Creative Ways to Stay Safe in the Shire

Across the country, Renaissance Faires and Festivals are opening after a year of closures. My local festival, Sterling Renaissance Festival, is set to open in July and I will be returning as a vendor at my booth near the jousting field. The festival community is so creative, and I am looking forward to seeing how vendors, performers, and visitors incorporate safety into their garb! I’ve seen so many cool masks pop up on Faire Relief 2020 and across the internet, so I wanted to share some of my favorites with you - plus some other clever ways to encourage social distancing with your garb!

Face Masks

I hope to have a couple masks to match my garb throughout the season. Here are some of my favorite choices. Please note that some of these masks are decorative and should be paired with functional masks. Click the pictures to go to the stores.

Scale Mail by Pixie Shadow Craft

https://www.etsy.com/shop/PixieShadowCraft

Dragon Print Mask by Racaire's Workshop

https://www.racaire.com/product-category/face-mask/

Leather Mask by Crimson Chain Leatherworks

https://www.etsy.com/shop/CrimsonChain

Embroidered Masks by Folk Project

https://folk-project.com/collections/face-masks

Plague Mask by Avalon Leatherworks

https://www.avalon-leatherworks.com/s/shop

A Wing-Width Away

Need a reminder to spread out? Nothing a 6 foot wingspan can’t fix! Granted, these may not be 6 ft on each side, but I’ll take any excuse to wear fairy wings! Click the pictures to go to the stores.

Byrning Raven

https://www.etsy.com/shop/ByrningRaven

Wearable Whimzy

https://wearablewhimzy.com/

Thistles Workshop

https://www.etsy.com/shop/ThistlesWorkshop

Angel Wing Makers

https://www.angelwingmakers.com/

Personal Space Skirt

If wings aren’t for you, maybe you’d like to add width at the bottom of your silhouette? Luckily, there is a lot of flexibility for visitor garb at the festival, so there are a variety of ways to enlarge your skirts to make a nice little barrier around yourself even if the silhouette you choose isn’t 100% time period accurate. Click the pictures to go to the stores.

Potomac & Wolfstone

https://www.potomacwolfstone.com/

Silver Leaf Costumes

https://www.etsy.com/shop/silverleafcostumes

Moresca

https://moresca-clothing-costume.myshopify.com/

Treasure Farie

https://www.facebook.com/treasurefarie

Don’t Forget to Accessorize!

I know I plan to have hand sanitizer available at my booth, but it’s a good idea to carry some around with you as well. I’ve seen some creative sanitizer holsters, or you can disguise yours in a bottle or just carry it in your trusty pouch. Click the pictures to go to the stores.

My Funky Camelot

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MyFunkyCamelot

Fired Figments

www.etsy.com/shop/firedfigments

Crimson Chain Leatherworks

https://www.etsy.com/shop/CrimsonChain

Bags That Bite

https://www.etsy.com/shop/BagsThatBite

Potomac & Wolfstone

https://www.potomacwolfstone.com/

I’ll be visiting my booth soon to plan out traffic flow and display changes to make the shopping experience as safe as possible. I look forward to sharing these alterations with you and hope to safely see everyone at the festival this summer!

Acknowledging Racism in the Ren Faire Community

As a Ren Faire patron for over 10 years and as an artist with fantasy/ faire influences, I was proud to see Digital Ren Faire acknowledge the existence of racism in the community and provide some resources to combat this behavior. I’ve quoted their June 1st Facebook post here, but encourage you to check out their pages for entertainment as well!

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A MESSAGE FROM THE WIZARDS: While the Digital Ren Faire usually attempts to provide a refuge from the weighty matters of the modern world, there comes a point where we must speak to provide clarity.

Each of us behind the scenes has struggled with the fact that while Renaissance Faires attempt to create an inclusive environment, they are often euro-centric places and sometimes do not foster good environments for performers of color. We have all heard horror stories from festivals where management and/or audience members have accepted the presence of dragons and fairies, but not a black man in noble garb. This is not what we are here to create.

There are parts of the history of the Renaissance to be acknowledged. For example, the Peasant Revolts (also known as “The Crisis of the Late Middle Ages”), during which rebellions sprung up across Europe, spurred on by a peasantry that had been oppressed for centuries. Without them, we might still be living in a feudal society. Also, the idea of “Carnival,” most famous in Venice, when performers could exercise free speech and critique those in power through elaborate revels. Or, if we jump a few decades past the Renaissance, the ideals of the Quakers, who often resorted to guerrilla tactics to protest for religious freedom, and who organized the first Anti-Slavery protest in the New World in 1688. This is the spirit of Renaissance history that we embrace.

As always, we are committed to providing a platform for performers of all walks of life, and we will continue to air programs full of music, laughter, and love that allow a short respite for those needing a breath of fresh air. Know that all are welcome and protected within our pixelated castle walls.

If you would like to pursue deeper exploration of these ideas, please click here:

Black Nerd Problems article: https://blacknerdproblems.com/yes-there-were-black-people-…/
Black Bristol Photo Album: https://blackbristol.wixsite.com/blackbristol
People of Color in European Art History: https://medievalpoc.tumblr.com/

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Some additional suggestions from Fired Figments for Black creators that faire-goers will enjoy:

https://www.instagram.com/brownsugarfairies/
https://www.brownsugarfairies.com/
https://www.instagram.com/neiceythefairy/
https://www.instagram.com/ginaxanadu/
https://www.etsy.com/shop/BlackUnicornShop
https://www.instagram.com/mintfaery/
https://mintfaery.wixsite.com/mintcoven
https://www.instagram.com/averiverastudio/
https://www.averivera.com/

The Four Essential Renaissance Festival Accessories for Any Costume

It’s almost my favorite time of year - Renaissance Festival season! There are Renaissance Festivals happening all year long across the country, but here in New York, I’m prepping for the New York Renaissance Faire. There are so many costumes to choose from: royalty, wenches, pirates, fairies, fawns, rogues, mages, and more! But no matter what character you choose, these four accessories are essential for any costume.

1. Shoes

They say that shoes can make or break an outfit, and that is very true of any time period costume. The most important thing is to have shoes that are comfortable because you’ll be doing a lot of walking. But if you also don’t your shoes to break the immersion of your costume, there are some guidelines to follow. But don’t worry, you don’t need dedicated Ren Faire shoes - there are plenty of modern shoes that can work for your costume. Here are some ideas:

• Most leather-look sandals will work, but stay away from simple flip flops. You want something with straps that will hold the sandal to your foot - as much for style as for practicality while walking around the festival.

• Canvas slip-ons like TOMS or BOBS are a great option. Make sure you wear solid colored shoes, and not any with a crazy print.

• Other simple flats or loafers can also maintain the Renaissance look. The more nondescript, the better. Your shoes don’t have to be spot on, but the main goal is to not clash with the feel of your costume.

• Boots can complete your look, but make sure you don’t pick anything too modern. Think pirates, Robin Hood, or riding boots.

If you are ready to pick out special shoes just for the Renaissance Festival, there are lots of online vendors offering a variety of styles. You can even get custom boots or shoes made by artisans at the faire! The shoes in this picture are by Medieval Moccasins.

2. Belt

A belt is used for both function and fashion at the Renaissance Festival. You can usually spot a life-long festival goer by their loaded belt. Their belt will be filled with pouches, a fan, a goblet or tankard, plus a half dozen little accessories that can be bought on the festival grounds. It’s rare to even see their belt under all the trinkets that can be kept on it. At its very base purpose, a good belt can keep you hands-free at the festival by carrying your last two essential accessories. Make sure you pick out something wide and sturdy so that it can support carrying everything you need. I found this vintage belt at a thrift store, but you can also find a beautiful artisan-made belt right at the festival.

3. Pouch

Also known as a “bag of holding,” your pouch will act as your purse for the day. There are lots of options for pouches right at the festival. Some are more structured with loops on the back to hold on tight to your belt. Others are simple bags like the one in this picture. I bought this pouch from Potomac Leather over ten years ago and have used the same one ever since! I call it a Mary Poppins pouch because it fits EVERYTHING. Here’s what I can fit in my pouch all at once:

• Water bottle (standard plastic bottle size - I don’t bring these anymore - see accessory #4)

• Car keys

• Wallet

• Phone

• Lip balm

• Festival map/brochure

• A sandwich bag of almonds

• A sandwich bag of grapes

I stuff everything into my one big pouch, but you can also buy a few smaller pouches to decorate your belt and reduce the need for digging through your bag.

4. Ceramic Bottle

Hydration is key. You’ll be walking around the festival in the summer sun and need to make sure you stay hydrated. A ceramic bottle gives you a costume-appropriate way to carry water with you and let’s you skip buying a disposable plastic water bottle at the festival. Plus, here’s a cool tip: Fill up your bottle and put it in the fridge overnight. Ceramic is a natural insulator so it’ll stay cold longer throughout the day. You can find my handmade ceramic bottles online or at the New York Renaissance Faire!

I hope this article helps you plan your festival costume! Is there anything already in your closet that you will use? What’s on your shopping list?