My First Renaissance Festival*

*Actually it was a medieval "Festival of Courage" which I like better just because I can spell it without looking it up.

I'm a bit embarrassed to say I've never been to one of these things. And if you've never seen a guy walking down the street in full armor you are TOTALLY missing out.

I went to oogle the weirdness and wound up working the admissions booth - welcome to life in a small town. It turned out to be the best places to be at a medieval festival: I got to see all of the great costumes, heckle the plain clothed and wander around the entire festival for free. Plus they fed me. Always a good thing.

I have to say I'm pretty hooked. I got a bit into it: I had the security guard snorting laughter after I told a trio of teenage girls in princess gear, "Good luck finding your princes, and don't go kissing any frogs."

So I've spent the last few days working on a costume and "story" idea for next year's fair (aka "how in the world a blackgirl ended up in medieval Europe") Any ideas? History experts out there that can solve this one?

All else fails, maybe I'll just go as a little brown fairy...