Renaissance Faire Survival Guide
I have been working at renaissance faires all over the Western United States for over a decade, and attending them as a customer since long before that! They are strange, but wonderful events that capture the imaginations of all kinds of people. There is really something for everyone, but a few simple tips will help you get more enjoyment from your time at a faire.
1. Water
Alcoholic beverages are the drink that ren faires are known for serving. Imbibing can be a fun part of your day, but most renaissance faires take place in the hotter months of the year. Try to match your alcohol intake with equal amounts of water. Dehydration and overheating are the most common reasons for First Aid treatment of faire customers, especially those in costume.
2. Shoes
The average renaissance faire visitor will walk over four miles at a large faire. Most of that will be on uneven dirt paths, which make the mileage even harder on your feet. Wear comfortable, supportive shoes to maximize your fun and enjoyment. I also suggest wearing closed toed shoes because of all the dirt (sweaty feet + dirt = toe mud... eww). Sexy spike heeled boots may seem like a wonderful idea when you leave the house, but you may regret wearing them by the end of the day as you're hobbling to the exit.
3. Map
It's vital that you know where to find different shows, food vendors, and most importantly, the ale stands and restrooms. This will save you lots of time if you want to be on a schedule, or let you know which direction to wander if you don't have a specific destination in mind. Most faires hand out maps as you enter the front gate.
4. Privies
Commonly known as Port-a-Potties, these are one of the drawbacks of visiting most renaissance faires. They are not pleasant, but there are ways to make the experience less miserable. First, go to the units farthest from the entrance to the port-a-potty area. These are usually the least used and the cleanest. Leave most of your stuff with your friends when you go in, because you want to limit the contamination and avoid dropping things into the Privy abyss.
5. Cash
Faires are a wonderful place to buy jewelry, costumes, art, and so much more directly from the artists. It's a great opportunity, however, the methods of payment that you can use may vary from booth to booth. Most merchants can accept credit card payments thanks to the magic of smart phones, but there are still a few who can't. Ale stands are usually cash-only as well, and it's good form to leave tips for servers and performers. Be ready for that and bring cash with you to avoid the crazy ATM fees and lines that happen at most faires.
6. Costumes
Costumes are one of the best things about visiting renaissance faires. You will see a huge variety of outfits, including stunning historically accurate recreations, pirates, fairies and fantasy creatures, vikings, Stormtroopers, and SO MUCH MORE! Feel free to dress up and join in the fun, but remember tip #2 from above. Costumes made from natural fibers are the best because they breath in the heat. Avoid large amounts of leather because it can get really hot, and avoid rubber at all costs!!!
7. Shows
I'll admit, I'm a little biased here. I love performing and faire crowds are wonderful! Renaissance faire shows will have a unique feel to them and are usually very interactive. Be sure you read signs or program descriptions before you sit down to watch something, especially if you have kids with you. Some shows contain some naughty content, but usually they are clearly marked. Be sure to buy something or leave a tip at the end of the show if you enjoyed it. Renaissance faire performers work hard for their art, and are usually paid MUCH less than minimum wage, IF they are paid at all. Show your appreciation for their hard work by helping fill their gas tanks and their tankards!
8. Safety
Renaissance faires are a melting pot of different 
types of people, with some alcohol and costumes tossed in for fun. They are safe, but as with any public situation (conventions, amusement parks, county fairs, concerts, etc) you need to be aware of your surroundings. Inevitably, there are those few people who will get drunk and inappropriate. They may be inappropriate with you, or with each other. PLEASE REPORT THEM TO SECURITY! You can do this by finding a security person, or by telling the nearest ale stand or booth. We work very hard to create a fun place, and we don't want our hard work to be in vain because of a few jerks.
**IMPORTANT: Remember that not everyone wearing a costume is a faire employee!!! Many people dress up and pretend that they are part of the show, but they paid for their ticket just like you. These "playtrons" are usually at the root of most behavior complaints since they are not trained to interact with the costumers. If someone in a costume is making you feel uncomfortable, be direct! Tell them to stop, then report them to security so it doesn't happen to someone else!
9. Parking
Most faire parking is a big dirt field. If you're lucky, there might be some flags or lines to help show you where to go. If you are VERY lucky, there might be some people pointing for you. By the end of the day it will ALL LOOK THE SAME!! A sea of dust covered cars is hard to navigate. Use a handy Car-Finding App if you have one, or at very least, take a picture with some stuff in the background to reference later. Trust me.
10. Open Mind
Renaissance faires are AMAZING. They are such an eclectic mixing of different aspects of the human experience. A mix of history, art vendors, concert, carnivals, reenactments, conventions, food festival, and costume party! I love it! Come to faire with an open mind, ready to experience something truly unique.
To find a renaissance faire near you, visit Renaissance Magazine's Renaissance Faire List!
EDIT: I've received some great comments on this article! Here are a few more tips!
- Wear sunscreen and reapply it during the day! Hats are your friends!
- Pack well so that your things are easy to carry. Keep an eye on your stuff!
Huzzah!
Huzzah! Ren Faire has Arrived!!
The Southern California Renaissance Faire opened this weekend. It was the largest opening day in the faire's 50 year history. Yep, this year is the 50th anniversary of this faire!
I have been performing at Southern for over a decade now and this was by far the best opening weekend I've ever had. Our shows went wonderfully, our new t-shirts sold well, and our new songs were well received by the audience. Most importantly, my new funny drinking song had the audience laughing in all the right places. You never can tell 
what the audience will find funny. I've written songs that I thought were brilliant that didn't even earn as much as a cricket chirp from the audience, so it's always very rewarding when they enjoy a song. I'll be writing more verses in the next week to perform next weekend.
I'm very happy about our new t-shirts, which were designed by yours truly and the amazingly talented Sam Balcomb. The rooster one debuted last year, but the swallow shirts are brand new. Both were inspired by some very funny songs that we perform.
I have a few days to rest up between weekends. You know it's faire season when going to work on Monday morning seems easy compared to wearing 4 layers of clothing (including a bodice) and singing full volume in the sun on a 90 degree day. Yes, I have an insane hobby... but it's fun! If you haven't been to the renaissance faire before, you should go! It's a totally unique experience.
Debut of Sif & WonderCon
What a crazy weekend! I am still recovering and it's Thursday. Seriously, who's idea was it to have my Irish music persona and cosplay persona collide? Two days of cosplaying at a convention with a concert and night of heavy drinking in between is not the best idea. Fun, but not the best idea.
Sif debuted at WonderCon and was a huge success. I was asked to pose for more pictures than ever before and got more complements than ever before, despite the fact that most people couldn't identify my character. Oh well, they still appreciated the craftsmanship and the overall impact. I consider this to be my most successful cosplay to date.
There are many reasons for this, but here is a list of the biggest differences between Sif and my previous cosplays:
- I was the only Sif at WonderCon (I'm pretty sure) and this made me stand out. It also helps that I was nearly 6ft of bright red woman warrior. I did not blend in.
- I finally invested in a good quality makeup kit. It made a huge difference in the photos and the quality of the images that were taken at this convention. I felt a little ridiculous putting it on the first day, but the impact it had on my cosplay was undeniable. I looked good the morning after St. Patrick's Day! I can't even begin to explain how amazing that is!
- I'm getting better at posing and working the convention floor. Despite my experience working at Renaissance Faire and performing on stage, it's taken me a while to get comfortable as a cosplayer at conventions. I still have things to work on, but I'm getting much more comfortable.
- I picked a character very suited to my body type and physical features. This is always a smart move with cosplayers. A woman as tall as I am can look awkward in group pictures, but when you're supposed to be a Norse goddess it makes more sense. I'm working on some cosplays for San Diego ComicCon that are not in my body type, we will see how that goes...
- My outfit is friggin' leather. That's just stinkin' impressive and badass. Not to brag, but it is!
I still have improvements to make to this outfit, but overall I am incredibly pleased with how everything turned out. I'm hoping to have a photo shoot with this outfit very soon and will be posting a gallery once I finish collecting all the images off the internet. If you have a good picture, please email it to me! I'd love to see it!
I did discover that this is the best cosplay to wear in cold or rainy weather. It was POURING rain on Saturday. The cloak is very resistant to water and isn't harmed by the rain! The hood flips up to protect my leather headpiece and makeup. Even the boots are actually pleather rain boots! It was unplanned, but it worked out very well on this stormy WonderCon weekend.
WonderCon was a very fun convention, and I hope it returns to Anaheim again next year. There is a bigger variety of vendors at this show since the booths are probably much cheaper than at SDCC. The crowds are also much smaller. Everyone says it's like SDCC was 10 years ago, but I wouldn't know. I love the current Comic-Con for all it's crazy size and commercialism, but I really enjoyed WonderCon as well. The parking was a mess. The traffic in the whole area was terrible and the shuttle buses were a mess because of it. We spent a very large percent of Sat dealing with that situation. Not fun. I highly recommend getting a hotel in walking distance, or if you wait until the last minute like I did, get a hotel with a shuttle. Sunday was very much improved because of my Saturday night hotel stay and the parking/shuttle it provided. That was my only real problem with this convention, and it was made worse by the rain. I hope they can come up with some productive solutions for next year to keep the traffic flowing more smoothly.
Overall, it was an amazing weekend that I will never forget! I met and got to spend time with so many incredible people and revel in my two favorite pastimes, performing (cosplaying and an MWOW concert) and drinking. What could be better?