Closedown and Startup

The backside of Mac's Pub in the
afternoon sun.  Reminiscent of an
English country cottage.

The 40th Minnesota Renaissance Festival is now history.  We celebrated closedown along with many of our friends and acquaintances, enduring a very cold morning that developed into a beautiful day and a soft and cool evening.  I did wear my cape and it was the perfect weight and warmth factor for this year's fest.  I've had closing days that were even colder when I would probably want a warmer cape, but for a medium-cool day it was perfect.  Now I want to bead the painted flourishes and replace the knotted closures with a different type and I'll call it complete.  I have at least four other capes sitting on my brain that will happen, as well as a lot of other clothing.  I need to get my den cleaned up! 

Fire performers in front of the main gate to
Ren Fest celebrate the end of our 40th year.

Ren's closure for another year is always a bittersweet time for us.  Despite problems, politics, and grounds that need some serious upkeep, we truly love going out there weekly.  We've met many people through the fest, and several of our customers in the store are part of the Fest as well.  In a way it reminds us of the optimistic days of our youth, when we felt that we had a chance of changing the world to a kinder and gentler place.  "Free Love" and "Give Peace a Chance" were words that we believed, but look at the world now.  Peace is becoming a concept that is ethereal - a mist rising over the pond.  The world that we have now is not the world that I wanted to grow old in and not the world that I wanted my friend's children to inherit.  But it is what the world became.  Going to Ren allows us to believe that there is hope; that there are people out there who still believe in peace, music, dance and good times without hatred and pointing fingers.