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.