On Saturday, the Fool's Faire at Steel String Brewery invited all to come and enjoy an evening at a locally hosted renaissance festival. Like a tale from long ago, people were dressed as fair maidens, mystical elves, hobbits, dragons and jesters. Some were simply dressed as themselves, enjoying the brisk fall air and lines of vendors selling all types of baubles.
Following a path down the grassy landscape, some attendees stumbled upon Emily Stewart, a tarot card reader and musician, alongside her assistant, Ashley Virginia, selling trinkets at Stewart's booth, Melodic Moon Tarot.
At the booth, patrons browsed a display of crystal pendulums, earrings and bracelets as well as books on incense or Scottish witchcraft, guides on how to use pendulums and informational texts detailing the different uses of crystals.
The vendors were not the only attraction at the Fool's Faire, however. Children could enjoy face paintings, a bouncy house and protected sword fighting hosted by the Knightly Order of the Fiat Lux, an education-focused nonprofit organization.
Eric Saffron, an escalation engineer at NetApp, volunteers for the Knightly Order of the Fiat Lux. He said that the organization is very service oriented. They are not only focused on supporting the local community, but also the community at large, he said. Fiat Lux has aided numerous charities such as the Autism Society of North Carolina, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the Wounded Warrior Project.
“Since we largely support children's charities, service is a very big thing for me, and giving back mostly because I was a special needs child growing up,” Saffron said. “So for me, it kind of hits close to home, and I want to give back in any way that I can.”
Although costumes were encouraged, not required, many people still dressed for the occasion and entered the Fool's Fair costume competition. Allie Cecil, a manager at Golden Fig Books, took home the first place prize. Adorned with a red and white spotted mushroom cap and a white beard, she said she was looking to dress up as a mushroom gnome.
Cecil is currently part of a five-year-long campaign of Dungeons & Dragons with her friends. She said they have always wished to attend a renaissance festival together, but many festivals require an entrance fee. However, anyone can attend the Fool's Faire for free. She said this financial aspect is one of the many things she enjoyed about the event.
“It just creates this magical, no-cost, beautiful environment to dress up and play and get away from stressful current events and hang out with other geeks,” Cecil said.
