Saturday: Went to small mountain to climb on rocks and fly kite. Accomplished former; weather did not cooperate with the latter endeavor. The Lad is came hope in worse shape than he was in when he left, if that’s possible. Gonna have to whip that boy into shape…
Sunday: Kommencement was the bee’s knees. Actually, it left me with the bee’s knees, seemingly – between pre-club sex and skunque kicking my ass round the dance floor, it’s a wonder I could stand up by the end of the night. Got to see all the beautiful people I missed the last time or two out. Happies!
Today: PA Renn Faire. avivahg beat me to it, but here’s my impression of the PA Faire, vs. the MD one.
It’s closer.
Everything, from admission to wares to beer, is more expensive. A lot more expensive. As in, $4.75 for a beer.
I had to stand in a long line for beer. Unlike MD’s multiple pubs and beer stands, selling a variety of beers, there’s maybe 2-3 places to buy beer and wine (one of which was closed), all selling the same microbrewery’s ales. I didn’t see any mead.
Architecture/decoration is comparable.
Practically the only people in garb were the people either selling something or trying to entertain us. Even some of the employees were dressed mundane. Many of those who were in cotume looked like they hadn’t spent a lot of time or money on it. This is a big deal for me, because a big part of the reason I go to Faire is for eye candy and the sense of being in another time and place.
PA had real bathrooms as opposed to the porta-pots in MD, and water fountains as well.
The jousting at PA owed more to Looney-Tunes than to the SCA.
Overall, there was a completely different vibe in PA. It was less one of revelry, and more of gawking. It felt more like Disneyland, both in the sense of being surrounded by redneck tourists, and in the sense that the common objective [of fleecing us for every penny we carried] was less artfully concealed.
I think we’ll stick to MD in future. My apologies to the PA shadowandlight and co. We appreciate the invitation, and we did enjoy it. Just not enough to go back.
There is a good reason that we call PA Faire REN DISNEY.
I have been invited to vend there several times. It’s almost three times as much to vend there as MDRF. Plus I did their Celtic Fling show and lost money.
About the ONLY thing I like there is that they have horses roaming the grounds with the carts…. even though that adds to the rendisneyesqueness.
I’d far rather be a rose wench at MD. Or doing anything at MD.
sorry the PA one wasnt so great – at least you know now! thought about K but just couldnt swing it, perhap another sunday 🙂