Really more like one and a half stars. I don't know if the Maryland Renfest is just the best thing since sliced bread, but it has greatly colored my idea of a renfest, both what it is and what it could be. The Tennessee Renfest has got to be the most busted up, lame ass, boring, terrible renfest I have ever wasted time and money on. My husband goes to renfest because of his deep love of beer, collectible mugs, and turkey legs. I go to renfest because someone had to be the DD and to indulge in some excellent people watching. Also, I like pottery and blown glass.
Mugs at the TRF are more expensive than MRF, and you don't even get a free beer.
All of the pottery for sale was a bunch of cups and mugs with ugly faces on them. Nothing I could enjoy in my home, as I prefer my coffee and tea not to stare at me with a retarded look.
At MRF, the people watching is excellent. Everything from the sluttiest fairy this side of Mordor, to people who have spent weeks working on armor or dresses, to self-imposed experts who want to school you on dragons and codpieces, to the random people who just want to get trashed and wear cat ears and fox tails. It is always entertaining. At the TRF, it is very strictly family friendly. Nary a corset or codpiece in sight. I saw people turned away for showing too much cleavage. I felt like I was transported to a puritan version of the crappy middle ages, where men and women both are practically in burkas, so as not to offend anyone's delicate sensibilities.
Shopping isn't the reason I go to renfest, but it is always nice to get some beeswax candles and a handmade oil lamp. Going to TRF? Abandon all hope of things you wouldn't find in a 14 year old boy's bedroom. And not very much of that, either.
Finally, the food. It was meh. A turkey leg is a turkey leg. I got mozzarella sticks that were oily and cold and hit the trash shortly after purchase. They were out of french fries and chips.
We spend the whole day when we go to the MRF, we were in and out of the TRF in about 40 minutes. We'll never waste money on that place again. read more