Now I'm not one to dress up or get totally geeked out just because I'm going to a Medieval Fair - although I do enjoy a good themed event! I go for the people watching, to walk around and get some exercise, to eat some sugary food and enjoy a show or two.
The 2007 SRQ {Sarasota abbreviation} Medieval Fair was the very first fest of this type I had been to, and I had a GREAT time. I'll post a separate review for that one, because the 2008 Fair wasn't even worth going to in comparison.
The 2007 Fair was at Hunsader Farms in Bradenton - it seemed to be the perfect location {except the mutant spiders in the trees...again, that will be another post}. The 2008 Fair was at the SRQ Fairgrounds. Why did they move it? I didn't really have a problem with the new location...just about everything else.
The very first thing you see when you enter the "Medieval Village"? Ye Olde ATM {must be designed by the same viking that made Ye Old Bud Light tent}. There was no balloon fencing, no Fushu Daiko, there were more people in costumes last year...this year was just flat.
The "ad-lib" talking that the jousters do before they fight is about 4 hours longer than it needs to be. And if this is a Medieval village, I would REALLY like to see the characters STAY IN CHARACTER. I don't want to see you smoking, or on your cell phone or hear you talking about how you're gonna "get wasted and basted" when the show is over {what the heck does that even mean?}.
All of the food we bought was gross...from the brownies at the Queen of Tarts tent {I swear they were those little brownie bites that you can buy at Wal-mart} the nuts at Jester's Nuts were okay - but expensive. And the turkey leg? This was my first "turk leg" experience and lemme tell ya, if their ALL this greasy and gross, I will never touch another turkey leg, let alone eat one.
I mean, I could go on...but the point is, the 2007 show ROCKED. The stage shows were great, the people all really seemed to be so much more into it! This year? I felt like I was watching zombies walk around...it was just soooo not worth the money we paid. Maybe we should have visited Ye Old Bud Light tent when we first arrived?
Sadly, I will not be returning to Ye Old Lame fair next year...I had high hopes after the 07 one, but 08 broke my heart.
I do not recommend it.