PARTY LIKE IS 1356!

          Every year a Renaissance festival comes to a town near you.  It's a good reason to break out the suit of armor that's been rusting in your closet.  

     One visited Gainesville recently and I went with wife and camera. We had a great time.
     
                                                                                                                                                                                              This one was the "Hoggetowne Medieval Faire" because Gainesville was originally called
"Hogtown" (it sounded better than Porkopolis) and in the old days every other word had to end in "e".

  

     Upon entering the city gate we were greeted by
minstrels, 

 



 the Green Man,

 a troupe of belly dancers, and, 

a hungry Tyrannosaurus Rex!

  You could easily spend a day being entertained by singers, jousters, and a multitude of folks pretending to be 700 years old.
 
    Francesca danced with new African friends.



     I enjoyed heaving axes at a wooden wall (Gainesville's axe-throwing bar opens on in three months!) and tossing tomatoes at
this rude young man. He drummed up business by throwing insults at everyone.

    
    Unfortunately the two booths were far apart making it difficult to throw axes at him.
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