Renaissance Faire- Any Guild members (wenches, etc?)

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Replies

  • hdsqrl
    hdsqrl Posts: 420 Member
    Yep, we do Steampunk here, too - it seems to have gotten really popular over the last 2 years, and I'm expecting we'll see lots of people in Steampunk outfits at this year's festival. Our faire goes in waves regarding its attempt at being authentic - some years we hold tightly to sumptuary laws, and others we stray wayyy beyond the bounds of anything real-history-like. This year, we have a ton of gypsies and fae of all kinds - Henry and Catherine are on the throne, and there's a surprise twist to things that I won't give away here, in case anyone local to me is reading this.

    With you being a Shakespeare geek, I think you'd absolutely love attending these things. I have friends in a group called the Lord Mayor's Company, and they do hilarious abbreviated shows of his works. :)
  • Cathy_Daydreams
    Cathy_Daydreams Posts: 120
    Yep, we do Steampunk here, too - it seems to have gotten really popular over the last 2 years, and I'm expecting we'll see lots of people in Steampunk outfits at this year's festival. Our faire goes in waves regarding its attempt at being authentic - some years we hold tightly to sumptuary laws, and others we stray wayyy beyond the bounds of anything real-history-like. This year, we have a ton of gypsies and fae of all kinds - Henry and Catherine are on the throne, and there's a surprise twist to things that I won't give away here, in case anyone local to me is reading this.

    With you being a Shakespeare geek, I think you'd absolutely love attending these things. I have friends in a group called the Lord Mayor's Company, and they do hilarious abbreviated shows of his works. :)

    I know what you mean and I do like the idea of the steampunk movement but I've always preffered the 1500's - 1600's.
    That sounds amazing I would love to come, hope you enjoy yourself sounds like it's going to be good.
    and yeah it sounds like my sort of thing, but the only problem I'm having is finding something more local, since I'm on a student budget and in full time education travelling to the US is not really an option, as much as I would like it to be and I love those shows. I love his work, I'm getting into reading a few of his contemporaries as well, which is a useful experience.
    Me and my family have been going to Stratford -Upon- Avon (Shakespeare's homeland, so to speak) since 2008, when I was lucky enough to see my favourite actor playing Hamlet with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
    I also saw a touring company performing Macbeth in the grounds of an old house near where we live, with the female roles played by male actors and I loved it. Strange that I understood the charecters better when they were played by men, which I didn't think would happen at all.
    Ooops I'm rambaling :/.
  • livinginwoods
    livinginwoods Posts: 562 Member
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  • livinginwoods
    livinginwoods Posts: 562 Member
    Love the Ren Faire :drinker: My boyfriend and I are going to the Bristol Renaissance in Wisconsin this Sunday. We have Faire garb...but have never been brave enough to wear it there, although more people are dressed in 'costume' then not!!!! I love all the people in Steampunk clothes too! So much fun!! Can't wait!

    This is the first year I don't get to go to that this year!!! Great place!!
  • FlyByJuly
    FlyByJuly Posts: 564 Member
    I'm not a member or anything, but love ren faires! My favorite has been the Shrewesbury Faire out at King's Valley, Oregon. The jousting games were awesome!
  • creech6317
    creech6317 Posts: 869 Member
    We have the Northern California Ren Faire that is held in Gilroy, Ca each year. I haven't been yet, but my daughter and I are going this year. I can't wait to go and show off my inner wench! I have a lot of friends who belong to various guilds.
    We also have a Pirate Festival that is held each year. It was actually in the Guinness book of world records for the largest gathering of pirates a couple of years back.
  • swordsmith
    swordsmith Posts: 599 Member
    Well since we are posting pics. These were taken at last years NY Ren Faire and I had lost about 25 pounds (I have since lost about 80)...

    My wife as a pirate queen (Mistress of the pirate sloop The Lying *kitten*):
    pookieren.jpg

    And myself as her first mate:
    me.png

    I will pop on some pics of me in my new leather armor tomorrow
  • HiKaren
    HiKaren Posts: 1,306 Member
    Hi There... I'm in the Zamoras Bellydance Guild.... Shows at 12 noon and 3;30 I started in 1999, and continued until May 2007. When my Dad died I lost my internal fire to continue with it. I haven't been participating for the last 4 years.

    I actually haven't dance in one since March 2008. The last one was a pirate fair as a fire gypsy. I have also been a member of the Fire Mystics Elite Group. Torches, Fans, Trays, Staff. Was learning Poi...
  • MelbourneBelle
    MelbourneBelle Posts: 105 Member
    I'm a SCAdian in remission. Not sure if I'll go back - most of my friends locally have left the game and its just not the same.
    Armiger of the West Kingdom, member of the order of the Silver Drakkar, citizen of the Barony of Stormhold, Kingdom of Lochac.
  • slkehl
    slkehl Posts: 3,801 Member
    We go at least once a year, and then use any other excuse to dress. Sometimes, we like to dress and just go downtown to hit the bars. We do a piratical theme, and as far as changes from weight loss, the only negative I have to say is that my $350 custom made steel boned corset no longer fits. It was measured to take my waist down to a 36, and without any help at all I'm at a 34. Bittersweet. I'm hoping that by next year, I'll be at a steady enough weight to buy a new one, but for now I'm making do with a cheapy faux-leather corset.
    We're based in Colorado, and hoping to join up with a guild once the mini-wenches are old enough to allow us grown-up time. For now, we just do at least one weekend as a full family trip, and one as adults only.

    IMG_1227.jpg

    awww, rennie babies! <3
    these are my rennie babies:

    renniebabies.jpg

    You guys are awesome!
  • alliwithaneye
    alliwithaneye Posts: 163 Member
    I want to know how to join a guild because I am totes up for that! LARPing just seems like a perfect fit for me, ever since watching labyrinth when I was a kid ^.^ I do go to the Renaissance faire's whenever they are in town though and oogle all of the amazingly dressed folks.
  • swordsmith
    swordsmith Posts: 599 Member
    I want to know how to join a guild because I am totes up for that! LARPing just seems like a perfect fit for me, ever since watching labyrinth when I was a kid ^.^ I do go to the Renaissance faire's whenever they are in town though and oogle all of the amazingly dressed folks.

    Well the official wenches guild is www.wench.org.

    Other then that there is the pirates guid, barbarian guild, etc etc.

    The original wenches guild was started as a lark by Lars Lunde of Lundegaard productions back around 1991/92 and it exploded. They are now at just about every major faire and are worldwide. You get a numbered pewter pin (your wench number), kiss cards, the Little Brown Book of Wenching, and so on. I believe they are approaching 5,000 members. Those wenches lucky enough to have joined way back when have hot cast bronze pins instead of pewter- pewter cast pins began around pin #275 or so. My understanding in wench lore bronze holders are treated like minor royalty, if you are a two digit holder you are treated like major royalty and if you are one of "The Nine" holding single digit you are basically a goddess. My wife is Pin #2 and when we visited Bristol Faire a few years ago the local wench guild went spastic when they discovered "Pin 2" was on site. Quite humorous...

    SO if you are interested in joining a guild you can look at the guilds on http://www.lundegaard.com/catalog/

    ANyway here are some pics of yesterday- first me in my custom made, full on dragon scale armor (I got tons of requests for pictures and had my arms around more hard bodied co-eds then I ever though possible) - its leather armor with a chainmail war kilt. The second pic is my wife in her high end barbarian garb carrying the sword I made for her years ago.

    Full kit:
    fulldragon.jpg

    Close-up of chainmail war kilt (airflow was superb):
    chainkilt.jpg

    The wife unit:
    lindaren.jpg
  • marinebiologist_girl
    marinebiologist_girl Posts: 300
    Well I'm not a rennie per se but I am an amateur historical (ly accurate) re-enactor. 11-12th century, mostly combat.
  • Ocarina
    Ocarina Posts: 1,550 Member
    We have a huge SCA community here in my area. I've never gone but my husband and his best friend have gone quite a bit. I'm curious about it but SO NERVOUS to go, lol.

    I did google up Ren Faires and didn't realize we had one so close! So I plan on checking it out later this year. :)
  • PlunderBunneh
    PlunderBunneh Posts: 1,705 Member

    ANyway here are some pics of yesterday- first me in my custom made, full on dragon scale armor (I got tons of requests for pictures and had my arms around more hard bodied co-eds then I ever though possible) - its leather armor with a chainmail war kilt. The second pic is my wife in her high end barbarian garb carrying the sword I made for her years ago.

    The wife unit:
    lindaren.jpg

    This is awesome. I wanna be you when I grow up.
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
    My boyfriend and I were at the Bristol Renaissance yesterday. It's our third summer going there but our first dressing in Faire attire! We were in your basic halloween shop costumes, Lord and Lady. But while we were there my BF bought a kilt (sexy!!!!!), white billowy shirt and leather merchant pouch. So it looks looks like I'm gonna have to step up my game with my Faire apparel next year too! We had so much fun! It's become a yearly event for us! If you haven't gone and have one near you....check it out, it's a great party!
  • hdsqrl
    hdsqrl Posts: 420 Member
    Mmmm...kilts. One of my BFFs has a gig fitting guys for kilts at faire. That has got to be the BEST job EVAR, let me just say. :D She's usually able to convince them to remove their shirts for a proper fitting, too. I go to visit her every chance I can during the faire day, hah!
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
    Mmmm...kilts. One of my BFFs has a gig fitting guys for kilts at faire. That has got to be the BEST job EVAR, let me just say. :D She's usually able to convince them to remove their shirts for a proper fitting, too. I go to visit her every chance I can during the faire day, hah!


    NICE! :wink:
  • muggs1090
    muggs1090 Posts: 45 Member
    MN Ren Fest is my home faire! Starts in 9 days, not that I'm counting down or anything. Wishing my outfits were to big but alas, this is not the case. I go every weekend to fest, my partner and I are part of out Fest Friends community. Hoping to convert to a nice cooler belly dancing outfit for those really warm days, gives me something to shoot for for next year. Anyways Hazzah!!
  • hdsqrl
    hdsqrl Posts: 420 Member
    Ahh, I'm jealous that yours starts so soon! I have nearly a MONTH to wait....it's killing me! :D
  • zerbe6982
    zerbe6982 Posts: 68
    I attend the Scarborough Renaissance Faire in Waxahachie, TX. It is a lot of fun and great food!
  • garnetmemory
    garnetmemory Posts: 41 Member
    Hail and well met!

    I've been attending faire since the late 1980s at NYRF. Current home faire is CTRF.

    IWG 280 Madame cum laude
    Madame Emeritus, Local 24 (New England)

    Privateer 325
    Quartermistress aboard the Privateer Grave Dancer

    Ren Merc 462, Battle Bytch
  • PlunderBunneh
    PlunderBunneh Posts: 1,705 Member
    You lucky ducks! The Colorado Renn rest is in the dead of summer. I dream of the things we could do with our attire if we weren't going to be spending a full day in 90-100 degree weather climbing hills. Nice thing about weight loss, I don't melt as much as I used to, but it is still not my idea of ideal weather for that many layers.
    At least TLAP day is in September...
  • AngryDiet
    AngryDiet Posts: 1,349 Member
    I don't know anything about Renaissance Faires, and they don't really interest me. But I do want to encourage the wenches: good job, wenches!
  • FionaNiConnor
    FionaNiConnor Posts: 90 Member
    Merry meet, good gentles.

    Ten year Rennie, part time SCAdian.
    Home faire: CTRF (ctfaire.com)
    SCA homeland: Barony of Carolingia, East Kingdom

    IWG 3082, Local 24
    Current Mistress of Song

    IFoRP 818
    Carpentrix, Second Mate, The Finné o' Bretragne

    Battle Bytch 839
    King Richard's Dragoons

    So far I've had to take in a few skirts, a kirtle, and a couple of pairs of bloomers. I've had to build a couple of new kirtles and tweak some sideless surcotes & their patterns, make some new skirts, and the Viking apron dress I hand sewed and embroidered has to be taken in by a ridiculous amount. Most of my bodices will survive for at least another year of weight loss. When I reach my goal weight, my custom Lusty Leather leather bodice will have to go back to her maker for a massive cut-down. I'll probably have to sell my Potted Fox and maybe trade in my Moresca. I'll definitely have to trade in my new Lady & The Leopard corset, which sucks because I really love that fabric!
    Luckily I know how to make bodices etc, so I can economically rebuild my garb collection.
  • swordsmith
    swordsmith Posts: 599 Member
    Home faire: CTRF (ctfaire.com)

    I totally forgot about CT Ren

    I will be up there for sure 13OCT. I am going to Mystic for the penguin 5K and will then don my armor (in my profile pic) and head up.

    Hope to meet a some of you MFPers up there! :)
  • garnetmemory
    garnetmemory Posts: 41 Member
    I know a few guild members who attend CTRF are on MFP, but I'll let them say hello themselves.

    When you come to CTRF, ask for the guild hostel and be sure to say hello to Lord RHUFF and Lady Reddy.
  • hdsqrl
    hdsqrl Posts: 420 Member
    For those of you who belong to the IWG, do you think joining is worth the effort/cost? It's something I've considered joining, but I don't know that our local chapter is terribly active, and as Faire is something I do for fun (not something I live for during the off-season), I have to wonder if it'd be a wise choice for me to join.

    Is it really just something you join so you can say you're a part of it (and have the pin), or are there actual ongoing benefits to being a part of the guild?
  • garnetmemory
    garnetmemory Posts: 41 Member
    For those of you who belong to the IWG, do you think joining is worth the effort/cost? It's something I've considered joining, but I don't know that our local chapter is terribly active, and as Faire is something I do for fun (not something I live for during the off-season), I have to wonder if it'd be a wise choice for me to join.

    Is it really just something you join so you can say you're a part of it (and have the pin), or are there actual ongoing benefits to being a part of the guild?

    I'd say is worth it. I've met some amazing people through membership in the guild. Then again as former madame for Local 24, I tend to be that way :)

    The New England local is very active at CTRF. He have a hostel on site and organize management-approved wenchings (and rogueings).

    If you are in MO, your local chapter is Local 29.
  • FionaNiConnor
    FionaNiConnor Posts: 90 Member
    For those of you who belong to the IWG, do you think joining is worth the effort/cost? It's something I've considered joining, but I don't know that our local chapter is terribly active, and as Faire is something I do for fun (not something I live for during the off-season), I have to wonder if it'd be a wise choice for me to join.

    Is it really just something you join so you can say you're a part of it (and have the pin), or are there actual ongoing benefits to being a part of the guild?

    As my dear GarnetMemory said, yes- totally worth it.

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