Renaissance Faire

Rubbing shoulders with royalty. The lady who plays the queen of the faire actually lives abroad and comes back each year to do this.

A different sort of rubbing entirely, here the girls do brass rubbings.

Our favorite pirate act apparently experienced some mutiny and this year the one returning performer did a solo act. He was good...bawdy...but good. Here he creates a fireball by spitting fuel through a flame.

We had a good time. We always do. As a former History teacher, I am convinced the best way to understand history is to experience it, and having a Ren. Faire in our backyard gives us a great chance to do just that. They offer visitors the opportunity to do a quest; kind of like a living version of the game clue. You are trying to find out who "offed" someone, what they did it with, and where the deed took place. To do that, you must talk to actors and actresses, all speaking in period-correct English. In return for clues you must do things like sing the "happy Unicorn" song or pledge your undying love to them. It's fun, and the kids get involved. We always solve the quest. This year's reward was a necklace and a pirate finger puppet. Nothing fancy, but the kids love trinkets of any size.