With faire season 2020 cancelled, my social cadre and I are planning our own socially distanced, hygienically responsible backyard fair for the future if our local numbers continue to improve. It will be black-death-themed, of course; our own little plague party, except not in a crowded palace. Time to get sewing.
The bubonic plague gripped Europe for the first time in 1347, just before the start of the renaissance, and became a recurring threat until the development of antibiotics. While renaissance men did not completely understand the virus, they did understand that staying away from the sick seemed to be an effective way to prevent illness. People were wary of objects traveling from infested areas, and effectively implemented quarantines to discourage the spread of disease well before the widespread acceptance of germ theory. People altered their behavior to avoid getting sick, but life didn’t grind to a halt except for in the worst outbreak areas. People spent a lot of time reading, studying, praying, making art, and of course many didn’t have a choice but to keep working. In a similar pursuit of normalcy, large crowds excluded, we’re hoping to throw a teeny tiny renaissance fair, but with better hygienic technology and modern precautions.
In preparation, I’m sewing some generic banners and flag garlands to decorate the outdoor space. The banners will be threaded onto wooden dowels which Jake has notched, with twine affixed for hanging. The flags for the garlands are all double-sided. This batch is red on the one side, white on the other. There is an open channel at the top through which twine can be strung. I plan to hang them alternating sides for maximum color.
As I sew, and finish, more decor and accessories for Plague Fair, I’ll be sure to share them here. We all hope to have a vaccine soon, so that plague fair can be a celebration of the end of this plague. However, if need be, it will serve as a small camp-out to boost moral. We can still have fun while spaced out and outdoors.
