Although it’s early October, everyone seems to be dressing up already. As faeries especially.
Take the Florence Griswold Museum, where I am a new docent. This month, all over the 11 acre grounds of the museum, are tiny installations by artists on the theme of Steampunk’d Alice in Wonderland. Yesterday, about 600 little faeries came to visit the 25 or so miniature futuristic-Victorian worlds that make up Wee Faerie Village.
Okay, but the day wasn’t just about ‘wee’ faeries. Everywhere you look, adults are dressed up, too, at the huge, semi-annual Connecticut Renaissance Faire this month.
I definitely felt like I was entering another world, thank you very much, m’lady.
Except when I didn’t. More about that in a moment.
Who wouldn’t enjoy a rowdy joust?
I came in at the tail end (all puns intended) of one joust, in which the victor was a woman! But the man just couldn’t take it and challenged her again (for 2 hours later), so she riled up her backers.
Well, I couldn’t wait around. I had people to see, like the Executioner, who was in a jolly mood. He told me two jokes. I laughed, because who would want to be on his bad side?
So, how about the cook who tried to poison his master? He was given a choice of how to die–by the stake or the chop.
And the tailor who cheated his customers? It all came out, off the rack. You get it.
So what could I do? I immediately headed over to the stocks, where I wanted to help this poor ogre. Not to worry, With the aid of his companion, he made his escape.
I especially enjoyed the music–madrigals…
…and something a little rowdier, which I enjoyed with my Bee Sting, a mischievous, refreshing drink combination of hard cider and mead (a light honey wine). Delicious!
Bee Sting with my new carved gourd
Here’s a snippet of the promised rowdy music, perfect for dancing.
You may have noticed the 21st century technology invading this low tech space. Yes, that was everywhere, too.
Still for children who only know technology, this is the kind of day where they can dress up in a little bit of magic and try their hand at something other than a keyboard.
