My first time...

[jackrocks]

at faire, that is:) We were able to attend MMRF on Sunday. We thought we might be able attend by the middle of last week, and I FINALLY got a check Id been waiting on Saturday, so on Saturday was when we knew for sure we could afford to go. Which really means I had about maybe 3-4 days to make garb/costume/outifits for my family of 6. Happily, I already had an outfit done, bc I had done it earlier just for the fun of it and bc I had the material on hand. I have done several pirate shirts for my sons over the years and was thinking, hey, I'll just do one of these up in "big size" for the hubby. Except that didnt really work out so well. First of all, I was very rushed. Second, he wasnt here to measure so I thought Id better just err on the side of too big rather than too small, except that the neckline came out too big in the front and a little funky in the back, pulling down in the back a lot and just a bad deal all around. Also, I wasnt thinking that DH happens to be a bit more, um, lets say more "3 dimensional" than my boys, who are straight as sticks from top to bottom. Also, DH didnt have time to try it on for me until about 1 am Sunday morning, at which time there was just nothing more that could be done to save it. So Im chalking his shirt into lessons of things I never shoudl do again and he just wore a white button down with a vest. and a sash. and a head scarf. But he looked cute:)
Much grumbling from the family about why I do these things to them, make them dress up all silly, and all this just to go see what is probably a wooden stage in someones backyard, and we could be doing something better, blah blah.
But we finally got there. Everyone was happy to find we were NOT the only ones in garb.(whew!) Slowly, the whining abated. There was a magic trick guy!(big with my little boys) and jewelry shops!(big with my daughters) The shows were great, but I did wish there had been a disclaimer before the Romeo and Juliet set.....we were encouraged to stay after the belly dancing show, as they were doing the R and J immediately after it....encouraged by cast who could obviously see we had children...and everything up to that point had been very family friendly...but they were using phrases like "cockblock" and several other very suggestive phrases/situations that were really not something Id want my son to repeat. It was funny, dont get me wrong, but not really appropriate for young kids.
The day was beautiful, and the cast and other patrons very friendly.
It was a blast for me to see the other's special outfits for the day, and ever since my brain has been firing rapidly ideas for more things to sew!! Im really ADHD enough about this type of thing...but that was so much fun to me.
Some outfits made me wonder, though. I mean, I get the whole renaissance idea, I do. I wonder though, if maybe I just cant let myself get into it enough, maybe, but very well endowed women, wearing sleeveless dresses with very large arm holes, with no bras and boobs hanging to the waist, and afros sprouting from beneath the arms......I dunno. I guess when I think renaissance Im thinking about pretty things, ruffles and lace and pretty colors and lace....and....and.....more ruffles, and corsets and lace:) but thats just me.
My boys were kind of horrified by the belly dancers, but they did love the snake the one danced with:) lol and my guitar playing teen was enthralled with the gypsy music (and possibly the gypsy guitar player).
I wish I had carried a notepad to draw sketches of "things I think I can make" that I got ideas for, lol.
by the end of the day, everyone was very much having fun, DH talking about camping at one of these things one day, maybe, and how can we save up enough by the time MiRF rolls around? and do I have enough time to make us all new outfits by then?

It was a great family time, and all good until we decided to stop at a Burger King in Frankenmuth for dinner on the way home and my 13 yr old daughter realized that in order to eat, we would all actually have to go IN, and that she was the only one who had planned for that by wearing shorts under her skirt....so she looked ok while the rest of us were just embarassing!! OMG!!! going into Burger King in garb!! the tragedies that child  must suffer, really just so sad:)

I guess all that to say, we're hooked!! woohoo!!

[Merlin the Elder]

You're going to run into some folks on occasion who don't dress quite appropriately for the era (and sometimes for family-friendly). But pretty soon, you tend to not even think about it. As a father (though mine was young during the last century), I found that the best way to handle things is to not make a big deal out of it.

It is not inconceivable that you might run into a Star Wars stormtrooper in a kilt. Steampunk characters are showing up at times. It's all for fun.  It bothered me at first, too. Now, I just wander about the fields turning trouble makers into slugs....

So pleased you had a good time! 

[jackrocks]

yes, it was so fun. I guess I could have lightened up a bit (though Im not a terribly serious person about this)...my son wanted to wear his Mad Hatter costume we made last year and I wouldnt let him...but it was Fantasty and Steampunk weekend so I guess he could have:) he really loves that hat! Maybe next time.
I know people are just having fun and more power to them...I just wonder if some people ever stop and think about the fact their unmentionables are just out there, swaying in the wind and there are children, and others, who may not wish to see them (or getting caught on camera). Then again, maybe those were their every day clothes and they werent actually dressing up, which could also be the case.
It was nice, I thought, to see so many teenagers there having fun....what a nice event for them to get involved in, and be able to have fun and not be getting into trouble.

[Lady Christina de Pond]

yeah i think i've seen a jedi before as well. but there are always someone who doesn't dress quiet period or the costume is more halloween costume or as this year i saw some were dressed more colonial style or there is always the steam punk as well but as merlin said it's all for Fun.
my first year at Garf i was somewhat flabergasted at all the clevage but i started to notice that after a few season's it doesn't bother me and i don't notice it so much

[DonaCatalina]

Yes, Merlin is right, you will find people wearing inappropriate clothes. You should see some thing that I see at wine festivals. Sometimes they make the renfaire people look positively overdressed. I have noticed a general tendency among younger performers not to be as careful what they say and do around children.
So you live and learn, in the future you ask around to see what others' opinions are of the show before you take your kids.
Welcome to our addiction - there are sewing threads and garb buying threads where you can get all the help you need and then some. 

[Captain Cornelius Howard Duckman]

Sad you didn't stop by the other stage and say hello, but glad you enjoyed it! I'm kinda hard to miss, what with the rubber duck and all.

[Merlin the Elder]

yes, it was so fun. I guess I could have lightened up a bit (though Im not a terribly serious person about this)...

heh heh... I wasn't chastising you at all    Every once and a while, my lovely bride Nimue will cast an evil eye on some strangely dressed person—here I am in a long cape, my beard braided, carrying a staff with a 3" diameter Amethyst, and I'm not strangely dressed—and I'll turn to her and tell her, "Don't forget, you were young once."  We've been trying our darndest to remember when that was...  It can be a disadvantage to be 1059 years old.

[jackrocks]

I did see the show with the duckies....my boys were standing at the booth across from you enthralled for an eternity with the marshmallow shooters:) I didnt want to interupt your show and then we never made it back again from the other way:)

[jackrocks]

also, I was so very sad to hear that one of the owners of the faire had passed away just before the opening. That had to be so rough!

[DonaCatalina]

So jackrocks....my how time flies. Glad that you're still with us.

[jackrocks]

yes, and gearing up for Faire this weekend:)