When some of our homeschool friends offered us the opportunity to go to Hoggetowne Medieval Faire, which is almost 2 hours from here and would mean getting up and out of the house early, finding food, and, well, undertaking what felt to me like a big task, my instinct was to say no.  But I kept thinking about it, hearing about it, and remembering how many times I’ve heard people talk about how cool it is.  So I asked Matt, who is away at school right now if you didn’t know, what he thought.  He said (just like this), “GO!”  So I did.

Having never been to a Renaissance Faire before, I didn’t know what was in store for me.  Costumes, history, strange people doing strange things, minstrels playing tunes, beggars, giants, creatures on stilts, monsters, peasants, fairies, pirates, knights and royalty, the grotesque and the beautiful, craftspeople, elephants and horses, man-powered rides, maypoles, fire-breathers, archers and so much more.  We visited many booths of amazingly handcrafted items for purchase, made by people who travel the country selling their creations at Renaissance Faires.  We saw silly jugglers, fire-breathing acrobats, a live chess match with all kinds of pretend violence and gore, musicians, fencing, and a jousting tournament.

I have to say, having never been to one before and not ever getting into the ‘goth’, D&D, or fairy scenes, I didn’t totally ‘get’ it.  Music festivals– those I get, but this– not so much.  It was a lot to take in, process, and understand… but the more I think about it, the more I think it was a beautiful and amazing thing.  The culture, the people, the craftsmanship, the excitement, the beauty: I definitely want to go again one day to re-experience all the amazing things that can only be seen at a Renaissance Faire.