Greetings from the Southern California Pleasure Faire

[Sir Robert]

Greetings fellows,
As promised I am traveling again to yet another village far away, in this case Port Deptford. This is by second year attending this gathering, the oldest faire in the country. I was greeted very warmly by the Germanic  mercenaries, fellows I met last year and was hoping to see again. I learn much from my travels, as do many of the performers I am sure and what I see is wondrous and yet a bit sad.
Why so? Well we are far to commercial, and I certainly appreciate that aspect of our fairs, but in California and Texas the fairs use guilds to maintain a historical perspective and flavor. (TAKE NOTE MARYLAND AND PA!) In fact these guilds are instrumental in organizing, running, and providing much of the entertainment for FREE to the organizers of the faire. What a great deal as they also are very serious historians.
I met such great Knights here, and many great mercenaries as well. Oh I almost forgot, the sad part, I am told that the faire wants to be more like our eastern fairs…we need a better term…Eastros? Not that our homes are bad, but I wish we had these centers of culture and dedication. I watched one guild print and bind books, visited several encampments and even had the strap on my gauntlet repaired in one camp in the most traditional manner
While this faire is a tent faire, it is quite endearing, it’s the only place to see some acts (Dread Pirates of Oddwood and the Merry Wives of Windsor are most excellent), I also met a wonderful singer, several acrobats and many fine merchants (including PA’s own Imaginarium (Dragon Puppets)).
So here is a picture of the start of a war (they fight a war, smaller but similar to Pennsic).  The other two are from the Sherwood Faire outside of Bastrop TX.

[Sir Matthew]

This is one of the Faires on my list to get to. I hear alot of really good things about this Faire, someday I'll get the money and time to get out there.

[Sir James A]

That sounds like a home in a whole different world. I do like the guild idea. Congratulations on the travels, and stay safe.

[Sir Robert]

So let us talk a bit about the guilds.

We are in fact a guild here.

I think many of us have what it would require to run a proper guild at a faire, simular to the midevil household exhibit in Maryland perhaps we ought to put together a similar exhibit. The longsword demonstration in VA is a great start but what would we have to offer to provide a historical perspective as well as a entertainment value where we could teach what Knights truly were about?

I like the idea here, its kind of a SCA thing but more dedicated towards Knighthood, more directed if you will. There are few of us about, I think we may find some Faires receptive if we planned it right.

In other news, I (and Jason from the Germanic Mercenaries) were on the Food Network from the faire...I have to find that footage now.

I look forward to seeing you my brothers, we truly need to get together for meetings a couple of times a year you know.

[Thorsteinn]

(they fight a war, smaller but similar to Pennsic)

So like... Estrella to Great Western sized or more akin to Mists/ Cynagua War?

-Ivan

[Sir Robert]

Well LIKE is that it looks like it on a much smaller scall like a hill is like a mountain. It's nothing like it in practice as its all staged and is for entertainment for historical flavor and reference.

The think I like is that they have it at all, many Faires are moving farther away from actaul historical references and becomming strictly fantasy. Maybe thats good, maybe its not, but I think loosing the context makes the fair no more than an amusement and that was not the real intent.

Faires can be a valuable historical tool, to submerge visitors in living history but also with the ability to interact is extreamly valuable (I think). I think of Plimoth Plantation is an excellent example of it, in most Faires I find myself just waiting for the glowsticks to come out (like a circus).

Of course Guilds provide the historical context and bring the time period to life, even introducing things like bookmaking, candel making, cooking, herbology, and daily life to visitors. In California the Guilds are slowly being moved out of the Faires in preference for "Disney". Making money is a nessecity of our Faires, but giving the Faires meaning is equally importaint, and yet its being removed.