i feel bad for you midwesterners. so excited by something as silly as a renaissance fair. i feel bad for you if that's the highlight of the year. i guess i'm spoiled living on the east coast... and in the 5th largest city in the union, at that.
i can go to the park and watch the dudes that practice their sweet battle moves in mock medieval garb and weapons. i played with them a few times. did surprisingly well -- they have point systems and everything.
nothing like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_ekugPKqFw
just soft tipped old school weapons and homemade armor, etc.
it's a little bit more like this, but the cats in the park aren't LARPing, or nearly as bad as handling their weapons. it's handled like a mock battle, with judges and a director, much like fencing. watch this video to see how NOT to use a sword (so many big movements and shitty footwork -- actually the guy in red with the white cape has decent footwork, but his cape gets in the way. prolly why none of the cats i see doing this stuff in the park wear capes, or have nearly so ornate costumes -- people i know seem to do it for the sport of it, not playing dress up):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=add0HI5fmXI
anyway, AD, thanks for posting what you did. you've reminded me to take more advantage of the myriad options for entertainment and culture here in town. even if it is just riding out to the park to watch the reenactors pound each other with pvc and nerf weapons.