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Bristol Ren Faire Sunday Aug 23rd

Sunday....off to the Bristol Renaissance Faire.
We haven't been for a couple of years and as we had free tickets, it encouraged us to go.
It is held every weekend through the summer and it is always lots of fun.
It is generally very, very hot over there so that puts me off a bit.
But, Sunday was the first one in ages which wasn't going to be pushing 100F so off we went.
After a bit of confusion we met up with Gary.
This fair has grown so much since we first started going.
Lots of little shops, lots of food vendors,  lots of shows and entertainers, lots more jousting and lots more rides.
They try to be authentic about things though.
All the rides are man powered and it must be a nightmare when the weather is really hot.
The jousting used to be on a couple of times during the day with a 'joust to the death' at 6pm.
Now it is on every hour with a 'joust to the death' at 5.30pm.
They must go through some knights during a season.

The jousting arena has been upgraded and the knights now have full armour.
This was the goodie ....we were up his end (so to speak) and cheered for him.  He looked about 12.


These were the baddies.
There was much slapping with gloves etc and Queen Elizabeth I herself,  had to intervene and tell them to come back at 5.30pm to 'joust to the death'.
We have never seen this last joust.  When we took Lauren she was most upset because we weren't staying to watch it.
"But it is to the DEATH !!", she pleaded.   Charming child.

I was very lucky.
Philip bought me this dragon.  He sits on your shoulder, held on by a magnet under your shirt.  There is also a concealed wire & controller which means you can make him turn his head and open his mouth.  Brilliant for scaring kids.  I love it.

Oh and look.
Edmund Blackadder was there talking to Mary Queen of Scots.   Many people dress up to go to the fair.  Many are very authentic.....others are just plain wrong........like the Jedi Knight ???  And the guy in a little black kilt that just covered his bum.    A really fun group we spotted were all guys dressed as pantomime dames.  They were hilarious.  This is even more amazing when you realize there is no such thing as pantomime over here.  Americans have no clue about it.
Anyway, a brill day, not too hot and a pet dragon for me.........fantastic.

posted by Sue Banks @ 10:14 AM