Fest fest

Take the A train to the 14th Century!

These are the signs posted in various train stations around the city. Apparently the A train is not only a super-express train (it goes from 59th street to 125th street in one stop - damn!) but it is also a time machine. Only one day a year, however. Luckily, that day was yesterday. And I partook.

I went to the 22nd annual NYC Medieval Festival in Fort Tyron Park*. That is somehow different than a Renaissance Faire. I guess it comes slightly before. Anyway, being a bit of a Medieval-era expert (something about my future PhD area of specialization) I continued to criticize what was out of place – not counting the modern technology that obviously wasn’t part of the fest. At one point we even saw Captain Jack Sparrow. I yelled to the world about how the dates were way off and why do they need to pull in the (unlicensed) Disney reference, but nobody cared or noticed, or did anything about it. Eventually I told my inner perfectionist to shut up and just enjoy the fun.

I didn’t dress up, though you all knew I could have. However, I was hot enough with my normal clothes, so I think I would have died a little if I’d worn my pretty Renaissance dress, what with the velvet and the corset and the long sleeves and whatnot. I made the mistake of wearing that dress once in Central CA summer when it was around 100 degrees and dusty. I was quite unhappy.

We saw birds, a joust, and a magician. Lots of people in costume, lots not. Some people were dressed like robots. That was pretty funny because I’m always a sucker for homemade robot costumes, but they were clearly doing it for the added stares that wearing a cape wouldn’t bring here. Lots of things to look at, including generic wares. I did buy a flowery fabric & ribbon headband, because it was pretty and matched my hair.

As the fest was fairly small, we were done by 4pm. So we left, and I continued wearing my flowery headband throughout grocery shopping. Yes, I was the crazy person on the train for a while, but then I got tired of the ribbons getting caught on everything, so it went in the backpack.

Not a bad way to spend a day, especially since admission was free.



*Incidentally, Fort Tyron Park is a lovely place to have a Medieval Festival because it includes the Cloisters, a Medieval – style castle that is a museum housing Medieval art. Someday I might have my wedding in this park.