Email   Print   Share By Joy Pariante, Sentinel Leisure Editor

Facebook Digg Delicious March 11, 2010 | Leisure

Sir Matthew catches a ring on the tip of his spear during a demonstration of jousting skills. The rings are tossed into the air and the riders catch them to demonstrate control of their weapons on horseback. Sir Matthew also brandished a sword and axe. Joy Pariante, Sentinel Leisure Editor

The Sherwood Forest Faire in McDade offers food, live shows, jousting, costume stores, artisians’ shops and games of chance for visitors. Joy Pariante, Sentinel Leisure Editor

Belly dancers from Sirocco Belly Dance entertain visitors with a sword dance on the Elven Hill stage during the Sherwood Forest Faire. Joy Pariante, Sentinel Leisure Editor

Kelly O’Connor, playing guitar for Circa Paleo, provides danceable music at the Elven Hill stage at the Sherwood Forest Faire in McDade. Joy Pariante, Sentinel Leisure Editor

King Richard the Lionhearted directs the movement of his pieces during a giant chess game in Sherwood Forest. The lookout points allow both players to have a clear view of the gigantic gaming area. Joy Pariante, Sentinel Leisure Editor

Peasants joust with pickles to entertain the crowd prior to the knights entering the arena. Their faithful steeds were a donkey and a shetland pony. Joy Pariante, Sentinel Leisure Editor

One of the Sheriff of Nottingham’s deputies holds the target featuring an arrow split in twain. Robin Hood, disguised as an old man, split Maid Marion’s bulls-eye piercing arrow in two to win the archery tournament. Joy Pariante, Sentinel Leisure Editor

MCDADE – When I departed for McDade on Saturday I was filled with both curiosity and apprehension. I was on my way to my first Renaissance festival and I had no idea what to expect. Everyone I talked to said it was a fun experience, full of fantasy and history. I was worried I wouldn’t fit in with a crowd of people who spent their weekends embracing a history I wasn’t entirely familiar with.

My other worry was about attending a first-year festival. A Renaissance faire veteran whom I work with told me to enter with an open mind because while all the performers and vendors have their hearts in the right place, first-year faires are often plagued with many of the small issues that larger events like the Texas Renaissance Fair and Scarborough Fair have long since worked through.

So, I took this advice and headed just outside Austin to the Sherwood Forest Faire. Once you enter the gates you’re transported to 1189 when Richard the Lionhearted has taken the throne of England and committed himself and his country to the Holy Crusades. The storyline regarding Sherwood Forest which people are most familiar with is that concerning Robin Hood.

Robin Hood, the rogue, was actually Robin of Loxley, a nobleman from southern Yorkshire. He’s best known for stealing from the rich to give to the poor. He and his band of “do-gooders” would stop wealthy travelers, including nobles and clergy, and take their ill-begotten silver and distribute it to the peasants in the surrounding area. Sherwood Forest was the home base for Robin and his band of Merry Men and it was also a safe place for peasants to settle and fall under Robin’s protection.

Robin Hood’s arch nemesis was the Sheriff of Nottingham, who used his power during King Richard’s absence to increase taxes on peasants and merchants to pad his own wallet. He was the prime target for Robin Hood, who took particular pleasure in angering the sheriff every chance he had.

The Sherwood Forest Faire replicates the annual festival to celebrate the emergence of spring. Participants are encouraged to welcome in the breaking of a new year.

The stage for the faire really makes you feel like you’re deep within a hidden forest. The tree-filled acreage is the temporary home for multiple stages, tons of vendors and delicious food. Giant turkey legs and mead are abundant. Stores sell everything from full, authentic costumes to wooden beverage mugs.

Near the entrance, Tom the Blacksmith toils away over the coals designing custom iron pieces for his patrons. Nearby, drinking horns and flowered headdresses are sold from push carts. For those looking to fit in better, there are a number of vendors offering head-to-toe 12th century attire.

I was on a quest for a tail. I saw many of the girls walking around the faire wearing fox tails. I found quite a few stores offering them and the merchants shared the fox tail story with me. There are two potential meanings behind the tails. The first is that people used to believe that if they had fleas and wore the tails the fleas would go down to the tail, believing it to be a new animal to feast upon. At the end of the day, people would remove the tail, shake out the fleas and keep themselves from becoming itchy and infested. The second meaning imparted upon me was the number of tails a woman was wearing was a reflection of the number of men in the king’s court she had “dallied” with. I was thoroughly entertained with both of these explanations, but since the tails were real fox tails and felt like my dogs’ tails, I couldn’t bring myself to purchase one. However, many of the tails came from a store that sells Native American merchandise and they assured me that every inch of the fox who previously owned the tail was used in some way.

At a silversmith’s shop I found quite the entertaining item. They sold poison rings which were worn by ladies of the time. The top of the ring is hinged and a lady could put liquid or powder poison in the compartment so if she at any time needed to do away with someone, she had the means to discreetly eliminate her enemies. There was something so femininely sinister about these baubles, that I absolutely had to own one. I can now take out my opposition or oppressors like a true lady. Excellent, excellent indeed.

After browsing the shops, I watched a few shows including wonderful music, falconry and a four-part enactment of the story of Robin Hood. The accents, costumes and mannerisms were really wonderful for taking visitors back in time and making them feel a part of the faire. For those wishing to visit Sherwood Forest, visit www.sherwoodforestfaire.com for directions, faire hours and ticketing information. Huzzah!