I believe in men in tights, hoop skirts, and outrageous accents.

As a high school novice, I started out the year fearful of making a display of genuine excitement because I had wanted to be “cool.”After being swallowed whole by the Dance Team, I was desperate to find a group in which I belonged (I did not belong to a group that partook in a two hour debate about which nail polish color was the sexiest). Stepping into my first Ren faire meeting, I did not expect to be greeted by a colorful jester with a Swedish accent and a myriad of stories about his beloved pet goose. Meeting such an openly joyous character made me beffudled yet intrigued.


“Listen up” turned into “oy ay!” The thing to boast about was your sword fighting moves, or your shiny new belt, not those new Converse shoes a typical teen would brag about. People were fascinated by my wickedly exaggerated French accent. I didn’t have to be a drifting high school girl. Instead, I was “Blanche Joulons,” French pickle seller extraordinaire. Blanche could be outgoing and free; she could run around with a giant staff and start challenging German-folk to a duel. Discovering yourself is so much easier when you become a new character, one that no one knows or expects certain tendencies from.



Ren faire is full of exuberant experiences that will velcro themselves to my memories. I'll remember the times when we ran around a field like maniacs in our shiny purple bodices with our braids whipping through the early morning wind, and shouted, "God Save the Queen!" I'll remember sewing exquisite blue and yellow ruffles on the Jester's outlandish garb, while singing off key, "What Shall We do With a Drunken Sailor.” I'll remember our production of "Romeo and Juliet," where we huddled onto the carefully crafted (and inevitably slippery) wooden stage and scrambled to remember our hurridley rehearsed lines and stage directions, giggling the whole way through.

It was refreshing to be around peers who were not afraid to express their “inner nerd.” Comfort poured over me, and I got a sweet sense that this was truly home. As a dramatic person at heart, I was able to let loose and not worry so much about how others perceived me. My other friends look at me like I have two heads whenever I go to a Ren Faire meeting, but I want to be considered strange. For Renfairians, strange equals fun. It means lighthearted and full of vibrant auras. I wouldn’t settle for any less.

I believe everyone should find their niche, and I couldn’t be happier that I found mine at Ren faire, where “living large” personalities soar. The magic of men in tights.