Hubby and I have been going to renaissance fairs since we were in grad school.  We’ve been to fairs in Indiana, Maryland and quite a few different ones in New York (Sterling & NY Capital District). While we’ve enjoyed them all, our all time favorite is the one in Tuxedo Park, NY – the New York State Renaissance Faire.  We’ve been there almost every year since 2003.  Sometimes we dressed up and other times we didn’t. One of my most memorable “costumed” visits was back in 2004 when we all went in costume and our son took his first attempt at pulling the sword from the stone.  This year, we didn’t go in costume, but we did get the son (now a teen) to pose with the sword. His version of a costume this year was to be the “Black Knight” by wearing his Batman T-shirt.

While at the Faire with friends on Labor Day weekend, I felt my childhood fascination with fairies take over; I became obsessed with taking pics of the fairies. I fell in love with fairies when I got Brian Froud and Alan Lee’s illustrated Fairies book for Christmas when I was about six or seven. I spent hours pouring over the pages holding imagined conversations with the fairies and sprites who came to life in the intricate artwork. The pen and ink illustrations reminded me of my father’s style of artwork, so I was immediately drawn to detailed depictions and descriptions of fairies and the fairie realm. When I would wander in the woods behind our house or my grandparents’ home, I would search for signs of them.  As I grew older, searching for fairies got pushed to the wayside.  I didn’t realize how much I had missed my fairy hunts until we went to the faire this year.

I hadn’t particularly noticed a lot of fairies out and about on previous visits. Maybe it was because I was running after my son or I was on the look out for knights and sword fighting that I had missed them, or perhaps they were relegated to the forest in previous years. This year, when we entered Sterlingshire, this fairy (with his “Captain Jack Sparrow/Johnny Depp” aura) was perched on a log.

His silent slow motions; his mimicking and following of the guests of the shire; and frankly the beauty of his costume and face mesmerized me.

But, isn’t that what fairies are supposed to do?

He wasn’t alone. As we waited by Queens Landing for the arrival of her majesty and her court to start the festivities, several fairies began to gather. They cast their magic on me.  They were silent, beautiful, graceful, colorful, elemental and oh so much fun to watch and photograph. I hope you enjoy the photos here in this blog post and that you are inspired to go search for your own fairies very soon.

CLICK ON THE IMAGES BELOW TO ENLARGE.

The first fairie we saw when we entered.

The Fairies performed and played before the live chess match battle.

I love the bird on her shoulder.