2008.8 Renaissance fair (逛市集 - 文藝復興慶典)－Kai@Chicago

每年夏季時美國各主要大城市會舉辦一種遊樂園式的文藝復興慶典，這遊樂園裡所有工作人員都打扮成中古時期的人物，所有的市集佈置、商家小販、餐廳酒吧、街頭走秀、運動比賽、舞台劇表演都在營造一種讓遊客彷彿置身於另一個時代的感覺。 (芝城一般都在七八月舉行，門票大約一人$25至$30美金) 去參加的遊客們常常會把自己打扮成文藝復興時期的裝扮，以融入這遊樂區的慶祝主題

這群老婆婆們也太酷了吧！完全進入狀況~

A Renaissance fair, Renaissance faire, or Renaissance festival is an outdoor weekend gathering, usually held in the United States, open to the public and generally commercial in nature, which emulates a historic period for the amusement of its guests. Some are permanent theme parks, others are short-term events in fairgrounds or other large public or private spaces. Renaissance fairs generally include an abundance of costumed entertainers, musical and theatrical acts, art and handicrafts for sale, and festival food.

Most Renaissance fairs are arranged to represent an imagined village in England during the reign of Elizabeth I, as this period has been generally considered to correspond to the flowering of the English Renaissance.

這群少婦們就遜了些！完全沒搞清楚狀況~

只顧著吃，人手一隻巨無霸火雞腿，香氣撲鼻，看我們滿足的笑容，嗯...好吃！

In a modern Renaissance festival there are stages or performance areas set up for scheduled shows, such as plays in Shakespearean or anachronistic audience participation comedy routines. Other performances include dancers, magicians, musicians, jugglers, and singers. Between the stages the streets ('lanes') are lined with stores ('shoppes') and stalls where independent vendors sell medieval and Renaissance themed handcrafts, clothing, books, and artworks. There are food and beverage vendors, as well as game and ride areas. Games include basic skills events such as archery or axe-throwing. Rides are typically unpowered -- various animal rides and human-powered swings are common. Live animal displays and falconry exhibitions are also commonplace. Larger Renaissance fairs will often include a joust as a main attraction.

In addition to the staged performances, a major attraction of Renaissance fairs is the crowds of professional actors who play all sorts of historical figures and roam the fair, interacting with visitors. Visitors are encouraged to wear costumes, once any weapons are suitably peace-bonded, contributing to the illusion of an actual Renaissance environment. Many of the fair vendors sell or rent costumes for all ages and types. The Renaissance fair subculture's word for these costumed guests is "playtrons", a portmanteau of the words "patron" and "player", and they add a second level of enjoyment to their experience by "getting into the act" as Renaissance Lords and ladies, peasants, pirates, belly dancers, or fantasy characters.

Falconry or hawking is an art or sport which involves the use of trained raptors (birds of prey) to hunt or pursue game for humans. There are two traditional terms used to describe a person involved in falconry: a falconer flies a falcon; an austringer flies a hawk.