Final Adventures at the Ren Fest: Fifth Weekend

I never thought I’d say this, but I am ready to be done at the Renaissance Festival.

Sure, I am trying to enjoy my last few days out there, because it is enjoyable! This last weekend was just full of really belligerent people (including one very nasty cop), and I know a lot of it is to blame on the poor communication of the festival’s leadership. That part I am very ready to step away from.

I will still miss spinning in the lane (the people watching!), hanging out with Marci, and sending folks home with yarn/a garment they’re really excited about. All said, here’s what happened this week:

• Someone came into the booth asking what “gauge” Marci used. They were not pleased when I asked which piece and pulled out a ruler…
• Another person got really mad when I told them Marci made everything in the booth. “But what did YOU make?!” they asked. They went off in a huff when I told them, again, nothing in the booth was made by me.
• I had one kid who would not keep their hands off the wheel no matter how often I told them no. Parents, of course, did nothing.
• Another kid starting crying in the booth because “Sheep’s” isn’t a real word (and that’s not totally wrong, but still! What can you do?!).
• Yet another kid stopped to ask what I was “knitting.” “I’m spinning!” I said. They stopped, dramatically rolled their eyes, and then ran away.
• Two different people told me to “smile,” and it seemed they were both old women!! Somehow worse then when old men tell you to do it, because they should absolutely know better!
• Someone was telling me about their “mother-out-law,” because they are divorced.
• Lighter notes, some guy yelled at me across the lane “YOU’RE DOING A GREAT JOB!”
• Finally, the old pub crawl at the festival used to come up the hill near the booth. The bar there has one of those hanging signs out over the lane that says “BEER,” and every crawl (three times a day, each day) the leader would come up the hill and say “Look! A sign from above!! IT’S BEER!!!” and it made me laugh every. single. time. This year’s pub crawl has changed a bit. There’s new staff. I pulled one aside a couple of weeks ago to tell them about this joke, and I thought that was the end of it. No! They used it (albeit once) this weekend!!

You have two more weekends you could come out to Wolf ‘n’ Sheep’s Clothing. I’d really love some more friendly faces.