1. Renaissance Faire Instagram Flashback

    August 14, 2014 ♥ Posted in: Cosplay, Fashion/Beauty, Geek Events, Journal, Travel by Kristina Horner

    I love Renaissance Faires. I really love them.

    Usually I manage to make it to about one a year but in 2014 I’ve had the good fortune of attending THREE. I got to check out LA’s Pleasure Festival back in April, then I finally finally finally got to attend Faerieworlds down in Oregon in July, and I wrapped up my Renaissance circuit with the Midsummer Fantasy Faire right here in Washington this past weekend.

    I figured I would put together a compilation of photos from the events to share the experiences with you, dear readers. Photos go a lot further when it comes to these events.

    Row 1: The SoCal Pleasure Faire with Ariana, Tyler, Sammy and Joe! This one was so big we didn’t even realize we’d missed a whole section of booths and shops until the faire was almost over! We spent the day shopping, eating, and enjoying the fact that it wasn’t 100 degrees out, like most Faires we usually attend.

    That second picture has detail shots of all my new medieval swag (the best part of attending a Ren Faire is adding to your outfits each year; I’m totally guilty of overspending all the time). The third picture was just a funny vendor that made me laugh.

    Row 2: Faerieworlds is my new favorite event of all time. It’s sort of a Renaissance Faire meets music festival, and it’s right outside of Eugene, Oregon. I attended with some of my best friends: Eia, Joe, Justin, Ariana, Jenn and Liz. You set up camp, you shop, you dance, you listen to live music and you seriously unplug from everything else. We started the weekend in elaborate mythical creature costumes and ended up wearing next to nothing as it got hotter and dustier.

    That second picture is a bunch of us hanging out in a yurt that Ariana was totally in love with… they just left it open all the time, so it became our go to chill space when it was too hot during the day or too cold at night.

    The stage with constant folk music playing was a serious highlight, as was the fact that most booths and food vendors stayed open at all hours of the weekend. However, my favorite part was that there were workshops and activities for everyone – I spent a good amount of time with hula hoopers, learning new tricks (as you can see in the third picture) – while the others were at sword fighting workshops. It was truly amazing.

    Rows 3: This was our first day at the Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire with Eia, Ariana, Joe and Meagan. It included immediately getting my hair braided (because it was way too goddamn hot) and putting Eia in jail. It was her birthday, so it seemed like the thing to do. These guys publicly “arrested” her and dragged her over to be contained until she tap danced for them and sang Happy Birthday to herself.

    We’re great friends.

    This is the Faire I’ve been going to since high school, so it’s always fun to run into familiar faces and delight in how much the event grows each year.

    Row 4: The second day of the faire was absurd when it comes to impulse buys for just about everyone involved in the trip. Also Liz joined us. I bought mermaid ears (can you believe it!? mermaid ears that look totally amazing!) and a crystal flute. I’m not even joking you. If someone told me as a child that I would spend my hard earned adult money on mermaid ears and a crystal flute… well… I probably wouldn’t have been surprised. I was a weird kid.

    So that was my Renaissance Faire experience for the year, and I’m terribly saddened that it’s over for now. There are always yuletide feasts to look forward to, but I’ll miss the dusty paths of the faire, the turkey legs, the bards, the bodice ice. Until next year, huzzah!

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  2. Canterbury Renaissance Faire!

    July 24, 2013 ♥ Posted in: Geek Events, Travel by Kristina Horner

    This past weekend, my friends and I piled in the car and drove the four hours from Seattle down to Silverton, OR for the Canterbury Renaissance Faire!

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    Generally we go to our local faire in August, the Washington Midsummer Fantasy Faire – but due to a stroke of good fortune, I happened to pick a Fiesta Mission this month that instructed me to check out a Renaissance Faire. This was the perfect opportunity to see what other Faires go on in our area! In my searching, I found this one in Oregon  happening during the weekend we had available for the trip. So, knowing very little about where we were going or what it was going to be like, we donned our festive gear and arrived at the thicket of trees housing the Canterbury Faire.

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    This Faire was amazing! Not only was nearly everything shady (thank you, foliage of the Pacific Northwest!) but walking around amidst the trees and dirt actually made the experience feel that much more authentic. It was a bit smaller than the Faire we’re used to, but there was no shortage of incredible vendors, the food was delicious (love a good Turkey leg) and the people were so friendly and welcoming.

    My friends and I spent a good deal of time at Oberon’s, the onsite Tavern with a selection of beers, ciders and honey mead. The Faire itself closed at 6pm each day, but we found that the Tavern stays open well into the night. We headed back after changing into what I like to call “Ren faire garb phase two”, which means unlacing bodices and leaving utility belts of knick knacks behind. Clothed in only a flowy red dress, I returned to the Tavern with my party where we enjoyed a bit more mead than we maybe needed and befriended people with names like Talon, Spiral and Lord Rose.

    We also got our Tarot cards read by a lovely women who informed me that I have a guardian angel following me around.

    While Saturday was full of shopping and eating and exploring, Sunday was a day of hilarity. Liz was entered in a beauty pageant, I helped invent hybrid drinks at the Tavern and was propositioned to be a model of leather headpieces for one of the merchants, and Justin was employed as the bodyguard to the ambassador to the Queen. Thus we didn’t see him for hours. You think I am joking here, but I’m not. This actually happened.

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    All in all, The Canterbury Faire was a lovely event that graced my friends and I with a magical, medieval weekend. I so enjoy going to Renaissance Faires, because the people there are the kindest, most interesting and fun people you can meet. Also, there is nothing wrong with a weekend where costumes and role playing are encouraged. My costume carries no weapons yet features both a wand and a potion bottle – I like to image the person I’m portraying has a couple of dark secrets.

    I truly hope I can make it to another Faire this year, and I’d love to hear about your favorite Ren Faire experiences below! Also, stayed tuned for an Outfit of the Day post on my full medieval ensemble!

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