Archive for April, 2011

Patrons of Pearson’s Renaissance Shoppe are typically the kind of loyal subjects who also love to attend Renaissance Faires or other types of Medieval festivals. It is important that there are outlets for Renaissance enthusiasts to show off their impressive Renaissance Faire costuming and to help others experience what one of the most interesting periods in all of history.

One of the most premier Renaissance Faires in the country is the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire at the Mount Hope Estate & Winery. This is the faire that encompasses thirty-five acres and has 12 stages, 23 kitchens, dozens of authentic Tudor buildings, and over 90 shows daily. You can see jousts, Shakespearean plays, musical acts, the court jester, and a welcoming from Her Majesty each and every day.

The Dates for this year are weekends from August 13^th to October 30^th , from 11AM-8PM. The Faire is also open Labor Day Monday.

Some themed weekends:

The Grand Arrival:  Aug 13-14

Heroes of the Realm:  Sep 10-11

Pirate Invasion:  Sep 17-18

Halloween Daze & Spooky Knights: Oct 15-16, 22-23, 29-30

If you are a Live Action Role Player, LARPer, or a Renaissance Faire enthusiast, you’re going to need a costume that looks the part. One element that you may want to include is a piece of Medieval armor. Medieval armor is one of the most recognizable features of the Medieval era. It can also help keep you protected during battle reenactments or as a playable character in a LARP setting.

But what happens when your chain mail gets wet? You never know when it may start to rain or when you can fall into a stream, puddle, or other body of water. Will this be harmful your chain mail? What should you do?

If you get your chain mail wet, the best thing you can do is to dry off the piece of armor with a cloth. Then you also want to make sure to shake out the armor to ensure that it is as dry as possible. Even after you dry out the armor it may still oxidize somewhat, which is the nature of all metal. When you shake off the armor you may note that the layer of oxidation will flake off.

It is also important to note that when you do rub down your armor that you need to use something soft like cloth. If you use a metal brush, sandpaper, or metal screen it will get rid of the rust, but the scratches will be deeper which will give further oxidation plenty of room to multiply and grow rapidly.

Hopefully with these tips you’ll be able to keep your chain mail as protected as possible.

LOST! Have you seen this necklace?

The sun has risen on the fifth day of my guard tower duty. I’m somewhat groggy because last night our Captain summoned us. The daughter of the Baron had reported that her necklace, which was a family heirloom, had been reported missing.

My company was tasked with searching the entire palace for this piece of Medieval jewelry. We had to rouse everyone from their chambers, search from top to bottom, uncover every stone. We were afraid we’d even have to check chamber pots.

Despite our exhaustive search, we were unable to procure the locket. We know that it is likely that tomorrow the entire town will be on lockdown. Since I am posted in the tower the overlooks the main gate, I know I’m going to be the one to break the bad news to people who want to leave the town for the day. I hope they remember the phrase: “Don’t  shoot the messenger.”

I’m not looking forward to this day.

It is officially Spring, which means that a lot of Live Action Role Playing organizations are starting their seasons. We know that April usually marks the beginning of most LARP seasons around the country.

We also know that the past couple of weeks that there has been a higher than usual amount of rain. Since most LARPs take place at state parks or other outdoor camping scenarios, it is important to be aware of when potential flooding and flash flooding concerns exist.

A lot of heavy rain over a short period can lead to rivers and streams overflowing their banks.  This is especially true if there has been a lot of rain recently and the rivers are already very high. It is also very true if there hasn’t been a lot of rain recently and the ground is extremely dry. If the ground can not soak up all the rain, the rivers and stream may also start to flood.

The key thing to remember is to watch out for dry creek beds if heavy rain starts to fall. Streams can fill up quickly if the rain is heavy and constant. Always be vigilant so that you can stay safe while you are out LARPing this season.

If the rain does start, also don’t forget that the wool Medieval cloaks from Pearson’s can help keep you high and dry.