I LOVE THE REN FAIRE! And with the Bristol Faire now once again in season, I think it’s time to cover the basics of what to expect when traveling back in time this summer. If you’ve never been to a Ren faire, I hope this helps to demystify the experience for you. If you are a faire veteran, I hope this brings back fond memories and encourages everyone to plan a trip out there soon!

I’ve been attending ren faires on and off since I was a wee lass. When I was young my parents loved taking me with them to the nearby faire, and additionally, us kids were carted off every year for school field trips during my elementary school years. (Which was pretty much the best field trip ever!) Attending the ren faire became an event I looked forward to annually with an open heart and a bottle of sunscreen. (I’m from Texas, y’all. You don’t go ANYWHERE in the summer without a bottle of sunscreen at your side.) However after moving to Chicago, I fell away from the faire due to timing, transportation and work commitments. Luckily, over the past few years I’ve been able to rediscover my love of Ren faires by traveling up to Wisconsin for the Bristol Ren faire. This post is splattered with photos from my 2008-2011 trips.

With the ridiculous amount of faire exposition I just put forth in that last paragraph, it’s probably not shocking that I have a hard time remembering that there are people who have never been to a Renaissance Fair. So let me give a quick rundown for those of you not quite sure what to make of these annual historic festivals.

First off, make sure you are talking about a FAIRE and not a FAIR. FAIRs are full of delicious fried foods, midways with hard to win games, crafty artisans and interesting characters whose home sewn costumes look straight out of another time. FAIREs are full of the same things, but there’s an extra E at the end.

Secondly, bring an open mind. Ren faires are fun. You should be having fun. If you are not having fun, try wandering to another part of the faire. There really is something for everyone, and the great thing about Ren faires is that everybody is welcome to just be themselves. I’ve seen families with small children dressed as adorable princes and princesses feet away from a group of drunken polo-wearing bros who are feet away from a man in a fringed black robe with rainbow wings. You should also probably bring comfortable shoes, sunscreen, cash, a friend or two, and a water bottle.

This is going to lead me into costumes: You don’t HAVE to wear a costume. (Although, I like to live by the mantra that EVERYTHING we chose to wear in our lives is a costume.) At the Ren faire - most people will be in regular street clothes. Some people will have the illusion of a wearing a costume (maxi skirt, corset top, peasant shirt, etc) and other people won’t be wearing much at all. A lot of the people in full costumes will be on staff at the faire, a few of them will be patrons, and NONE of them will bite you.

When I was younger, my favorite thing to do was get my face painted and hair braided. (Well, get my face painted and lament that my waist length hair was WAY too long to be braided.) But now my FAVORITE part of any Ren faire is the food. Personal must haves: garlic pickles, candied nuts, giant turkey legs, an artichoke, and orange sherbet in an orange. My trick is to eat a small breakfast at home, hit up lunch when I arrive, then grab a quick dinner before leaving. Desserts should be eaten early and often.

But besides the food, here are my top three reasons to attend a Ren faire:

Number 1) Shopping

The artists at Ren faires are talented and high personable craftsmen. You can see a lot of them demonstrating their skills, and I always recommend stopping by a glass blowing demonstration. If you are looking to buy a one-of-a-kind souvenir, you are at the perfect place to pick up a little handmade something for yourself– supporting local and independent artists in the process.

Number 2) Rides

This is something probably more for the little kids in your life (or the little kid in your heart.) There are a lot of fabulous man powered rides at the RenFaire. Who says you need electricity to have a good time? Physics! It works for fun!

Number 3) Shows and Performers

Ever wanted to run away and join the faire? You will after seeing a show or two. They have all sorts of performers from insult comics to acrobatics—and a bit of everything in between. If you enjoy an act, make sure to tip up, this is how these performers make their living. Don’t force them back to their day jobs.

And on a final note: Embrace Anachronisms. Like I said, IT’S FUN.

(Ladies’ Room Line: The wait from this point is 5 minutes)

Any first time faire goers out there? Or is everyone a veteran? Let me know what parts of the faire going experience are your favorite!