The last time I attended the MN Renaissance Festival in full kit a little boy wacked me in the back of the knee with a wooden sword. This surprise attack actually hurt and nearly caused me to spill my beer. The boy’s mother came running over, laughed, and asked for my photo with “little Johnny”.
I swallowed my pride, pain and beer while smiling for a photo with the little heathen. Mommy leveled a parting coup de grace by saying what a nice costume I had and asking what time the next joust was to occur.
Mortally wounded, I could only shrug and point to the schedule of events posted just feet away.
The educational piece that we take to heart as a group is lost on many. Combating Hollywood stereotypes and renaissance festival Dwarf-Ninja-Pirate-Barbarians is difficult.
These last few years I’ve chaperoned performing arts high school kids on day trips. This has given me ample opportunity to people watch, especially considering the MN Ren Fest pulled in 300,000 visitors last year. It’s easy for us to pick out the folks in nearly perfect high-end kits, aspiring folks who have OK kits, fantasy kits, Steampunk costumes, movie inspired costumes, and those that are completely mixed up Dwarf-Ninja-Pirate-Barbarians. We need to remember that the general public has no idea. Their only reference point is usually Hollywood.
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