Medieval Faire

Merry Meet!!

Gaelyn and I went to the Medieval Faire last week. I have been going for years with my circle sisters. Throughout the year I make shawls and tarot pouches with celtic designs and herbal candles and little spell books and decoupaged boxes and other witchy/ medieval goods. I make enough of a profit to stay at the faire for the whole week and enjoy being with my circle sisters and other folk who practice the way of the wise. Not all participants do, but there are enough of us to have a regular Craft convention.

These faires are fun. We have a tent, army style, fitted out with medieval and celtic hand painted patches over it. That is another thing I do, I cut out twelve by twelve squares and draw elaborate celtic designs and medieval shields and hand paint them and then sew them to the body of the tent. So the olive drab tent we started with now looks like a dramatic jousting tent from a fairy tale. I make about a dozen a year. My Gaelyn made some honey mead and brought some jars of honey and some of my sisters make wine, which is pretty good.

After the sales day is over, we have events, like jousting and sword contests and highlander games style exhibitions. We also have jugglers and magicians who perform sleight of hand and gymnasts and dancers. One outfit does various morality plays. This year they did a version of a Faustian style story. It was very good and in some parts rather scary.

When all of the tourists are gone for the night, we wise folk (aka Witches) get together and raise energy, dance and sing and share stories and magik. I met with a great little bunch of Christian witches from Pennsylvania and I am hoping they will be writing in and sharing some of their stories and articles for the almanac.

One of the things that did bother me is the amount of manufactured goods. I know that there are a lot of fine companies who make medieval apparel and I understand you might have to resort to them for leather goods and shoes and boots, but many of the dresses and blouses and skirts can be handmade and should be handmade. And there is the issue of simple things like pouches and bags and the like that came from retail stores and mail order like the Pyramid company.

But I had a great time and we made a few bucks to keep us comfortably at the faire and pay for our gas back home and keep us excited about the next faire. If you get a chance to go to a Medieval Faire, go, you will have a great time.

Brightest Blessings Be
Aslinn