What is a Rennaissance Festival?

All over the country, various organizations will hold themed faires. Period mixing is common and costumes tend to mix pieces from the middle ages through the renaissance and even into colonization of the New World. We are talking about outfits from the fall of the Roman Empire through the American Revolution. Not terribly historically accurate, despire the rabid efforts of some participants, but very pleasing to the eye if you enjoy costuming. Jousting and eating messily with your hands and drinking homebrew are all common renfair sports. The costumes worn tend to be referred to as garb by participants. There are people who make their living traveling from state to state all year doing renaissance and medievalist reenactments. Generally, these are people with some sort of special skill or business i.e. they can joust or cook traditional greasy mutton legs or design outfits with are semi appropriate for the period they are intended. Some people like to talk in funny accents and say things like thou and dost a lot. Some people just really enjoy having sex in a campsite with a bunch of other people in tents nearby trying to figure out from sound whether your sex partner is someone in a silk corset or leather armor.