> They hold an annual "Renaissance Fair" on the state fairgrounds (five minutes away from our apartment, w00t), too. Jacqueline and I went to it last year and were severely disappointed to find that it was essentially a hangout for people into the "Goth" look. Except for the dependable attendance of the duellists from the SCA, it was a lousy excuse for a Renaissance fair. Even the jousting, such as it was, was not 733t.
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> Iss " 'Roustabouts like us joust when we bust, with percussion usherin' in the presence of cavalry' --Redbonz" achar

The Texas Renaissance Festival is probably the neatest one I've been to. The one they have up here, in Sterling Forest, just a few miles from the NY/NJ border, they have scripted events throughout the fair. Sounds cool. Unfortunately, it's the same thing every year.

Back in Texas, when they jousted, they actually jousted. Up at the NY RenFair, the joust is scripted. (The losing jousters would have a few passes then unconvincingly hop off of their horses.) Even the living chess match was scripted.

Like Maryam, I too get slightly irked at fantasy garb at the RenFair. People milling about in thier 21st Century clothing is fine, people making an attempt to wear period clothing, fine; people wearing wings or shoulder dragons or little horns in their hair? Eh. But that doesn't bug me as much as people wearing period and smoking.

-Faux "Smoking in general bugs me." Pas