That's simple.
I go to faire because faire doesn't come to me!






Sorry Rich, couldn't resist being a smart ass.

It's where I fit. My characters are tend to be very friendly and dramatic when they are lower class. When I feel like being snooty I become a noble for the weekend. Not feeling like a complete freak for knowing history, being out going, or any other number of my odd quirks, for even just 3 days out of a month a nice relief. It's also a great place to people watch and make great friends.

Let's see.

I like playing dress-up. I like history. I like music. I like "just pretend." I'm fascinated by watching creative people create. So many of the people who "play" Faire are just brilliant; talented and intelligent and fun. Faire is dynamic and Live, not recorded.

Anyone can play along... on a limited level or full involvement. Even the most casual visitor is immersed in and surrounded by this particular experience. It's up close and personal.

My whole family enjoys doing this together (my daughter's friends think she has "cool" parents.) I also have a nostalgic soft spot for memories from my high school/college years (late 60's/early 70's.)

Richard, you asked why anyone would choose Faire over, for example, Disneyland. Well, budget permitting, Disneyland is another of our family's favorite activities for many of the same reasons. One main difference is that anyone who wants to do so can feel/be more of a *part* of Faire. It is a delightful spectator activity, but anyone can also join in and play along, to whatever degree is comfortable for them.

I was attracted due to the love and romantism of the time period. I went as a patron once and had an amazingly fun time. That was all it took for me to be bitten by the faire bug and now am a regular participant. As to your question in regards to why faire and not Disneyland? Disneyland is a nice place to visit and have fun but that is about it. Don't get me wrong, I love going to Disneyland as well. They call it the happiest place on earth but if you could go to D-land and spend the whole weekend there from openning to closing for seven weekends would you and would you be just as excited for the weekend to come? I believe the answer is no.

Sorry for rambling ... back to answering your question. Disneyland is just that, a fun place to visit. Faire on the other hand is beyond that. Disneyland is the same every day but no two faire days are the same. At faire, you live and become part of the experience no matter if you are dressed or not. At the mouse house, it is quite clear what your role is. There is magic at faire that can't be described. It is evident even during the week when there is no one there. Perhaps it is not the site itself but what it represents for each of us bringsa part of the magic with us and bestows upon it to the patrons who visit.

Hmmm... Lots of reasons really. Originally it was just something cool, and different from what all my other friends were doing. It was more involved than "hangin' out" at someone's house, or cruisin' the mall with my girlfriends. Admittedly, it was also to meet boys.. I say "boys" because I was only 14 at the time. Fast forward to years later; and now I do it to challenge myself. In my 21st Century life I have to be very guarded and closed off toward people. I have to remain emotionally detatched, and efficient at my job. Faire is a way for me to open up & be someone in another time that I don't have to portray as "me". Granted, much of my own personality comes out in my character, but that's where the challenge comes in to stop being Me, and be Mistress Jane Wyatt- daughter of an executed traitor. I truly enjoy being able to step out of the 21st century, and into the 16th century, and bring a romantic, explosive, dangerous, uncertain time to real life. When you consider that if the outcome of any one part of Elizabeth's reign were different Europe, and possibly even the U.S., would be very different places today. History would've been rewritten.

Disney can't afford to NOT have the storybook ending. But the difference between going to faire every weekend for 7 weeks (PLUS off-season rehearsals, PLUS 4 weeks of pre-faire build-up/workshops) and going to Disneyland is that Disneyland's routine is more or less the same EVERYTIME. Parades, characters, rides... Pretty much everyone that comes through the turnstiles at Disneyland knows all about the characters & movies and their outcome. The princess ALWAYS get her prince. Good ALWAYS triumphs over evil. Conversely; REP actively ENCOURAGES it's actors from themed characters right down to the boothies & ale stands to improv. Engage the audience. Tell your history, even it's a made-up "everyday Joe" character that just brings a slice of life. I like Disneyland. I love their staff & characters. I love that they go so far out of the way to accomodate guests so they have a good time. True story: Just this last year I took my daughter to Disneyland for her birthday. At the ticket booth my sister told the attendant that it was her birthday. The attendant gave my daughter a button with her name announcing that it was her birthday and ALL DAY, EVERYWHERE we went a staff member said "Happy Birthday (daughter's name)!" That was amazing to the ego of a little girl. It's their "magic".

We at faire, however, offer a part of theater that Disneyland does not. We don't just appear at the Castle at 1pm for 20 minutes for pictures, and then are escorted away. MOST of our characters have a REAL history that don't necessarily have storybook endings. And when an actor/tress is so good at bringing that history to life, it drives home to the average student (adult or child) that these were REAL people facing uncertain futures. Our characters are out & about ALL DAY LONG. We interact, get on your level, and engage the audience to speak to/with us. We eat, play, fight, bicker, dance and speak, and have mannerisms as Elizabethan's would have had and the audience is amazed by our "magic". You can't put that kind of background research into "Cinderella". And Elizabeth never got her prince.

I enjoy the atmosphere at the KC Renaissance Festival.

Plus where else can I wear a kilt and not be looked at strange for it or indulge my love of bladed weapons.

I grew up there. Worked faire since conception. Can't help it, it's in the blood.

because the parents pay me good money to paint their childrens faces.

I had posted this in my blog about a week ago... I think it answers your question:


I have been getting quite a few messages lately regarding my recent activities concerning faire.

Glen? Why are you so adamant about an emailed newsletter?

Glen? Why do you keep trying to get people excited about faire?

Glen? Why do you keep throwing jokes into serious conversations? (well duh, Hi, my name is Glen, have you met me?)

Faire, to me is a playground. Unlike many others, it is not the source of my income generation. I don’t go to faire to make money. HOWEVER, faire, is supposed to be a money making operation. Meaning, if it doesn’t succeed, if the people I know who work there to make money do not, then the faire will go away and my playground will go away.

I use faire as an escape. Many of you know that my life gives me very few opportunities for escape. (well, I take that back, I try to find them, but my life keeps me from getting to enjoy them as often as I would like) I missed Dickens, Santa Con, and Zombie Fest this year. Faire is something I rarely have to miss. I commit myself and my time, and my wife understands its importance to me.

Why do I like faire so much? Ok… so for a moment, let’s not take into account that 95% of my friends came from faire (yeah, met some of the bastards at work) Indirectly, my job came from faire, my wife came from faire (they had a booth where you could get those, who knew?) and the people who’s trust and lives I hold most dearly came from there.

Now, as much as I love the history of that era (because really I should have been born back then) I do not have the historical propensity that many of you have. I am not good with names and or dates. I can respect the history, and I will do my best to keep with it for the show, but it is not as much my thing as everything else.

The clothes? Meh, I could live without the heat, but it is fun for Giovanni to peacock down the street with a noble woman on his arms. Jacob on the other hand… Honestly.. the man wears leather and gets to play with all of the beautiful women of the Well. How can he keep from being cool and happy.

I do enjoy the Innuendo. Double Entendre: Come to archery and stick something long and hard into something soft and yielding.
Single Entendre: Hey you? Wanna fuck? (kidding)
And then the ever popular “NICE SHOES!”

The flirting… oh yes the flirting… The kissing of a woman’s hand because really, that is done far too infrequent in society lately. Lord knows this world could do with a little (or a lot) more of that. The nape of a woman’s neck should be officially declared a national park, because I could camp there for HOURS.

The language, what a wonderful way to spend your day; waxing poetic in the language of the bard or even throwing out the saucy chides of a peasant.

I think, above all else (because really, the flirting, the friends, and the entendre, and language aren’t NEARLY enough for any normal person) - bwahahaha I almost called myself normal

I think what does it for me, is the all encompassing chance to be someone else and entertain while doing it. To walk up to complete strangers, pick on them, tease them, bring them into your game. Make them laugh, make them want to come back, make them want to spend money. And even (gasp) make them want to play with us. Now, could I do this while in a big mouse suit at DL? Perhaps. They don’t get the chance to suck people into their world nearly as much as we do.

To be able to walk across the food court, and while people are eating, step up on the table, walk over, and curse them for eating in your path. And then sitting down with them and smile as they offer you a taste. NOTHING beats that. Calling a man out, so you can steal his woman. (or at least steal a kiss)

Where else in the world can you just have THAT MUCH FUN? (and not get arrested or beaten up)

Nowhere. Nowhere at all. So… that being said people… I will not stop doing EVERYTHING I can.. to make it a better faire. I will not stop doing EVERYTHING I CAN… to ensure I have a place to play. Because if faire goes away… I don’t have such a place.

You have two choices… Embrace my craziness, or get the hell out of my way. It is gonna be one hell of a ride this year… Be afraid, be VERY afraid.

For me it's all about the dancing. As one of the Court Dance Masters I truly enjoy Elizabethan Dancing and showing others how much fun it is. I also love the photography. So many colors and people and amazing things at Faire to photograph. Wish I had more time this year!