The Plague Faire keeps getting bigger and colder! Started in 2020 as a way to enjoy a renaissance faire in the safety of the yard, it has gradually expanded into a mythical festival of disease-avoidance. The guest-list topped 25 people this year with the added challenge of hosting in December!
Historically we’ve held the faire in November because we want it cold, but not too cold, and are often graced with 70-degree-anomily days as a result. November was insane for us this year so we opted for the first weekend of December instead. The forecast taunted us with 19-degree predictions but eventually settled in the upper 30’s. To deal with the cold we huddled everything onto the back patio where we could use the bounced-heat from the sun, the wind-shield of the house, and a newly installed infrared patio heater to keep everyone warm.
Because the party fell so close to Krampusnacht, we made it the theme. Spooky Christmas lore, Krampus crafts, demonic costumes accepted for the first time, and even a special guest appearance by the big-guy-in-red. Yes, in the month leading up to the festival Jake and I sculpted our very own seven-foot-tall Krampus rotating statue for photo-ops.
We also provided ample children’s activities because we recognize that our friends can only stay so long as their kids aren’t having a meltdown. The kids got to make bird-feeder ornaments, color their own Krampus or Christmas tree wooden ornaments, and blow-bubbles. I also designed and printed off a rather involved scavenger-hunt and hero’s training regimen.
For the grownups there was axe-throwing as always, libations, music, corn-hole, and this year a special yarn-spinning demonstration to please Pertcha.
The food was plentiful because I devised a contest. Every guest had one vote for their favorite pot luck item and the top two winners walked away with prizes, one of which was a hand-sewn one-shoulder cape by me! The winning dish was a vegan butternut squash bisque. Because everyone else brought such wonderful dishes, I was able to focus on the peripheral party foods like fruit, veggie platters, salad, chips, drinks, paper-goods, etc, which really do all add up to a lot of work when combined with all the decorations that go into this event.
What did everyone wear? Outerwear was the focus, but Jake and I did have full Viking garb on through to our undergarments. I was moving so much during the sunny part of the day that I didn’t even need to start adding outer layers until the sun touched the top of the trees. The scalloped cowl and crochet hat are new and everything else are repeats from the winter kit.
We had a great assembly of friends from college (which was already twelve years ago) pictured above. Friends near and far made the journey into the past with us and embraced my costume requirement.
