Sherwood Forest Faire 2012

**Zardoz** · 17th February 12, 07:04 PM

Well, last Saturday, 2/11, was opening day for the 3rd season of the Sherwood Forest Renfaire near Austin Texas.

It was a beautiful sunny day when we started arriving for the pre-gate 'tailgate' party, as long as you don't mind your sunny days at 34 degrees Fahrenheit! (2 degrees Celsius) But it warmed up to a more tolerable 50 or so by afternoon. Really though it's nice for a lot of the folks who like to wear a lot of heavy garb and normally sweat all day.

On to some photos;

In spite of the cold, a good crowd lined up at the gate.

We're greeted by the Earl of Huntington and his Merry Men..

Inside the gate there was a fairy frolic! Lots of fae at Sherwood, something about the forest, I guess..

First show of the day for me was bagpiper Jason Gunn.

My favorite band Circa Paleo is not performing the first few weekends, but some of the members were working their coffee and hooka tent, so we had a nice chat and coffee...

This is a new band I quite enjoyed hearing, VaNa MaZi from Austin. They play taditional gypsy, Russian and Eastern Euopean tunes.

more to come...

**Zardoz** · 17th February 12, 07:31 PM

Of course I had some of the Girltourage along, here's Sandy and I getting some sunshine by the stone circle. It occurs to me we were photo'ed on a table at Mardi Gras, and on a log here.... I'm sporting my new Celtic Nations kilt and TCS sporran.

Here's my friends Meggers, Merlin (the elder) and his wife Nim. How fun is this faire? Merlin and Nim come down from Arkansas.

Herding cats 2012 edition; the Renfaire forum group photo.

This woman made me drink! I'm not kidding! every time I got near the pub she would holler at me till I got another beer! Trouble was, I kept going near the pub!

Here's the new "Kids Castle" in the children's quarter, who wouldn't have liked one of those in your backyard growing up?

My friend Nyxxa the Night Fairy.

Last but not least, the Hands of Fatima Belly Dance group.

I was there both days, but no photos from Sunday, it was below freezing and started to sleet! So even I had to throw in the towel. Being frozen, the towel knocked some poor bystander out cold...