I had zero expectations. I had no clue what I was getting into. But I laced up my corset and pulled on my boots and headed out to the St. Louis Renaissance Festival.
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Let me preface this by saying, I really had no idea what the Ren Faire was like. I had seen pictures before, and I have friends who really enjoy attending these festivals. In fact, I agreed to go with a couple of these friends because there’s only so many times you can hear about something before you get super curious, and I was intrigued.
Bright and early on Saturday morning, I pulled on a dress and a corset I had bought online. My friends and I stopped by the Land of Goshen Market in Edwardsville, looking very Renaissance as we picked out our fruits and veggies for the week. And then we grabbed our requisite iced coffees and we were off to the festival in Wentzville.
The festival is, it turns out, in a giant forest. There are booths set up and nestled in the trees, and a huge open field where jousts take place. My friends and I joined the throng of people — some dressed in t-shirts and shorts, others in the most elaborate costumes I had ever seen — and began the fun.
Here’s a little advice that I’ve discovered. If you go into things expecting to have a good time, you probably will. If you go in certain you won’t have any fun, you probably won’t. So I entered with an open mind, excited to see what this was all about. And, it turns out, it was really enjoyable.
We watched a joust first. Two knights, in full body armor, rode their horses and smacked each other with giant poles. Most of the shows and activities at the Ren Faire are just theater kids who really loved “Beowulf.” The knights yelled and rolled around on the ground and then popped up to show off their horses to the audience, and it was actually so much fun.
And then, as my friends and I walked away from the joust and began to explore the rest of the festival, I learned what the Ren Faire is really all about: day-drinking. We loaded up on spiked apple ciders and honey mead and began our journey into the past.
Crystals, hand-made headpieces, swords — there was a ton of variety in the vendors. Everyone there was so obviously proud of their creations and eager to show them off. We admired Celtic metal necklaces and glittery crowns and leather pouches. In a relatively niche market, these artisans were thriving, and their work was gorgeous.
The most fun part, though, was how into it everyone was. A lot of times, I feel a bit tongue-in-cheek when I dress up. A little awkward about it, like I’m doing it ironically. Even Halloween costumes feel a little over-the-top sometimes, like I’m taking it too seriously, like everyone else is in on the joke and I’m the punchline.
Not at the Ren Faire. Everyone was feeling it. People were showing off their costumes, proud of the work they had put into creating or finding the perfect outfits. Folks were chewing on turkey legs and cheering at the jousts and just having a really good time, and the more hours I spent there, the more I bought into it.
My friends and I split 20 arrows and challenged each other to an archery competition. (I lost, but held my own!) I got my tarot cards read, which is a blog in and of itself. We just really had a great time.
By the end of the day, we were exhausted but fulfilled, pleased to have spent the day together doing something unique and fun. And I felt a renewed commitment to my “Year of Yes,” my pledge to try new things. I am ready for new, exciting adventures like what I did this past weekend, and I can’t wait to see what’s next.
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