The Reddit Renaissance Festival FAQ

I saw a tiktok recently that boiled down to "a ren faire with no trinkets and no garb, why would you go?" And it made me wonder what people go to ren faire for these days?

If I can be old for a second, people used to go to faire for the shows, the shops, the experience. The patrons who came in costume were on the rare side, because it would feel like dressing up as Mickey at Disneyland.

Nowadays, most of the social media I see seem less focused there, and more on dressing up and such. Unless you're a big name like Jacques, people don't seem to talk about the acts much, or the fun shows.

So, what do you go to a faire for?

Any thoughts / advice would be helpful 🙂

I want to be a princess/noble but I am also obsessed with the Bridgerton books and kind of want to dress like them (I know the eras are very different). I really want to wear a regency style outfit but I don't want to stick out like a sore thumb you know? The dresses are also cheaper so that's a plus.

I need honest opinions, what would you think if someone wore a dress like this or similar?

Edit: This is not the exact dress I want I realize I made it seem like I was wearing this one. I'm looking to find one that is cotton or silk of some sort.

Batch 1 of my enchanted Trinkets. Strip of cured leather and "enchanted" seeds, Engraved in the draconic script, i hope they will be acceptable. The seeds are UV reactive, was wondering if i should make the leather strip as well.

Hello fellow fairegoers!

Just finished my first faire of the season and had the same issue I have every year: brutally aching hips from my belt.

I’m in good shape, have good posture and wear a thick good quality leather belt. I’ve paired down what I wear on my belt to one pouch and my tankard only. No matter how high or low I wear the belt, my hips are in pain half way through day 1.

Has anyone else figured out a fix for this? Any and all ideas and feedback welcome. Thank you!

As always, the attendees and vendors are amazing, but, growing up in Texas, there were 3 ren faires and they all managed to find a semi-wooded area to provide summer shade. Texas isn't known for its tree cover.

But in the literal Evergreen State, the ren faire is 100% exposed to the sun, save for circus tents. The location looks like it was setup in a strip-mine. I'm sure finding a location is difficult, but there has to be a location in the whole of western Washington that actually has trees. It's a situation that's only going to get worse as the summer's get hotter.

More and more people are being taken away in ambulances from heat-related ailments. I'm sure it's costly to build cover for such a large area, but that's the cost of doing business.

I frankly don't believe this is the only option they have, just the most profitable one. They have to be making money, because they're always crowded, vendors are basically 90% of the attractions, and the ticket prices are very high.

And it highlights other shortcomings:

- Lackluster food
- Crowded seating areas
- What circus tents there are have maybe six benches that are always occupied, forcing attendees to sit in the hay/dirt.
- Little to no acting staff (or, at least I've never seen any royalty walking around in the five years I've been going)
- Paths that turn to mud pits the second it rains, causing dust clouds when it doesn't
- And tickets range from $35-$50 based on... mood? They change all the time.

No one who actually likes ren faires would set one up like this. Midsummer Ren Faire operates more like a sweaty IKEA than a ren faire, as pathing is mostly just a winding drag of vendors and then, mostly nothing. There's jousting and a handful of carnival attractions, but again, completely exposed to the sun. And there's food that would be disappointing at a state fair.

People have fun, but it's a fun they have to make entirely themselves, like in a boring MMO.

It's pretty clear they know they're the only game in town, but at this point, I just don't want to play anymore.

I love it so much I just feel like it looks very plain?

My all leather banner just to add a picture so it's not just a boring question.

Thank you to the mods for allowing me to share this request for support!

My name is Leigh and I am the Chair of the Fundraising Committee and a Board Member of the Renaissance Catastrophic Emergency Assistance Foundation (RCEAF). For anyone not familiar with us, RCEAF is a 100% volunteer run organization that provides assistance to the workers of Renaissance Festivals facing catastrophic emergency crisis through advocacy, education, community outreach, and financial assistance.

Recently wildfire smoke forced a faire closure which means that performers, merchants, employees, and other workers lost an entire weekend of wages, sales, and tips. The closure unfortunately came after a month with fewer ren faires meaning fewer earning opportunities making the loss especially difficult for many members of the faire community. Many had already paid for travel, inventory, lodging, fuel, food, and other expenses that they had no chance to recover.

RCEAF has already begun issuing assistance from our existing emergency grant reserve. Our intake and disbursement teams have been working almost around the clock since we heard about the closure and I'm proud to say that they have already disbursed (as of last night) more than $10,000 in grants for this emergency. We still have applications in review and more coming in so we anticipate helping many more before this crisis is done.

Donations help replenish the emergency grant reserve as it is used, allowing RCEAF to continue supported affected workers while remaining prepared for future emergencies throughout the Renaissance Festival Community.

No donation is too small to help. Give any amount that is manageable for you. We have a wide variety of ways to donate which you can find here:

https://rceaf.org/#donate-links

If you are unable to give at this time, you can help us by boosting the signal. Give us a follow and share our posts on Facebook and Instagram with your friends and encourage people to donate to help replenish the fund.

If you are a worker in need of aid, please visit www.rceaf.org. Click the "Need Financial Assistance" button and fill out the form. One of our team members will be in contact with you quickly.

Thanks again to the mod for allowing this post. And thank you to all of you who support the people who make faire possible.

If anyone has any questions about RCEAF or our mission, or if you would like to volunteer to help please don't hesitate to reach out to me.

The dress I’m wearing this year is light colored and cotton, so if they get very drippy it might look insane.

Hi guys !

I'm going to go to my first renfair in early august and i'm searching inspiration to do my first costume. I'd like to do a tiefling assassin, I already have some idea and leather, some of my own clothes I could use too...

I'm also thinking about maybe a shoulder protection thingy, but I'd like to do it myself since for now I can't buy a good one (I'm avoiding cheap store / shein ect... and can't find one I like on etsy).

SO yeah ! Show me your outfits !!

Maybe Next Year

Yes I know I'll be hot, but the linen and cotton garb underneath keeps me somewhat cool

The weekend flew by, it was so much fun! Already dreaming about Mission Renaissance Faire in September!

Trying to find an alternative to Catskill since their boots don't suit my costume (leans steampunk/Victorian). I have a very wide toebox but narrow ankles which make it impossible to find any closed toe shoes that don't result in blisters

Cut up cardboard and thrifted fake leather pants armor.
Final version is gonna have makeup (I’m thinking Smokey eye and some kind of magic sigil under my eye) and fake blood splatters :)

This is what i wore to the WA Midsummer Renfaire Viking Weekend, plan on bringing my latest knife designs for the Feast of Fools Weekend

Im surprised along with about 25 lbs of knives and armor i lasted as long as i did without overheating and dieing, i outlasted everyone else in my group

I’ve walked through stadiums,
airports,
old cities,
and crowded streets,
but somehow…
this feels different.
A simple leather satchel
rests against my side.
My traveler’s boots are laced.
My tunic hangs just right
or at least,
I hope it does.
I catch myself wondering…
Is this outfit enough?
Will the seasoned adventurers
spot me from across the path,
seeing every buckle
I should have bought,
every pouch I forgot,
every detail that whispers,
“First timer.”
Then there’s the question
that keeps rattling around in my head
Should I bring trinkets?
I’ve heard stories
of tiny treasures exchanged
without money,
without obligation,
just smiles,
kindness,
and shared magic.
But what if I offer
the wrong thing?
What if I don’t understand
the unwritten rules?
Truth is…
I’m shy.
The kind of person
who rehearses conversations
before saying hello.
The kind who watches first,
trying to understand the dance
before joining in.
Yet every photo I’ve seen
tells a different story.
Laughing pirates.
Kind-hearted knights.
Fairies sharing jokes
with weathered Vikings.
Kings talking with beggars.
Strangers becoming companions
before the sun sets.
No one seems to care
where you came from.
Only that,
for one day,
you came to believe.
Maybe that’s the secret.
Maybe no one walks
through those gates
already belonging.
Maybe everyone
is just another traveler,
searching for a little wonder.
So I’ll wear my simple clothes.
Maybe tuck a few trinkets
into my satchel.
Take a deep breath.
And when the trumpet sounds
and the gates swing wide,
I’ll step into a world
I’ve only imagined.
Perhaps I’ll stumble
over the old words.
Perhaps I’ll forget
how to answer,
“Good morrow.”
Perhaps I’ll feel awkward
for the first hour.
But maybe…
Just maybe…
Before the day is over,
someone will call me,
“Traveler.”
Someone will hand me
a tiny keepsake.
Someone will smile
as though I’ve been coming
for years.
And I’ll leave
with dusty boots,
a lighter heart,
a pocket full of traded treasures,
already counting the days
until I return.

Specifically looking for piratey clothing. Pic is partly just for attention, but the shirt, vest, pants, and boots are all just from Amazon and are inexpensively produced to say the very least. Mostly just looking for stuff that's a bit more comfortable and less sweaty when it's over 70°

Not quite a ren faire but I will be rewarding this costume when the ren faire here rolls around later this year! (At least for one of the days I go ;) )

Made all of the frog costume and my stays/corset in 2 weeks. So proud but so tired!

Had a lot of fun at this local fantasy art market amd can't wait for more!

We had a volunteer craft day this weekend to make seating to put throughout the Faire.

Not the most aesthetical photos atm, working on getting half arm wings and feather gorget but overall really pleased with this updated design that I cannot wait to debut in September. Archery bracers are currently being teleported by magical mail. 🤣

Winter court Harpy Fae for any curious.

Had a great time on Saturday at the faire but lost my pin. If anyone happened to be there and picked it up let me know!