As a fantasy enthusiast, today I'm going to be talking about the recreation of fantasy worlds in reality rather than in the literary, cinematic, or virtual sense. I will start by saying that the time of year I most look forward to is the fall. This is because the Texas Renaissance Festival, arguably the best and largest renaissance festival in the country, takes place from mid October through December. I usually go twice a year, once with my father and sister and once with my friends. The Festival is a huge town-like setting (of permanent structures) with themes ranging from mediterranean to 'classic' piracy, but generally occupies a standard renaissance/medieval take with magical influence. There are literally hundreds of artisans and vendors, selling various food, armor, weapons, and crafts, as well as dozens of roughly non-anachronistic rides and games (meaning that though they may not have been present in the Middle Ages, the technology is very similar). Various troupes and acts roam the Festival, and performances ranging from comedy to acting to music appear regularly.
When I first started attending the festival close to ten years ago, almost every visitor dressed in costume; mine was originally just time-appropriate garb but has since drifted to a druidic theme and now shifted to a ranger/archer look. Now, few visitors actually dress up. While this does mean that many new people have discovered the entertainment of the Festival, it also means that they are not comfortable enough with the setting to become part of it, and for me personally, they ruin the ambiance. If you do attend any renaissance festival, please try to make yourself part of the environment! I don't want to compel you to dress up, but avoid bright colors, large modern logos, and very modern dress. It is especially annoying when people come dressed as something entirely anachronistic; I don't particularly mind pirates or Romans (which are a little out of place but fine) but I have seen Star Wars clone troopers, Star Trek characters, comic book superheroes, and other various costumes. Please remember that this is not some random costume party if you do choose to attend. Their is a costume rental company outside the main gate if you wish not to purchase a full costume.
I do want to bring 'LARPing' -- Live Action Role Play -- into this as renaissance festivals are in fact a type of casual role play. While I have never participated in a role-played battle, per say, I do think that non-modern dress and weaponry is interesting to have, even for personal amusement. I have several websites that I recommend for weapons (both foam and real), as well as a list of vendors at the Texas Renaissance Festival. I also have a website with listings of renaissance festivals in the United States, which I will link below.
Foam Weapons:
http://www.calimacil.com
Foam and Real Weapons:
http://www.swordsofmight.com
Real Weapons:
http://zombietools.net
Texas Renaissance Festival Weapon Vendors (Note that some of these vendors are not exclusive to Texas and may have operations at other festivals or independently):
http://texrenfest.com/artists_merchants/weaponry
Renaissance Festival Listings: http://www.therenlist.com
Also, on costumes: many people make their own costumes, though most buy them from vendors. The most impressive homemade costumes I have seen are exhibited at Blizzcon, the convention for Blizzard Games, the most popular of which is a fantasy game. Here is a video of the costume contest held at the last Blizzcon (2011):
I hope that you obtain the opportunity and the motivation to try this!
Thanks for reading,
C
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