ew York --- the most unusual metropolis in the Mortals' realm! Still, I will say this about New York: one of the few things it, quote/unquote, "gets right," if you will, is the ever-changing adventure that is the Renaissance Faire!
ew York --- the most unusual metropolis in the Mortals' realm! Still, I will say this about New York: one of the few things it, quote/unquote, "gets right," if you will, is the ever-changing adventure that is the Renaissance Faire!
Which is why I happen to frequent two New York-based Faires annually: one, the now-legendary New York Renaissance Faire Sterling Forest, in the brilliant, tree-laden realm of Tuxedo; the other, the annual Fort Tryon Park Medieval Festival, held each year in the shadow of the Cloisters --- that little Museum at the base of the top of Fort Tryon Park itself.
Now, in this section of my Dark Chambers, I want to share with you a few of my own personal anecdotes regarding my yearly visits to both Faires. In previous years, I should mention, I assumed Master Washington's Mortal form in order to properly get a fix on, as you Mortals say, 'the lay of the lands' as far as both Faires are concerned; in 1998, however, I finally managed to don me wizardly regalia, grab me trusty walking stick, and take the tour myself! I have happily repeated that adventure two summers running; on Saturday, August 12th, 2000, I did so yet again! (Huzzah!)
Now, let's explain to you what Sterling Forest is and why it has mattered so much these nearly 25 delightful years. Simply put, 'tis a situation best blamed 'pon the two Mortals who founded this unique little Kingdom: Barbara Hope and Don Gaiti.
The vision of Barbara and Don was to develop a small Kingdom for those whose greatest dream was to journey back to those wonderful days when Knighthood was in flower, when Prince Valiant was not just some weekly comic strip --- and when justice, wisdom, honor and loyalty really really meant something. Nearly a quarter of a century later, Creative Faires, Ltd. remains committed to preserving those ideals.
Besides, I would not be surprised if the old Forest made it to that glorious Silver Anniversary milestone, as our dear friends from Plantersville, Texas did in 1999 (the reference, of course, is to the Texas Renaissance Festival).
What follows, then, is a recap of what occured at both my Home Faires in 2000. These chronicles, along with the accompanying pictures, were developed (and photographed) between mid-August and late September, 2000. The New York Renaissance Faire Sterling Forest ran for seven weekends between August and September of this year; if you would know more of all that transpired there, pray have a look at the Renaissance Entertainment Corporation homepage. That'll have all the details.
As for the Fort Tryon Park Medieval Festival, photos from that event shall be posted hither soon. Also, details concerning next year's meeting of the "Knights of the Heights," if you will, are available by contacting either myself, here at pirate1_power@hotmail.com or blackbeardian@yahoo.com; or by contacting songbird@uptownwench.com.
Now, ye can click on Book I for the first half of my chronicle of my sojourn at Sterling Forest; then you can click on Book II for the second half. And coming soon: a look at my dragon's-eye view of Fort Tryon Park's Medieval Festival!
A magician's wand is all you lack; Click yon mouse and haste ye back!
Pray, get your own Free Home Page!