Downstate and Back in Time: A Day at the Capital District Ren. Faire
Arriving home shortly after finishing the Race for the Lakes, I took a cool shower and got dressed to meet with friends at the Capital District Renaissance Fair. On the way, we picked up our friend Tom, who lives in Clifton Park, to reduce the number of cars. We hadn’t seen him in months due to his busy schedule; a fact that always amazes me when compared to the ease of friendships in childhood. Adulthood is wrought with logistical challenges of finding time to spend together, with many other commitments such as work, family, and other activities dominating the weeks.
When we arrived near Indian Ladder Farms in Altamont, New York, there were hundreds of cars parked in the fields leading up to the festival. It led to a bumpy ride, as we exited the main road and navigated our way through the unique parking lots. Once parked, we walked the short distance to the main entrance where we saw our other friends, August and Matt. August lives in Staten Island, while his new boyfriend currently resides in Poughkeepsie, only a short train ride away from the city. Michael had known August prior to our relationship, and he is a unique person to have a conversation, given his penchant for politics, law, and science fiction. When we were introduced to Matt last year, his experience prior to moving up north illuminated the unique challenges for queer people in southern states. Both seem happy together, and Michael and I were super happy to spend the day with them at the Renaissance Faire.
Once our online tickets were scanned and wristbands attached, we immediately stopped and chatted with a lovely harpist, pausing from finishing one of his musical interludes. He shared his story with us as well as a little of the techniques when performing, even alluding to his harp as a mistress. Chuckling, we wished him well and continued into the faire, where I decided to procure a cider donut from a local vender. We headed east up a hill toward the wine and mead venders, where we sampled some of their creations.
This was a small dilemma for me, of course, as I had been abstaining from alcohol for nine months. Utilizing my mindfulness techniques, I chose to sample one or two of the meads and wines, allowing all my senses to appreciate the sight, smell, taste, and feeling of the drinks. It was a fine experience and very uplifting, as abstention and mindfulness have changed my mind set with alcohol consumption. The bottle designs on the meads from Helderberg Meadworks were beautifully crafted. I tried Loki’s Lure, a metheglin that was infused with coffee and cacao from Wired Coffee Roasters. It was very good, with a slight tang and a bubbling energy rising in my chest.
Moving on into the festival, we walked past dozens of venders, each showing off their unique wares from handcrafted wands, upcycled nicknacks, and fantasy authors. One of the authors, Keith Willis, had a series of stories involving dragons and knights, though the cover design could have used some work. His enthusiasm for his books was palpable, and I almost found it hard to restrain my wallet from buying the book sight unseen. I signed up for his newsletter and grabbed a bookmark in lieu of procuring his books.
Noticing a stage nearby with seats made of hay bales, we were introduced to a band known as Wolgemut. They played a unique selection of music with bagpipes, flutes, and drums, with each member dressed in medieval attire. The music was interesting, though the bagpipes dominated the sound. The upbeat tempo led to some in the audience to dance, like my friend Tom. He tried to persuade me to join him, but I was more interested in listening than dancing. As the show wrapped up, an audience member known as Michael (not related to my own husband) approached the stage, eager to play one last song with them. The leading band member delved into his bag of musical instruments, pulling out tambourines and cowbells, instructing others in the audience to join on stage. Of course, my friend Tom eagerly headed to the stage, as well as a hesitant young girl that shyly approached the stage. It was quite the cacophony, but fun for all involved.
Nearby, we noticed a group of people dressed like medieval knights, complete with armor and swords. After chatting with one of its members Kellum (or commonly known as David), I found out that they were a group called the Shire of Anglespur, a local chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism. From the SCA’s website, they are an inclusive community pursuing research and re-creation of pre-seventeenth century skills, arts, combat and culture. I tried on one of their handmade helmets, surprised by its sheer weight and comfort. I jotted down Kellum’s phone number to inquire about how to join the group later, as they practice once a week in Troy, New York. Perhaps I will join the fun someday.
Along the way, we stumbled upon the Witches of the Hudson, a group of women that partake in recreational witchcraft; though I am not sure if it actually involves magical spells. My godmother, Maureen Sestito, would have thoroughly enjoyed their booth and their dance routine on stage. When my uncle gave me half a dozen boxes of her books last year, I noticed that a rather large selection involved witches or the occult. I learned that, while she was not a practicing Wiccan, her longtime friends dabbled in the spirited nature of witches on occasion. If only I knew while she was alive.
The Witches of the Hudson were dancing to folksy music on a ground-level stage, though the music was a little hard to hear given the lack of speakers surrounding the stage. Still enjoyable to watch, as the performers utilized brooms and bodies to waltz around. Afterward they finished, we noticed that a group of people and horses were marching toward us; it seemed to be time for jousting. I had reconnected with the medieval sport last year when we ventured to Medieval Times, a New Jersey based arena that transports visitors to the aforementioned time period. It was very enjoyable to watch up close, as the pair of horses, along with the decorated knights, gathered speed toward each other.
Once the jousting concluded, we started to head back through the festival toward the exit. We stopped for a brief excursion at an archery vendor, where my friend Matt and I shot a couple arrows at the mural a short distance away. While both of us got at least one arrow on the picture of a dragon, one of my arrows flew over the wall. I probably need some more practice. At that point in the day, the faire was winding down as it was closing within the hour. Matt, August, and Tom picked up some bottles of mead and wine to take home, and we wished Matt and August farewell as we drove north to drop off Tom.
Tom invited us into his apartment, where we were aghast at the beautifully orchestrated indoor plants grazing on the shelves. Lighting was on the top of the shelves as it gently kept the plants warm, with each plant housed in makeshift holders. On the other wall were two full bookshelves, housing books of fantasy, history, and chemistry. He is a chemist by trade, with a penchant for nature and reading. We chatted for a bit, before continuing the journey back to Glens Falls.
All of us had a wonderful time, exploring the local renaissance faire, however I found out that there is a half-dozen other festivals to explore. If you are interested in the sublime culture of medieval times in the capital region, be sure to stop by the Capital Region Renaissance Festival next year. It normally takes place on two weekends in June.
