Minnesota Renaissance Festival 2009

Jess, Casey, and I, all went to the 2009 Minnesota Renaissance Festival on Saturday, opening weekend! I love renaissance festivals, but Minnesota’s has to be the best that I’ve seen. I wish that I was a little more Festie, into dressing up in and all that, but I can’t seem to get a costume in order, perhaps by next year (although, that’s what I say every year).

One of the reasons that I enjoy the Minnesota Renaissance Festival more than I enjoy others is that I know a couple of the performers. Knowing performers and having a purpose – I must see their shows at least once – makes the festival that much more exciting for me.

One of those performers is Alisa. Alisa is one of the Sisters of the Sahara, lusty gypsy belly dancers, and when I write ‘lusty,’ I mean that they are, as part of the show, all in search of love. They are also all very beautiful and talented dancers. If you have a chance to make it to the Renaissance Festival this year, you must make sure to check out their performance.

The other performer is Melissa. Melissa is a singer and drummer in the Black Velvet Band, a folk band that performs traditional Irish and Scottish

ballads. Last year, I was duped into playing a role in their final song, a song about a knight, a dragon, and a princess. The Dragon Song has to be my favorite song because of the ending, “…and some times the dragon wins…”

Truly, the Black Velvet Band is an underrated act that you must make time to see.

Overall, a very good time can be had at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. I don’t think that I will get back to the festival again this year, but I sure hope too.

Below, if I've done it correctly, you can see a couple of short vidoes that I took of both the Black Velvet Band and the Sisters of the Sahara. If you ave the time, you really must get thee out the festival.