| > | | | | players take this to another level. They dress the |
| Did you ever wonder what it would be like to be | | | | part and actually do the adventure type things |
| a knight, a wizard, or maybe a king or a queen? | | | | —including combat. It is something that |
| The days of knights are long gone but there are | | | | people often will do on a weekend and there are |
| organizations, groups and events that still | | | | even larping events that last for a full weekend. |
| celebrate the beauty and wonder of the Middle | | | | During one of these events people dress in |
| Ages. You might not be able to live a medieval life | | | | authentic medieval clothing and don armor and |
| full time but there are some great ways you can | | | | foam weapons. There can be very elaborate |
| try it out on the weekends! | | | | story lines that come with larping events and |
| Go To A Renaissance Faire | | | | some events have very detailed guidelines for |
| This is a great way to experience a little bit of | | | | combat, language, dress and more. The goal is to |
| the Renaissance life as a spectator or as a | | | | bring you as close to the reality of the period as |
| participant if you choose. You will like this if you | | | | possible. |
| are just looking for some entertainment in the | | | | Join the SCA |
| traditional way -although Renaissance Faires can | | | | The Society for Creative Anachronism — |
| be very interactive. | | | | They have quite a creative name and the |
| Picture yourself taking a trip back in time to the | | | | espouse a really creative lifestyle. They are an |
| middle ages and experiencing a real faire. That is | | | | international organization dedicated to researching |
| exactly what many Faires try to do. They will | | | | and re-creating the arts and skills of |
| have arts and crafts, armor and weapons, and | | | | pre-17th-century Europe. They have a very large |
| many medieval type items for sale. These Faires | | | | member base and they sponsor big events such |
| often have jousting tournaments and real | | | | as Renaissance Faires, tournaments and art |
| blacksmiths. Often times they will have a rental | | | | exhibits. They have a popular and easy to find |
| shop where you can rent some renaissance | | | | website if you want more information on them. |
| clothing for your stay at the faire. Of course the | | | | Stay In A Medieval Castle |
| food is very thematic and at a faire you will often | | | | The tourist industry has changed quite significantly |
| see people walking around munching on enormous | | | | over the past ten years and the Bed and |
| turkey legs and other such medieval-like food. | | | | Breakfast niche of travel has gotten very |
| Try Larping | | | | creative in that many real castles peppered |
| Larping is based on the acronym LARP, which | | | | throughout all of Europe are now full fledged Bed |
| stands for Live Action Role-Playing. It is a | | | | and Breakfast facilities. Some of them are very |
| wonderful type of hobby that takes the concept | | | | fancy and expensive while others are reasonably |
| of gaming to a new level of reality. It is loosely | | | | priced. A little bit of internet research can turn up |
| based on the early dungeons and dragons games | | | | quite a few wonderful castles in this niche. You |
| where players would sit around a table and talk | | | | can actually sleep like a King in one of these |
| their way through a dungeon. In Larping the | | | | facilities! |