual King, I could have whatever guards I wanted.  At that time I embarked on a mission to try and come up with some evidence that Ninjas or at least orientals had made it to Renaissance, England, Italy, France, or Spain, but so far have not been able to come up with any.  But just because no record can be found does not mean that not one of them ever made it.  By their very nature Ninjas would be inconspicuous and not noticed as their function was one of stealth and they would work at night.  Now that could be a Hollywood generated concept, but so what.  Most of what we portray is the paying patrons concept of what was then, instead of what some people have come to label "Historically accurate".     Pirates should be no problem since since pirates roamed the high seas during the renaissance period and equally more so in QE I's time.   Granted they flourished more in the later 17th and 18th centuries.   My point is that for the most part what we ourselves view as period may not necessairily be so.  I for one would love to see a group of Moors in traditional Moorish garb descend on any faire that I am at and then hear some clown say " that's not period".   

[Noble Dreg]

I do not believe this is a "Period vs non-period" issue but more of the "period vs absurdly not period" question.  Yes, there where "period" pirates but not Stormtroopers, Spock, Furries, or pajama clad Ninja's.  I do not mind people taking "liberties" but admit to tiring of some stepping all over the "spirit" of a Ren-Faire.

It's easy to say "to each their own" but I also believe it is important to protect the things you love.  If you do not like what you see, politely bring it up with management.  That is what I will do next season.