COLUMN: Traditions live on at the Renaissance Festival

For the past three years, I have added a new tradition to my life.

When the leaves start turning and the weather begins to chill down, I start preparing.

I will spend the few weeks before planning, sewing and accessorizing. I am not getting ready for Halloween. I am planning for something that may even be better than Halloween.7

Although I love watching the skimpy outfits walk up and down Main Street on Halloween, freezing their bums off, watching all the Medieval costumes at the Michigan Renaissance Festival in Holly is much more amusing, and oddly, tasteful.

Yes, every year I head down state to a giant field in Holly dedicated only to the annual Renaissance Festival (RenFest). I get all dressed up, usually as a gypsy (cheapest costume ever), and allow myself to be transported to a different time, entirely.

A time when men wore fur, women wore corsets, and mythical creatures existed.

Every year, I wear my token fairy dust around my neck that was given to me after my first year at the RenFest.

Each year new and exciting things happen at the RenFest.

Year one: I got a free solid cherry wood mug, sold at one of the amazing shops for $40, for free because a very drunken “lord” deemed me as “one of the most beautiful women,” (note the very drunken part). But hey, I got a fancy mug out of the whole ordeal.

Year two: The amazing Zucchini Brothers put on their last show. The last show of dangerous juggling stunts and fire everywhere. Yes — they lit everything on fire.

Year three: Met a Viking. At first I just stared from afar in utter amazement, but then my significant other rolled his eyes and went up to the massive Viking man and asked if I could have my picture taken with him. And under all that leather, fur and horns there was a really nice guy. Oh yeah, and this year they had a mermaid show. Totally worth it.

The people there may surprise you. The RenFest is the biggest gathering of the most interesting and eccentric of people you will ever find outside of Main Street.