Maryland Renaissance Festival – Still Great

So yesterday, Saturday, Ellen went to NYC to provide moral (and physical) support to Miriam to help with her apartment move from someplace in Brooklyn to some other place in Brooklyn (you can tell how well I know Brooklyn).  BTW, among other things Ellen spent five hours (FIVE HOURS!!) with Miriam and Miro (Miriam’s roommate) at IKEA. I am not sure what would happen if I was in IKEA (any IKEA) for five hours, but the one thing I could not do is stay there.

Regardless, I was then faced with a dilemma. I could have gone to Synagogue (probably the right thing to do). At Synagogue there were two family events. The way it works at our Synagogue is that often families having family events ‘enhance’ the kiddush meal (making it nicer, adding options). I suspect the kiddush meal was probably pretty nice. ALSO, downtown there was the option to go to Penn Quarter, spend $13 and participate in the all-you-can-eat ice-cream sandwich activity. Evidently ice-cream sandwiches have joined yogurt, donuts, macoroni and cheese, and so on as sort-of gourmet foods (who knew).

However, yesterday was also the opening day of the Maryland Rennissance Festival, http://www.rennfest.com/. And I had a family obligation, since Miriam was coming home for Yom Kippur, Saturday, September 14 (near her birthday), and we all would be going Sunday; there was an opportunity to scout ahead to make the September visit more smooth (I admit that was a pretty weak rationale, but it was the best I had yesterday morning). Also the weather was nice.

The Festival for all who want to know is once again a great event.

Entering, I immediately saw street performers such as this one:

I went to see the Rogues, http://www.therogues.com/, a bagpipe group:

I also saw an English street performer, Gazzo, http://www.gazzoshow.com/gazzoshow/Welcome.html, who does street magic with cards and cups. I did not get any pictures of him, but if you ever have the chance to see him, it is worth doing so. He will only be at the Festival through September 2.

Probably my favorite act at the Festival is Shakespere Scum, which does short parodies of Shakespeare Plays. They are always hilarious. This year they are doing three different shows. Two they have done before: Richard III, Just Misunderstood and Tag Team Romeo & Juliet. They added a new play, Antony & Cleopatra, As the Nile Flows. Highly recommended.

My one sacrifice was I did not get any Turkey Legs saving that for when I was there with my family in September.