I was planning on going Today(Tonight) and camping, spending Saturday there.

I haven't been since I was a young kid. What can I expect? Any tips on what I should do while I'm there, or if I should bring cash?
Should I open carry my AR-15? jk

Any tips on what and where to avoid? I've heard stories about crazy drunks and drugs.

Dont know about the camping....but expect a lot of people there and yes, bring money.  If not there are a lot of ATMs there.  Might want to leave the gun at home, but feel free to open carry your claymore.  

make sure you see Cast In Bronze

The last time I was there they had 30.06 signs posted prominently.  

But a guy home from the navy got stabbed to death in the parking lot a couple of years back, so...

The camping sucks unless you like the smell of unwashed Neckbeard. They do have a large 30.06 sign at the main gate to the parking area but it's easy to miss. I'll probably get loved tenderly for saying this but concealed means concealed. It's very expensive but it's a good time.  Cast in bronze and the dead bob shows are the best. If your a hairy guy don't do the wax hand cast thing or you'll end up cutting wax out of the hair on your forearm with a pocketknife and look like you have mange for a week.  Ask me how I know!

Others share the disability of 30-06 blindess, you are not alone.



Haven't been to the Ren Fest may need to review further.

This is one of those instances where I'd probably leave the handgun in the car and carry a big-a$$ sword insted.  

See "Cast in Bronze" and "Adult School of Sword". The rest is very "meh", but you want to see the Adult School of Sword.



Beyond that, the TX Ren Fest is way too damn big with way to many crappy shows and way too many vendors selling cheap Chinese crap. I'm a ren-faire nerd and have been since around 1990 when I went to my first faire at the age of 6. Normally it takes me two days to see a faire, but at the TX faire within about half a day I'm sick of hiking miles to see crappy shows or look at shitty chinese merchandise. The guys selling cast $20 swords for $300, and have all their inventory coated in rust, is just .

They are posted 30.06 both outside the parking lot and outside the gates of the faire. If someone attacks you, grab them by the crotch and throw them out a window.

I'd budget $10/person/meal while you're their, excluding alcohol.




I've never camped there, but I've heard a few stories about "Bondage Camp" and public spankings. From what I've read online they devide the campground into "children-ish" and "anything fucking goes".


The http://www.srfestival.com/ faire is much better for entertainment, and http://www.sherwoodforestfaire.com/ is decent too.

Cleavage.  Chubby girls carelessly stuffed into wench costumes.

Sounds like fun.

Weirdos. Weirdos everywhere.

Lots of strange folks but that is not necessarily a bad thing. If you go just for just the day, you are missing out on 90% of the fun. The campground is where are the real action is.

I have been going for 20+ years. I a  typically there 5-7 week-ends a year but decided to take this year off. You will find that most of the "freaks" are the most Pro-Second Amendment folks you will ever find. Yes, there are some complete dumb-asses that come out just to make trouble but most of the regulars are pretty cool. There is definitely a sense of "respect" that is completely missing in today's society. Most Clans are very inviting. When you get to a Clan campsite just ask to enter. 9 times out of 10 someone will say "come on in. Are you hungry? What would you like to drink?". The weekend before Thanksgiving is what our Clan (Clan of the Celtic Rogues) calls Feast Weekend. Two of our guys used to be on the professional bar-b-q circuit. One year we did a full pig and half a deer. Another year we deep fried close to a dozen turkeys. On that weekend we feed 100-200 people just because we have fun doing it.

If you are camping alone, don't stay at camp. Go for a walk-about. Go talk to folks. Find a Clan/camp that you like and hang out. If you don't like one camp, go to the next. Every Clan has their culture and rules. Clans can run from 100% family friendly to "holey crap. She did WHAT with that pickle?". At my camp there are lots of kids. The rule is "we are family friendly until 9PM. After that if any kids are still up it is up to the parents to explain what they saw or heard".

In 20 years I have seen someone pull a knife in anger (a boozed up anger) only once. When that blade came out so did 20 others. You could hear a pin drop. That guy sobered up REAL fast. Yes, there was the murder a few years ago but that was in the parking lot, not in the camping area (where most of us are well armed at all times). Most of the regulars police the area pretty well. A few years ago I saw a few frat guys giving girls a hard time. One grabbed a girls ass and she told him she didn't appreciate it. A few minute later he did it again. Her fellow clan-mates made sure the two frat-boys learned what respect was about. When the police came, the message was pretty much "he was drunk and tripped. That is why his face looks that way". The police understood and were completely good with that. On numerous occasions I have seen belligerent drunks duck-taped to trees or in port-a-potties. They had it coming. Need more of this, not less.  

Any tips for where to camp for a 1st timer to camping?

I keep hearing that's the interesting part of this faire, but I get the impression the campground is huge.

No. Seriously, bring eye protection. The vast majority are wearing costumes they lack the qualifications for.

And a good percentage of them will be drunk and carrying swords.  About the last place I'd want to be walking around disarmed.  We used to visit most years, but we won't be visiting while the 30.06 signs are up.

Man gets 55 years in Renfest slaying

You are ruining my daydreams of 10 lbs of cleavage in a 5 lbs bra.

I personally find it fun just to people watch.  I went to it last year and plan on attending again this year.  The people that piss me off are the ones that allow their little bastard children run around unattended.  It is usually one particular group but I will keep that stereotype to myself

Short AAR:

Camping was really fun. I only spent about half of Saturday actually walking around the faire. Probably walked it about 5-6 times, total of about 10 miles of just walking. It was pretty hot outside, but not unbearable.

That being said, I saw some people I didn't wish to see naked.

You catch the Ded Bob show?  I remember seeing that the first time I visited Texas, younger man then, but it was pretty funny.

Don't camp near the fire-pit (drum circle) area. That is pretty much where the drunks and newbie's hang out since folks heard it was cool. It was super cool 10 years ago but now the action has moved into the different clan areas. Also don't camp near the back tree-line. That area floods when it rains and some of the more "interesting" clans camp back there for privacy. Best to camp either on one of what used to be the parking rows or somewhere along the border of family camping (the large field) and regular camping. Camping in the large field is OK when it is dry but if there is a chance of rain, just don't do it. I have seen 50 cars stuck up to their axles in mud after a hard rain.

Just remember that no matter what time of the day or night, there will ALWAYS be someone drumming or making noise. Just part of he "fun" so just go with it. If you are a light sleeper then bring ear-plugs. Generally speaking, the campground is pretty lively until 1AM-2AM and then tends to die down pretty fast after that.

Best way to find the action is listen for drums or watch for the flicker of the fire twirlers. A lot of folks come back from Faire and take a nap so not unusual to see it pretty dead from 8PM-10PM and then have the party really get started around 11PM or so. If you want a place to just chill out for a while than come to my camp (just ask for the Clan of the Celtic Rogues and someone will point you in the right direction). Valhalla is another place to hang especially if you are a little older (just remember that most of us have been doing this for 20+ years so were actually young when we started ;-). If you are looking for loki, head over to the Drunken Gnomes.

Someone else in this thread mentioned "10 pounds of cleavage in a 5 pound bra". Well, you should not have any problem finding that. You will also see 20, 30, and 40 pounds of cleavage in a 5 pound corset as well (just be warned that what has been seen, can't be unseen). More than a few wearing things they really shouldn't but again, that is EXACTLY why people go to Faire. To get away from the real world for a while and have fun. If you don't like it don't look. Pretty simple. Most of all "Have fun at Faire". That is what it is all about.

Hah that's awesome, "Loki" actually lives across the street from me.  Haven't been able to make it out this year but the campfire stories have been pretty interesting!

Now that is good stuff right there!!!!

The last time I went to the Ren Fest over 20 years ago it sucked ass and I'm sure it still sucks more ass than previously sucking ass.

I was there this weekend having fun.  I always enjoy going out the TRF.  Huge site, to me many shows to take in, and folks to watch.

It's not horrible.

I've never been to the campground, but at the main faire there is plenty of good looking eye candy overflowing from tight bodices. The "attractive" to "land whale" ratio at the faire is about the same as it is everywhere else in the USA.

Ironically most of the ladies who hang out at the chainmail bikini vendor, and are wearing chainmail bikini's, probably an average somewhere in the 250lb to 300lb range. I think they're mostly customers who are just hanging out and pretending to look good, but I've never gotten close enough to ask...I'm afraid one might mistake me for food and go cannibal.