Preparing for a Ren Faire

Preparing for a Ren Faire

Are you going to a Renaissance faire but not sure where to start? In this post, we will help you look at what you will need to keep in mind when preparing for your next Ren faire or festival. We focus on general guidelines when it comes to Renaissance faires and medieval festivals. However, you should make sure to double check with your specific event and its organizers for their specific rules and requirements.

When and where do faires happen?

The most common times of year for faires are in the spring and summer when it is warmer and nicer to be outside. That being said, some will happen in the fall. This usually happens in warmer climates that are trying to take advantage of cooler weather as their summers may be too hot for comfort.

Faires can happen at all sorts of places. Many faires will take place in temporary locations that they use for a particular season. A few older faires will have permanent locations. The amenities and accessibility of a faire will depend on the individual location of the event.

What do I wear to a Ren Faire?

When it comes to attending a faire, many people will dress up in medieval or fantasy clothing. If the event has a more pirate feel, then a sailor or buccaneer outfit would be more appropriate. Some people will mix their everyday clothing with medieval or Renaissance pieces to help them match the theme a bit more. If you want to dress up, then there are a couple of ways you can do so. When preparing for a Ren faire, you can get a ready-made outfit or put together one yourself. Either way is perfectly fine.

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When it comes to putting together an outfit for a Ren faire, there are a few popular choices. For men, easily the most popular look is a flowy shirt with pants. Often the shirt will be cream or off-white. This type of shirt works for a variety of aesthetics. It can fit in with a medieval or fantasy theme as well as a pirate aesthetic. Meanwhile, for women, there are two popular choices. Many will choose to wear a flowy, cream-colored shirt with a bodice on top along with a skirt on the bottom. The other choice is a medieval dress. Both men and women will also choose to wear a cloak like the Aaron Canvas Cloak. Regardless, you can choose to mix and match different individual items to put together your faire costume.

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How do I finish off my Ren faire look?

When it comes to dressing as your faire-ready self, you shouldn’t forget to wear some accessories to finish off your look. Accessories can add both style and function to your faire outfit. A hat for example can complete your look while also shading out the sun. After all, part of having an event in summer is for enjoying the warmth and sunshine! It is wise to keep the weather in mind when putting together your look.

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Another functional and stylish accessory, when preparing for a Ren faire, is a belt. You can choose from different styles. Ring belts and buckle belts are equally popular. If need be, you can hang necessary gear from a belt. Some people will layer belts over each other. Some for style and others for function. It all depends on what suits you.

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Where do I keep my stuff at a Renaissance festival?

A very important accessory for anyone preparing for a Ren faire or festival is a bag. After all, you will need a place to keep your modern gear as well as the stuff you buy at the faire. You probably don’t want to have to hold your keys or phone all day. Also, many medieval outfits lack pockets, making a bag or pouch necessary. It is easy to carry modern gear in medieval style with the right bag. You could wear a shoulder bag. Another option is a belt bag, a popular medieval accessory. Keep in mind that some events may have restrictions on the size of bag allowed, especially when it comes to backpacks.

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What kind of footwear should I wear to a Ren faire?

What you wear on your feet may be more important than what you wear on the rest of your body. After all, faires and festivals usually involve a lot of walking. So, you have a few options when preparing for a Ren faire. You could choose to wear sneakers, which could be more comfortable but will probably not match the look of the faire.

Another option could be more modern dress shoes, especially in black, which would look less out of place but may be less comfortable than sneakers. Of course, the last option would be medieval-style leather shoes. They are the ones that would fit in the best with a medieval aesthetic. We offer a variety of medieval-styled shoes for men and medieval footwear for women. Some have a rubber sole. They can be just as comfortable as a modern shoe. Other shoes have a leather sole, which is more historically accurate than rubber-soled shoes. If you choose leather-soled, you could add insoles to the shoes to possibly make them more comfortable.

Can I take a sword or dagger to a Ren faire?

The rules on weapons will vary from event to event. Many Ren faires and festivals will not allow weapons at all. Those that do will often require that weapons of any kind must be sheathed and peace-tied. Peace-tied is a term that means the weapon is tied or otherwise secured into its sheath so that it cannot be taken out of its sheath. The premise behind this is that organizers don’t want attendees to harm one another, even by accident. Even with LARP-style foam weapons, it is possible to accidently hurt someone if care is not taken, especially when it comes to small children. Again, check with the organizers of the particular faire or festival you plan on attending.

What kind of food or drink is there at a Ren faire?

Nearly all faires will offer food and drink options. This is usually in the form of booths and stands. Do keep in mind that many faires will not allow outside food and drink. They may choose to allow water bottles only. If you can bring in your own water, you can make it look more medieval with the right item. Similarly, festivals may either offer alcohol or ban it completely. Alcohol from outside the event is usually prohibited. The particular site of a faire will often affect whether alcohol is offered or not.

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Can I bring my pet to a Ren faire?

As many other things, it depends on the event. However, it is common practice for faires to prohibit pets unless they qualify as ADA service animals. There are some faires that allow pets. Usually in this case, the pet must be under control, such as on a leash. In addition, the owner must pick up after the animal and is responsible for the animal at all times.

In this post, we looked at what to keep in mind when preparing for a Ren faire or festival. From clothing to accessories and more, there are a few different things to remember. Above all, remember to have fun at your next event!

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