2015 Ren Fest Observations

**ChromeScholar** · 22nd February 15, 01:28 PM

No good kilt photos, though I have a few to post later.

However...

Five or so years ago, kilts were few and far between, and many were basically bed sheets wrapped around some young guy's waist.

Within the last couple years, and particularly this year, kilts are common, and the bedsheet kilt is the exception, not the rule. There are still the problems with wearing them, like the guy I talked to about removing the basting stitches from the kilt he ordered off the internet and received last week.

It probably does help that there is an actual kilt vendor at the Festival for the last couple years.

A Roguish Highlander isn't USA Kilts, but their stuff seems to be fair quality, and their prices are reasonable. I almost bought a sporran from them, but decided on a Rob Roy style from one of the leather-crafters.

**Mike in Dayton** · 22nd February 15, 02:32 PM

I have noticed the same attending Celtic Festivals over the last ten years. At first there were very few kilts. I don't remember any kilt vendors the first time I attended. Over the years the number of kilts and vendors selling kilts has increased significantly. At the my local Celtic fest there is now an event called the parade of kilts. Anyone wearing a kilt is invited to form a line and walk behind pipers as they walk through the grounds. Those at the front of the line carry flags of the Celtic nations. This event was started maybe four years ago.

Many wear them incorrectly. A common fault being kilts designed for true waist being worn at jean waist. So they hang too low.

**Jock Scot** · 22nd February 15, 02:45 PM

As 'ren fairs" are not, as far as I am aware a feature in the UK, the whole thing is somewhat of a mystery to me, so I wonder, how long have they been going in the USA, or wherever they started?

**ChromeScholar** · 22nd February 15, 03:19 PM

They had them forty years ago back when I was a kid.

**Father Bill** · 22nd February 15, 03:22 PM

Jock, I had never heard of them until I joined XMarks.

**ChromeScholar** · 22nd February 15, 03:22 PM

Many wear them incorrectly. A common fault being kilts designed for true waist being worn at jean waist. So they hang too low.

I will say that I heard our vendor here instructing people buying kilts on how to wear them, and actually measuring them before selling them a kilt.

And the too low thing used to be common here, too, but not so much this year.

**Chainsaw02** · 22nd February 15, 04:28 PM

Renisance Faires aka Ren Faires (for us whom are spelling challenged) celebrate an era from roughly 1300s to 1800s. The participents, venders, actors and such usually wear period correct costumes and use period corrrect props. The Faires are normally open to the public and charge an admission fee.

The mistical, fairies, fortune tellers and such attend also. Joisting and period games are also persent. A fun time reliving this era is the theme, without the bad times, the plagues, and the like.

I have attended many of these events as Lord Chainsaw of Maclineshire and my wife as Lady Chainsaw. See my avitar.

Larry Dirr

**fw_kilt** · 22nd February 15, 04:58 PM

The Texas Ren Faire (TRF) north of Houston has been going for over 40 years which I believe is the oldest. Sherwood Forest Faire near Austin TX is in its 5th year.

**ChromeScholar** · 22nd February 15, 05:15 PM

King Richard's Faire ran in WI. starting in 1972, but they aren't running anymore. Arizona Renaissance Festival has been running for 27 years. Don't look for any great amount of historical accuracy at this festival, though.

This is the sporran I picked up yesterday...

**OC Richard** · 22nd February 15, 05:44 PM

Here in California I think they started around 1970. They've always been a strange blend between history and hippie.

We have a group which depicts Renaissance-era Irish soldiers and they've done their research and their costumes are quite accurate.

One also sees Scottish Highlanders of that period portrayed as accurately as possible (there's not all that much evidence to go on) with the ancient Great Kilts (perhaps the 'bedsheets' you saw).

However there are two aspects to Ren Faires, the people who dress in Renaissance costumes (in varying degrees of accuracy) and the random stuff.

Once I saw three or four people dressed as Star Trek characters, and they 'played it', acting as if they'd just beamed down to a strange planet, taking tricorder readings etc.

There are the Leopard Girls, several girls wearing leopard-pattern body paint and little else. They silently creep around on all fours.

Part of this general dressing up are people wearing modern kilts including Utilikilts. The modern kilts are often Pakistani-made.