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It's hard for me to believe there's only one weekend left for the 50th season of the Maryland Renaissance Festival. it doesn't seem that long ago that it was Opening Weekend and Hugh MacGregor and Millie Appleton were greeting us with the message "New year, new Queen" at the top of their chalkboard Entry Poll. 

Of course, when arriving, it was clear that indeed autumn's chill is here. I made the mistake of underestimating the chill and not wearing my sweatshirt, a mistake I made sure NOT to repeat the following Sunday. Despite that, I had a good time at Faire anyway.

The day began with the Opening Gate ceremony, where Queen Anna of Cleves has arrived at Revel Grove ahead of the King, for reasons that will be made clearer in the later Royal Court shows. Aside from Sir Richard Rich and his odd remarks and tone, there is very little to hint of the problems in the marriage at the Opening Gate, as when the King arrives on horseback and listens to the Queen describing the wonders of Revel Grove, he smiles back and states that he did say that Revel Grove is a magical place. Soon, the King gave his speech, the gates opened, and the day officially began.

I soon headed in, and after stopping by the Guest Services Pavilion to pick up this week's schedule, I saw the latest Entry Poll from High MacGregor and Millie. This day, we had questions on favorite knights (with knight puns) and 'Favorite Tudor', with at least one Tudor pun. 

I then stopped by the Lyric Stage for the Pipe Organ Recital. A few familiar tunes were played, and there was a visit from the Royal Court as they stopped to hear some of the tunes. 

I made my way to the Globe Theatre stage for Daisy O'Danny's early show. This show featured Daisy O'Danny performing in front of the stage as she performed songs such as the "Rambling Rover" parody, and "Leave Him, Jenny". She then turned to "Earl", giving her giant rubber chicken some time in the spotlight.

Over at the Lyric Stage, we had the welcome return of Ship Shape to Revel Grove. At their early set, Frankie, Swiss and Mack did the first of several sets featuring their arrangements of classic sea songs as well as some originals. After their pirate-themed revision of "Old Maui" came a Ship Shape original written by Swiss, about the bonds between friends that persist even when they're apart, "Wherever we may roam (Red Thread)". Afterward, they performed a mashup arrangement of songs about less than fortunate pirates, "High Barbary" and "Yo Ho Ho". And then they performed their version of "William Taylor", about a woman who finds out her sailor lover hasn't been faithful.

At the White Hart Tavern, meanwhile, the Pilgrims of Deep Run were performing their set, which included some tunes and "Dirty Old Town". 

At the Royal Fox Theatre, Paulo Garbanzo performed his solo juggling show, with several juggling patterns and science geeky references associated with them. Later on, he brought out some most unconventional juggling props. 

Back at the White Hart Tavern, the Langer's Ball performed their early set, featuring the upbeat and uptempo "Whiskey Until the Break of Dawn", and "The Broad Majestic Shannon" (a song inspired by the river Shannon). They also performed their very different arrangement of "All For Me Grog", followed by a fast upbeat tune and their arrangement of "Parting Glass".

Over at the Gatehouse Stage, we had Shakespeare Approves - Your Friendly Neighborhood Shakespeare as he brought audience volunteers to participate in his "Macbeth: Death by Fluffy Kittens" show. The show was full of wit and silliness in this comedic retelling of the Scottish Play.

Next at the Gatehouse Stage were the Hunters of the Unruly Dead with their Tudor Mages show. Here, Revel Grove's own Thomas Bodley is joined by Heinrich Agrippa as they discuss many mystical practices and beliefs of the Tudor era, such as various forms of divination. Hydromancy, the Tarot, and Astrology were among the many forms of divination discussed. Lastly was a discussion of the forbidden arts of necromancy and summoning of angels and demons, with an account of a ritual with incredibly elaborate and specific ingredients and rules for summoning an archangel. 

I made sure to make my way to the Boar's Head Tavern for Reveler's Roulette. Here, we had a special treat, as after the Toast, two of our hardworking Stage Managers Dave and Katherine took the stage for "Dandelion". Next was Joshua with "Raglan Road". Aoife O'Neill and Ty gave us the fantastic story of "Tan Lin", and Nathan T. sang lead on "Arabella". Robin and Ty told of the dreadful end of Marianne for sorcery, and the Templetons, Anne Bracegirdle, and Sir Richard Mondes sang the "Song of the Lower Classes". 

Afterward, I made my way to the Lyric Stage for Ship Shape's next set. After their introduction song, they did their take on "Pump Shanty". Then, since we are currently in the midst of the spooky season, they performed "Good Morning to You, Billy Bones", about how Billy Bones' last days were spent in fear. In the midst of this, Frankie got a bit carried away, and Mack had to do her bit as the emotional support pirate to get things back to sanity. Later on, Mack would sing lead on "Caledonia". They finished the set with "They're telling our tale".

Saw a bit of Vielles a Deux, the Hurdy Gurdy duo, in the lanes near the Bee Folks and Signs of Spirit. This talented duo showed their mastery of musical instruments many outside of faires don't see every day. 

Jammer's Ceilidh as the Gatehouse Stage began with Jack Ripley and the Revel Grove Dance Company doing their parade to the stage with "Heave Away". The Jammer Clan and the Revel Grove Dance Company had a special guest today, as Nan Rash joined them to lead in a special rendition of "The Wren" as Jack Ripley and Summer did a dance to it. We also had Allison performing "The Tidal Pool" before the "Half Haniken" drinking vessel raising dance.

I moved to the other side of Revel Grove to the Grounds for Defense to see the STREETSpeare Swords of Shakespeare scene from the Scottish Play. This is where a described early battle Macbeth was involved in is enacted as well as described. 

I then made my way to the Globe Theatre for the excellent Royal Court show, Recollections May Vary. The Queen's Players attempt to recreate the first meeting with King Henry and Queen Anne, only to find that members of the Court dispute the version of events depicted. Indeed, as Sir Francis Bryan points out, recollections may vary, and even those who were actually there for the event may have their memories of it affected by their own feelings and biases. We also get the ominous hint that Thomas Cromwell might not be in the Court for much longer.

Not far from the Reveler's Bower, I encountered the ranger and the wizard from Off the Cuff, the musical improv group, with their chalkboard. I guessed correctly that they were asking people for words to use in their 'Wordplay' game that I'd seen them do the previous week at the Boar's Head Tavern, where they have a long list of tricky words and take turns to see which of the group can find rhymes for the most words. I supplied 'gelatinous' (as in gelatinous cube) when they asked.

Naturally, I headed back to the Globe Theatre for Off the Cuff's next show, to see what they would do with the words on the chalkboard. After their 'Role Call' song (where the ranger, wizard, barbarian, and artificer introduce themselves) came their first improvisation game where they improvise a song based on an object submitted to the audience. This time we had a tie between apple sauce and nasal spray, so they improvised lyrics about both of those items.

Then came the 'Wordplay' bit where (as stated above) they take turns trying to rhyme as many words on the chalkboard list as possible. They managed to come up with a lot of good rhymes, and two of them managed to get 15 or more rhymed words. 

Afterward came their 'fallen fifth' game, where the audience is invited to submit details about the name, skills, and fate of a hypothetical former fifth member of the DnD style party group. This time it resulted in a bit about a cleric whose obsession with peanut butter resulted in a most smelly fate. They concluded their set with a DnD "rap battle" between the wizard and the barbarian, with the barbarian eventually emerging triumphant.

I made it to Pub Sing in time for "Step It Out Mary". This was followed by Jack Ripley with his version of "Old Dun Cow". Nan Rash was next with "Cuckoo Bird", getting much of the audience clapping along. Another big upbeat song followed, the Adventurers with an upbeat arrangement of "Santiana". Idle Fancies was next, with "Doodles", a song about mistakes made.

After Last Call, we had the Vagabonds with their hit, "Oak and Ash and Thorn". Morta Weyward was not present, but Lilith and Constance Weyward were still able to lead the tavern in "Weyward Daughter". Sir Richard Mondes was next with the shorter version of "Paddy Murphy", and then we had Jack Ripley and the Jammer Clan leading the tavern with the Ripley Rhumba dance. The Vagabonds were next with "One Last Drink", and the ensemble got together for "1,2,3,4" a song that tells us that though the singers and musicians have been performing for a while, there's still more to come.

The Adventurers were next with "Retirement Song", that song about sailors' reasons for settling down on land. This was followed by the Ensemble with "Westering Home". The Vagabonds showed their romantic side with "The Keys to Canterbury". Nell Quickly sang probably the darkest and saddest of the songs she performs, which is "Blue Bleezin Blind Drunk", a song about a woman in a loveless marriage. 

Soon, Pub Sing concluded with "Wild Mountain Thyme", and a little encore with the Jammer Clan and "Kellbourne Brewer". Afterward, as I was leaving the White Hart, I chatted a bit with Nan Rash, noting how I was impressed by how well "The Wren" worked at the Gatehouse earlier. She noted that between "The Wren", "Cuckoo Bird", and certain songs at A Per Se (the 11:00 madrigal show), she'd performed most of the bird songs she performs in one day. 

A short time later, I was on my way home. The next day, on Sunday, I would see more of the Hooligans, the Pilgrims of Deep Run, the Langer's Ball, and Village Court, among other things. But that's a story for Sunday's recap.

Well, Sunday was another muddy day at the Maryland Renaissance Festival. There was still lots of mud in the paths that made people have to keep a careful eye on the ground. But it was still a wonderful day at Faire (more on that later). 

Anyway, Sunday began with the area in front of the gate very muddy despite the straw covering. So it was another day that the usual procession with the King arriving on horseback would not occur. Of course the Gate Show happened regardless, with Justice of the Peace Reginald Waldegrave and Mayor Hugh MacGregor welcoming everyone to their 50th anniversary festival. Sir Richard Rich, who, along with Anna of Cleves, has arrived hours ahead of the King, drops a few subtle hints that things might not be well between the King and the Queen. Queen Anna of Cleves arrives, having been given a tour of the village and the apple orchard by Millie Appleton.

King Henry himself arrived, this time on the area atop the gate, and Anna of Cleves spoke of the wonders she has encountered in Revel Grove, including food on a stick. The King gave his usual speech, and soon the Gates opened and the festival day officially began.

Inside the gates, the Bayfield Brass could be heard playing from the Gatehouse Stage as their music provided a soundtrack to the opening of the day. At the fountain, I encountered Temperance Belowe, the puritan parody character, and since food on a stick was still fresh in my mind, I asked her about it. She said food on a stick encourages gluttony, as people can just carry it around with them. 

Next, I headed over to the vicinity of the Maypole and the Guest Services Pavilion, where Hugh MacGregor and Millie presented Sunday's Entry Poll questions. Since there was no set theme this weekend, the Entry Poll questions were of the miscellaneous sort, revolving around habits and of course what the worst offense is (one of the options being 'mayonnaise on PB+J'). 

I soon found myself at the White Hart Tavern for the Hooligans' hangover set. There was a lot of soap-based banter from the Hooligans this set, with Irish Spring of course being mentioned. After "Mist Covered Mountains" and more soap banter came "Caledonia" and "Back Home in Derry". Patrick sang lead on "Motherland", and John Kelso took the lead vocals on a song he wrote, "The Sea Softly Calls". After "Fields of Athenry", there was time for two more songs, "Night Visitor's Song" and "Men of Erin".

Next on the White Hart Tavern stage were the Shank Painters, a band whose name comes from a rope used to fasten the shank of an anchor to the ship's side. They started the set with "South Australia", and continued with their variation on "Blow the Man Down". They followed that up with a song set to the same tune as "Santiana", but this "Santy Anna" had different content than the versions sung by the Adventurers and Bone & String, which are about a war. This song is about a lass who wasn't allowed in the Navy so she became a pirate instead. 

Next in their set was "Leave Her, Johnny" and "Spanish Ladies". Then, they moved to "William Taylor", a song about a man who thought he was getting away with something by seeing another woman elsewhere at sea, and did not expect the woman he left to find out about it. They concluded with "Drunken Sailor".

I made my way over to the Grounds for Defense, and discovered that the mud was not so bad in the Mary's Dale Way area, though the area between the Chapel and Grounds for Defense had some really bad muddy spots. Anyway, I saw the Revel Grove fighting corps demonstrate Sword and Shield, with several different types of shields. The shield wall as well as combat with sword and shield were demonstrated here.

I stayed for the STREETSpeare from the 'Swords of Shakespeare' track. This one was from Coriolanis, specifically the battle of Corialander and how it earned the title character the name Coriolanis. 

I made my way to the Royal Fox Theater, to see Celtic Magic with Daniel GreenWolf and Bella GreenWolf. Here, magic is combined with Celtic lore and history. For example, the story of Sean's pub (believed to be the oldest pub in Ireland, dating back to the 900s) is told while showing us furniture that seems to move on its own. There's also talk of Irish curses, and how to counter them. I'm sure most of them are true, though I'm sure (like Bella) that the suspiciously specific 'parasol curse' is probably invented to set up the show's trick involving over a dozen umbrellas and a cardboard box that they (assisted by Katerina) performed at the finale of this edition of the show. 

Over at the White Hart, the Shank Painters were in the midst of wrapping up another set, with "Leaving of Liverpool" and a reprise of "Drunken Sailor". 

The Hooligans began their first afternoon set, featuring their faster and more upbeat material. Included was "Irish Rover" and "Leaving of Liverpool", as well as some banter about the non-alcoholic "Just the haze" beer. Also included were material from their latest album (available on CD and not-so-compact vinyl), such as "Drink Till I Die". Patrick sang lead on "Bees Wing" and the set concluded with "Mission Hall". 

After getting some food, it was off to the Boar's Head Tavern for Reveler's Roulette. After the Toast, we had a visit from Digger Plotts, gravedigger/gravesinger, with his Edward Gorey inspired song "G is for Gorey". Lottie Grimm was next with "Fox Hunt", and Brittany T. sang "Hazel Eyes". Paul of the Revel Grove Dance Company sang lead on "The Chemical Worker's Song", a song about the terrible conditions workers faced at a thread and colorant plant. Beck Marshall was next with "Wandering Stranger", and then joined Baron and Thomasina Templeton in a lovely rendition of "The sound of One Voice". 

Back at the White Hart Tavern, the Hooligans were in the midst of their mid-afternoon set when I arrived. They performed two songs from the earliest days of the Hooligans, "Mary Mac" and "Lukey's Boat" before moving to some of their newer songs, "Young Ned of the Hill" and "The Devil's Dance Floor". 

Next at the White Hart was the Langer's Ball, with their combination of Celtic folk traditionals and originals. The cautionary tale "Johnny Jump Up" was followed by "Drank a Barrel of Whiskey", and then a new song from their coming new album. After "Fall from Grace" came the Ewan MacColl penned "Dirty Old Town", about a man's complicated relationship with a town (inspired by the town of Salford). Hannah of The Langer's Ball had switched from accordion to whistle, and played some amazingly fast notes on the tune set. This was followed by "Galway Races" and the Langer's Ball original, "Mackey's Daughter", about a guy who needs a drink to find the courage to overcome his shyness.

I made my way to the Gatehouse Stage, and it was easier this week thanks to the gravel put on the ground, though I still had to pay close attention to the mud. 

Jammer's Ceilidh began with Jack Ripley and the Revel Grove Dance Company doing a slow version of "Heave Away" as they approached the stage, but after they reached the stage, they switched to the normal speed. They followed that up with a dance to the Jammer Clan's tune, "John Ryan's Polka". Robin and Ty got together to play a lively tune, followed by the "Half Haniken" dance (the one with the drinking mugs) where a possible acquaintance of the Dance Company joined them in the dance. For a change of pace, Mara Starfire sang the slow and soft "The Dutchman". Then we were back to the dance and upbeat tunes with "Intero" (the "and pelvis" dance).

I stayed for Village Court, presided over by Reginald Waldegrave, Justice of the Peace. Joined today by bailiff George Grimm and Nan Rash, alongside stenographer Hugh MacGregor and musician Ty, Sunday's Village Court began its session with a most bizarre case.

Case one involved a zom bee (an undead bee) and a Medusa. Supposedly the Medusa turned the zom bee to stone, though the zom bee appeared capable of movement during the case. Nan Rash defended Medusa, and cited how in the chronicles of Narnia beings turned to stone were restored in the climax. Grimm stated that the Narnia stories are an allegory, and Nan Rash acknowledged how Grimm and his family are familiar with fairy tales. Nan Rash challenged Grimm to a staring contest. Grimm eventually backed off and conceded, and in the end, the case was decided in the zom bee's favor.

Case two involved a version of Princess Buttercup who was accused of pushing people down hills. Nan Rash said it was just a misunderstanding and she was just sharing turkey legs. Grimm stated that Buttercup didn't just push Westley down the hill, but also six other people, including Fezzik, Miracle Max, and Miracle Max's wife Valerie. After five re-enactments, the citation stood.

Case three involved a wizard cited for having yum yum sauce on potato salad. Nan Rash defended his right to do it. By a narrow majority, the wizard won the case.

Case four involved Grimm citing Constable Tristan Catchpole for having a bad toupee. Of course it became obvious that Tristan's hair was indeed real. Grimm said that because Tristan's hair was real, that made it a bad toupee. In the end, the case was decided in favor of the hair being real.

Case 5 had a jester cited for wrongdoing, and Nan Rash challenging the jester to a dance contest. In the end, Nan Rash won that case.

Case six involved sassbackery toward a public official, and possible slander, as a man claimed that Reginald Waldegrave used a megaphone because his voice was too small. Grimm decided to test Reginald's voice by asking Reginald to shout a number while Grimm moved to the back of the Gatehouse Stage audience. In the end, the citation was thrown out.

Case seven involved a citation for puns. Nan Rash was on the side of liking puns and admired Hugh MacGregor's pun ability. Grimm said people were jealous of said ability. In the end, the citation was thrown out.

I made it back to the White Hart in time to see Daisy O'Danny do her short set, where she performed parodies of "Rambling Rover" and "This Dreadful Life" (the latter a song the Rambling Sailors have performed) prior to the Hooligans' late afternoon set.

The Hooligans began their late afternoon event set with "Streams of Whiskey" before inviting the audience to spot those who, while clapping along with the chorus of "Finnegan's Wake", clap beyond the chorus by accident or design. Next came the Wildest Rover Singing Competition, where sections of the audience are invited to take turns singing the chorus of "Wild Rover". The Freaks on the Left went first, followed by the Relatively Normal People on the Right, the 'corn' section (basically a small group of people who were paying attention from the food court benches near the corn vendor), and the Mighty Mighty Pie Wedge. 

In the end, the Worst Place award went to the Freaks on the Left, the Participation Award (which is awarded for, well, generosity, and only exists to preserve the integrity of the Wildest Rover trophy) went to the Mighty Mighty Pie Wedge, and the Wildest Rover trophy went to the Mighty Mighty Pie Wedge.

Next came "Rattlin Bog", where the Hooligans take the Celtic song with a progression of things added all the time ("branch on a limb and a limb on a tree...") and after a certain point ("bed from a feather") add new words to the progression, and challenge each other to get through the progression without messing up. John Dickson Wakefield won Saturday's Rattlin Bog, and this time, the audience was invited to choose the first new word for the progression. This turned out to be 'soap', based on the Hooligans' banter in the day's earlier sets. As it continued, we had a progression that was "tree from a worm and a worm from a dirt and a dirt on a hand and a hand with a foam and a foam on a sud and a sud on a bubble and a bubble with a lather and a lather from a soap and a soap on a bed and a bed from a feather and a feather from a bird and a bird from an egg and an egg in a nest and a nest on a branch and a branch on a limb and a limb on a tree and a tree in a bog". In the end, no one won the Rattlin Bog medal this day.

Pub Sing began with "Health to the Company", and continued with the Vagabonds performing "A Beggin I Will Go" (the song that has the enthusiastic shout of "CHEESE!" in a later verse). The Tavern Twins performed their variation on "Whiskey in the Jar", and then we had John the intern show up at the Host Toast to give a parody version of a well-known toast. This was followed by the Adventurers with "Donkey Riding".

Bardwin the Bard performed "Excursion Around the Bay", the story of a couple's less than pleasant excursion around the bay. Idle Fancies was next, with a song they described as being "story time with Idle Fancies", and stated that it was a cautionary tale. This would be "The Butcher and the Chambermaid".

The Ensemble got together for another story song, "Darcy's Donkey", the story of a drunken donkey who won a race at Donegal. The Weyward Sisters were next with the comedic story song, "The Widow and the Devil", and the Adventurers (with some more product placement supplied by Captain Red Beans) performed "Row Me Bully Boys". Then it was time for Last Call.

Aoife O'Neil got together with Viola and Alys Overdun for "Limericks", and Sir Richard Mondes sang the "Irish Pub song" about how Irish pubs can be found in places all around the world. The Vagabonds were next with their version of "Beggarman" that is similar to "Little Beggarman" but swaps out the gibberish chorus for a new chorus that the audience can find in the fancy lyric pamphlets given early on in Pub Sing ("I've got the sky. I've got the road..."). Aoife O'Neill had another song, this one the Gaelic "Siull a Run". The Weyward Sisters were next with their variation on "Cuckoo's Nest", and the Adventurers returned for "Sleeping in the Cold Below".

Now that we were in the softer, sentimental portions of Pub Sing, we had Sir Richard Mondes, Millie Appleton, and Alys Overdun get together for a song they hadn't performed in a while (and indeed hadn't performed this season until now), "Sailor's Prayer" ("I will not lie me down"), which they sometimes refer to as Rambling Sailor's Prayer or Sailor's Rambling Prayer since they learned the song from the Rambling Sailors. Then the Vagabonds gave us the beautiful and moving "Bring on the Starlight", before Pub Sing concluded with "Wild Mountain Thyme".

The hosts, Sir Richard Mondes and Nell Quickly, gave their parting words. Sir Richard Mondes said it was a wonderful day in Revel Grove, and Nell Quickly gave her usual parting words of wisdom to be kind to one another, drink a lot of water, and of course to return next time for another Pub Sing.

I paused to chat afterward, and mentioned to Sir Richard Mondes that I indeed felt it was a wonderful day in Revel Grove despite the muddy conditions and all. He told me that part of the magic of the place is that people still find ways to have a good time regardless. 

I made my way to the Main Gate, and noted Follentine Hilles of the Vagabonds had taken Jack Ripley's usual end of the day spot. Just inside the main Gate, I encountered Hugh MacGregor and Viscountess Rochford. Hugh MacGregor told me that Lottie Grimm had won the archery contest earlier and as a result became Mayoress for a day, which explains why she was seen wearing something that resembled the Mayor's chains. 

Hugh also presented today's exit poll, which revolved around people's favorite coffee. I said I guessed that hot coffee would likely become very popular in the weeks and months to come. Soon afterward, I said my farewells till we meet again, and was on my way home.

Well, Sunday was still a very enjoyable day at Faire despite the mud. Hopefully, we'll see less of the mud this coming weekend, but from what I hear, we'll be seeing the return of rain this coming Saturday. Regardless, I'm looking forward to the coming weekend anyway.

And so we come to Sunday of Celtic Weekend of the 2026 season of the Maryland Renaissance Festival. If it could be summed up in one word, that word would be muddy. 

There was already a good deal of rain that morning, and the grounds at the Opening Gate had plenty of mud. We knew just looking at the grounds that the usual procession and the arrival on horseback would not happen this day. We also knew that the muddy conditions were likely to worsen throughout the day.

Anyway, the Gate Show proceeded, with the usual bit where Queen Anna of Cleves has arrived ahead of the King and is atop the Gate. The King himself would later appear atop the gate to give his usual responses and the opening speech. The gates opened and the day officially began. 

I made my way to the vicinity of the Guest Services Pavilion and the Maypole, and saw Sunday's Entry Poll questions from Hugh MacGregor and Millie. The conditions of the ground, however, made it clear there would not be a Morning Dance today. 

I made my way to the White Hart Tavern for the Hooligans' hangover set. Today, the set was titled 'Tears in the Rain' on the Hooligans' chalkboard. The set began with "Night Visitors Song", a slow and soft song whose storyline is more or less the same as "I'm a Rover". Next came "Heave ya ho and away we'll go". As this set was labeled 'Tears in the Rain', the Hooligans then performed perhaps the saddest song they do, "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda". 

They followed this with the comedic "1353", about a young man who isn't clear just how one goes about wooing a lady. They went back to the sad songs as Patrick sang lead on "Motherland", which was followed by "Back Home in Derry". 

At this point, despite the rain, I wanted to do some different things today, and not be stuck at the White Hart like I was yesterday. I worried about the recap being a bit too repetitive, so I decided to wander Kenwood Lane for a bit. I stopped for a while at Enchanted World Photography, which has some impressive examples of photographic artwork. 

I also encountered Hugh MacGregor in the lanes, doing his Pun Exchange. By request, he did puns about pepper and soap.

I saw a bit of Syr at the Blackfriars Stage. After seeing so many recommendations, I felt I had to check them out. I only saw the last part of the set, but what I saw was enough to let me know they lived up to the hype. I certainly wouldn't mind seeing them again someday.

Over near O'Shucks and the Skittles game, I encountered Nicholas Kratzer, the astronomer. He admitted that today wasn't the best day for astronomy, with the rain and clouds and all. 

At the White Hart, the (adjectiveless) Bards began their set with a tune, before moving on to "The Spark". Next was their song, "A Bottle of Whiskey, a Bottle of Rum". After their version of "Wellerman" came their original, "Swindling Serpent", which is the title track of their "Tales of the Swindling Serpent" album (and not to be confused with "The Spark", which does mention the Swindling Serpent in its lyrics). Afterward, the Bards put their own spin on "Ferryman" with a distinctly different arrangement. They finished the set with a pair of songs that are familiar to many Faire goers, "Whiskey in the Jar" and "Wild Rover". 

Poehemia was next, starting their set with "Fisherman's Blues." They then performed their rendition of "Fields of Athenry", and followed that up with "Galway Girl". After a tune, they finished their set with "Paddy Murphy".

The Hooligans began their "Beers in the Rain" set with "I'm a Rover", and continued with "Sally MacLenanne" (whose audience participation shout of "in the rain!" came easily this day). They continued with "Young Ned of the Hill", and followed that up with the much lighter "Walking on the Waves". "Over the Hills and Far Away", an English song, was followed by "Come Out Ye Black and Tans", an Irish song about an Irishman mocking the infamous oppressors.

Due to the rain, Piper Jones moved their set from the Market Stage to the Boar's Head Tavern today, and played a number of energetic tunes. They started with a medley that included a pipe and drum arrangement of "Mayden Lane", before moving on to a whole bunch of others that had the house rocking. (I guessed, however, that the popular circle dance that happens at their final set later in the day probably wouldn't happen today due to the muddy conditions). 

I stayed for Reveler's Roulette, which always begins with the same Toast song by Anne Bracegirdle but otherwise is different every time with different performers and different songs. Sir Richard Mondes was there to help with the hosting duties, and also performed "Paddy Murphy" (the shorter version). We also had Aoife O'Neill performing "Siuil A Run", and Brittany T. with "Highland Girl". Hugh MacGregor showed up for a special treat, a Scottish-Gaelic version of "Parting Glass", and Baron Templeton contributed "The Water is Wide" to wrap up this Celtic Weekend themed edition.

I'd heard that a lot of people loved the Shakespeare's Skum 'audition' show, and had heard that it was going to be performed this weekend. So I made my way to the Globe Theatre stage to see it. The 'audition' show is a show that was prepared just in case they couldn't do their usual show, but audiences loved it and wanted to see it again. Anyway, in the 'audition' show, a group of audience volunteers are asked by the Shakespeare's Skum regulars to read speeches selected from Shakespeare's plays, twice. The first is straightforward, but the second time, the volunteers are asked to give a truly bizarre delivery to those speeches. It ends up being not only funny, but also impressive by how the volunteers manage to pull off the task.

I made my way to the Gatehouse Stage, but did so slowly because the mud between the Coin Pavilion and the Guest Services pavilion was really bad at this point. I kept to the area close to the booths between the Lyric Stage and the Gatehouse Stage, pausing to visit a few of them, such as Dragon Studios and its display of dragon-themed artwork. 

But eventually I made it to the Gatehouse Stage. I arrived a short while before the start of Jammers Ceilidh, and knew that given the wet conditions, the dance portions of the show would be different today. And I saw that from the very start, when Jack Ripley and the Revel Grove Dance Company performed a slowed down version of "Heave Away" and its accompanying dance. Everything else (including "John Ryan's Polka" and "Half Haniken" that followed) was at a more or less normal speed, though dancing was still modified from the usual routine due to the conditions of the ground. 

Jess sang lead vocals on "Rambling Rover", which was followed by "Intero" (the "and pelvis" dance). The Ripley Rhumba concluded today's edition of Jammer's Ceilidh, though instead of moving into the aisles before the big finale, the Revel Grove Dance Company remained on the stage. 

I stayed for Village Court, where Justice of the Peace Reginald Waldegrave, bailiff George Grimm, stenographer Hugh MacGregor, and musician Ty were joined by special guest Nan Rash. Nan Rash would be one of today's lawyers along with Grimm, who people would choose to take their side in a case.

Case one involved a lady who had issues with her fiance for failure to do laundry duties. Nan Rash said that the man failed to comprehend laundry, while Grimm said the man just doesn't like doing laundry and is not incompetent. The man said he did chores such as lawn care. The lady claimed the man didn't seem to know how to do simple things such as operate a washer. In the end, the audience/jury decided the man was guilty of willful ignorance of laundry.

Case two involved a woman on her birthday cited for radiant beauty beyond reasonable standards. Nan Rash said the citation should not apply because everyone is in their own way radiantly beautiful. Well, things got a little strange and we had our first "Don't try this at home" moment of today's Village Court when Grimm ate the citation. Despite this, the citation stood.

(Nan Rash would later get in on the citation shenanigans, scattering a few blank ones on the ground and picking one up and doing something similar to what Grimm did. Later in the day, she would say there was certainly precedent for such a thing, as her fellow Vagabond Follentine Hilles also did that stunt in a previous season's Village Court session).

Case three involved Moil Frith (another Vagabond) being given a citation and the temporary ability to issue it, issuing a citation against a man who was guilty of 'everything'. Grimm argued that this citation was not valid, but Nan Rash trusted Frith's citation. In the end, the citation stood.

Case four involved a woman cited for sassbackery and shameful rainment. Nan Rash said that one should wear the right gear on a muddy day like this one. The citation was thrown out.

Case 5 had a sister claiming that her sister stole her face. In the end, the first sister was given the right to her appearance.

By now, the rain had more or less eased off, but the mud was still very much a problem. I carefully made my way to the White Hart, staying close to the booths between the Guest Services Pavilion and the Coin Pavilion. 

The Hooligans took the stage at the White Hart for their late afternoon set. They started off with some banter and a few stories, before beginning the set properly with "Streams of Whiskey". From there, it was on to "Finnegan's Wake", where (according to the One Rule of Irish Music that they swear they didn't make up), the audience is required to clap along to the chorus, and stop clapping when the chorus stops. Others in the audience are encouraged to point out the overclappers. This time, I think a number of people learned their lesson by the later verses, as I didn't spot quite as many overclappers.

Then it was on to the Wildest Rover Singing Competition, where sections of the audience take turns singing the chorus at a certain point. The Mighty Mighty Pie Wedge went first, followed by the Freaks on the Left and the Relatively Normal People on the Right. The 'fourth section', the 'corn' section (the food court near the corn booth near the White Hart) had seven people approach the White Hart so they could be heard singing during their turn. In the end, the Worst Place Award went to the Relatively Normal People on the Right, and the Participation Award went to the Freaks on the Left. John from the Bards was a special guest judge, and the Wildest Rover Trophy went to the Mighty Mighty Pie Wedge.

Next, the Hooligans challenged each other with their 'Rattlin Bog', where after 'Bed from a feather, they begin making up words, with the audience invited to suggest the first new addition to keep them honest. The first new addition was 'pint'. So the Hooligans followed up with 'quart' and 'gallon' and 'beer'. Things took a strange turn when John Kelso then added 'tooth' at that point, which was followed by 'hole', 'nerve', 'shake', 'shiver', and 'roll' before finally coming back to the tree (the song begins and ends with the tree. It doesn't have to make sense). In the end, none of the Hooligans was able to make it through the entire progression without messing up, and so no one won the Rattlin Bog medal.

Pub Sing began with "Health to the Company", and then the Vagabonds took the stage for "Some Say the Devil is Dead". The Adventurers were next with their version of "Cape Cod Girls". After the Host Toast, Idle Fancies was next with "Love and Freedom", followed by the whole ensemble with a group number version of "Rocky Road to Dublin". Nan Rash sang lead on another bird song she knows, "The Wren", and the Weyward Sisters performed "A Stor a Ghora". Sir Richard Mondes sang the tall tale song, "Irish Rover", which he says fits in with Myth and Magic weekend (due to it being a tall tale) and with Pirate Weekend (due to it being about a sea voyage) just as well as Celtic Weekend. 

Millie was next with "Nancy Whiskey", and the Vagabonds were next with "Home for a Rest". After Last Call, Aoife O'Neil took the stage with the short and sweet "Humours of Whiskey". Since this was Celtic Weekend, the popular group number "Step It Out Mary" (which usually has lots of dancing in the aisles) was next, but since the ground was wet, Sir Richard Mondes advised those wanting to dance along to try to contain themselves. Afterward, we had Bardwin the Bard with "Rambling Rover". The Brocades presented "Mairi's Wedding" as a possible alternate ending to "Step It Out Mary" where Mary and her soldier boy made it safely past the 'deep stream running by' and had their own wedding.

The Weyward Sisters were next with "The Devil's Paintbrush Road", and the Adventurers performed their high energy upbeat take on "Santiana". Idle Fancies were next with the story song, "My Son John". 

Pub Sing moved into the softer section as Nell Quickly performed a lovely rendition of "Claddagh Walk". This was followed by Sir Richard Mondes, Viola, and Millie joining together for "Mist Covered Mountains". And of course Pub Sing concluded with a song that's not just a Celtic Weekend favorite but a favorite at MDRF in general for a long time, "Wild Mountain Thyme". 

Then it was time for Sir Richard Mondes and Nell Quickly to give their usual parting words. Sir Richard noted that Hugh MacGregor and others in the Village Ensemble would be at the Main Gate for the Evening Farewell, and Nell Quickly gave her usual parting words of wisdom advising people to drink lots of water, to stay safe, be kind to one another, and to join them again next time for another edition of Pub Sing. The Jammer Clan, as an encore, performed the "Kellbourne Brewer" tune. 

Well, next came the part I was not looking forward to, and that was having to navigate the mud swamp in the path to the Main Gate. I kept close to the booths on the left side, passing Ben May Clay, Moon Angel, and others on the way. I pretty much knew that it was not realistic for most people who were present at Pub Sing to make it to the Main Gate in time for the Evening Farewell today since given the muddy conditions, hurrying would not be a good idea. Sure enough, I heard the cannon sound when I was halfway there.

Anyway, I made my way carefully to the Gate, sticking to the brick walkway near the entrance before finding the gravel road. And soon, I was on my way home.

Despite the muddy conditions, I still enjoyed the weekend and its entertainment. Unfortunately, last I heard there was still rain forecast for this coming weekend. But on the bright side, we'll be joined by a few more acts, including Tudor Ghosts, the whip-cracking Adam Winrich, the Langer's Ball and Shakespeare Approves. Looking forward to it.

And so we come to Sunday of Pirate Weekend, 2026 at the Maryland Renaissance Festival. And Sunday got off to an interesting start weather-wise.

As people gathered at the Gate before Opening Gate, the already overcast skies became darker, and it began raining. People brought out their umbrellas, as the rain poured down. We pretty much knew that the usual arrival of the King on horseback would not be happening today. 

The Opening Gate show happened, and everything was more or less as usual, except that this time, the King arrived on top of the gate with everyone else. After his speech, the Gates opened, and the day began.

Of course, it was still raining. As a result, there was only one Entry Poll question from Hugh MacGregor and Millie today ("How's my ship?"), and the assembled musicians refrained from their usual pre-Morning Dance tunes such as "John Ryan's Polka", and the ground was too wet for the Morning Dance. Vince Conaway, however, still managed to play a few tunes on his dulcimer with the help of a covering. 

It was still raining when I arrived at the Globe Theatre for the Crimson Pirates' first set, but the rain calmed down and eventually stopped by the time the set concluded. The umbrellas which were out at the start had been closed and put away.

The set itself began with "Shores of Botany Bay", a song about a place that people previously didn't want to go to but which has since changed to become a place where people might seek fortune. Next was "Ten Thousand Miles Away", a fast paced song about sailing away. After that was the cautionary song "Being a Pirate", telling of the risks pirates face. Then we moved to drinking songs with "More Beer". Jack sang lead on "Queen of Argyle. 

This was followed by "Fire Marengo", a song about a sailor pondering returning to Liverpool town as the ship sails through some tropical regions. The set concluded with "Mary Ellen Carter".

The Pyrates Royale performed their first set of the day at the White Hart Tavern. Claudia Harrison was with them this set, and sang lead on "Lowlands". On a completely different note, the Pyrates then performed "Young Ned of the Hill". After "General Taylor", Claudia sang lead on "Excursion Around The Bay". 

"Shallow Brown" was followed by the "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" parody from the Pyrates' Christmas album. The set concluded with "Guinness For Two", a moving song devoted to absent friends. 

Over at the Boar's Head Tavern, the Crimson Pirates performed their next set, beginning with "Mrs. McGrath" (a song about a mother's reaction when her son returns from a battle at sea after losing his legs to a cannonball). Next was "Molly the Bold", a Janie Meneely favorite about a woman who roams the bay dealing maritime-themed punishments to badly behaving men. After "Carlingford" (a song about leaving Carlingford but thinking of those left behind until returning), there was the shanty "General Taylor". 

Given the weather earlier in the day, the Crimson Pirates told the forces of nature not to take their singing of "Come a Summer Night" (a song about a storm) as an invocation. Fortunately, the weather remained good and the rain stayed away for the rest of the day. Afterward, they continued with "Star of the County Down" and finished with the traditional "Whiskey in the Jar". 

Back at the White Hart, the Rambling Sailors performed their next set, featuring "Carlingford" and "Row Me Bully Boys" before moving on to the fast-paced "Bottle of the Best". After their mashup of "Drop of Nelson's/Chariot" and "Drunken Sailor" came an audience participation song, "The Sea". 

Bone & String were next at the White Hart, beginning with the introductory song "Calling on Song". Next was "One More Day" (a song about sailors looking forward to the end of a voyage, and not to be confused with a similarly titled act one finale from a popular musical). Then there was a nod to Bacchus, the Greek god of wine, in "Down Among the Dead Men", followed by "South Australia" and "Jolly Roving Tar". Next was "Casks of Oak", their drinking-focused take on "Heart of Oak". After "Paddy Lay Back" came a Bone & String original, "Gravesend", about meeting people at a town in Kent, England.

After getting some lunch at Canterbury Pork Pockets, I made my way to the Boar's Head Tavern for Reveler's Roulette. Sunday's edition of Reveler's Roulette was indeed a wonderful and memorable experience. After the Toast, we had Anne Bracegirdle perform her version of "Boatman". This was followed by Aoife O'Neill with "Downeaster Alexa", and Margery Malagrave performing the 'bardcore' re-interpreted (to fit medieval and/or renaissance settings) song, "Pink Pony Inn". 

Next Bardwin the Bard and Mistral the Minstrel took the stage for a mashup of "Drunken Sailor" and "Wellerman". This was followed by Master Paul of the Revel Grove Dance Company performing "Broken Mast Bay", a song about an encounter with a selkie. Afterward, John aka Captain Red Beans performed an incredible rendition of "White Squall", a song about the tragedy that ensues when a young crewman fails to heed the warnings of a more experienced crewmate. All in all, this edition of Reveler's Roulette was amazing. 

Back at the White Hart Tavern, Bone & String performed their original song "W(h)ining Can Save Your Life". They followed that up with their version of "Drink Old England Dry" that changes the setting to New England. After "Nancy Whiskey" came their original song, "All the Pirates", which each verse featuring a different famous pirate (of course, they're not going to do verses about ALL the pirates because if they did, they'd be there all day. But Kevin of Bone and String has said it's his goal to eventually write enough verses to do the song twice a day, but with completely different verses each time). 

The Pyrates Royale were next at the White Hart, and they started with a song they've been performing since they started, "Drunken Sailor". Next they performed "Sailing on the Tide in the Morning" and had a special dedication to their friend and mentor Peter Benson. After "Roses" came "Bully in the Alley", a song about a sailor who's had too much to drink and is sobering up in the alley while musing about Sally. Next was "Bell Bottom Trousers", the story of a serving maid and a sailor. 

Afterward, Jimmy sang lead on the romantic song "Peggy Gordon". They concluded the set with "Leave Her, Johnny", a song about leaving a ship after the end of its voyage, and reflecting on the time spent with it. 

Bone & String did another set at the White Hart Tavern, starting with "Bonny Ship the Diamond" and continuing with their version of "John Kanaka". After "Wellerman" came "Oak and Ash and Thorn". They then moved on to drinking songs, such as "All For Me Grog" and "Whiskey Oh Johnny Oh". After "Essequibo River" came their original song about the difference between pirates and privateers, "Privateers Just Have Permission".

I stayed at the White Hart for the Crimson Pirates' 4:15 pm set. This was one that I did not want to miss, as it had been previously announced that Grace and Jack would, at the conclusion of the set, be stepping down as co-Captains of the Crimson Pirates and passing the torch to Captain Henry Martin. As someone who's supported the Crimson Pirates for twenty-five years now, I certainly didn't want to miss this.

The set started with "Tom of Bedlam" before moving on to Grace singing lead on "Cape Cod Girls". Flora sang lead on  the cautionary tale song "Golden Vanity", and then Henry Martin took lead on "Northwest Passage". Next, the women of the group joined in a stirring rendition of "Battle Raven". 

Then it came time for Grace to tell the audience how she and Jack are stepping down, and to thank everyone who's supported the Crimson Pirates the past several years (MDRF, the fans, the Pyrates Royale, members of the Crimson Pirates past and present, and more). She invited the Pyrates Royale and the Rambling Sailors to join them in one more song, "Sailor's Prayer (I Will Not Lie Me Down)". It was a powerful moment with lots of emotion that I just don't have the words to describe. I wish Grace and Jack well, and hope that they will continue to visit every now and then, as the Crimson Pirates sail into a new era under Captain Henry Martin.

As for Henry Martin, I've enjoyed his work both with the Crimson Pirates and his Henry Martin, pirate bard sets, and look forward to seeing where the Crimson Pirates go from here. 

Anyway, after doing some between sets chatting, I made my way to the Globe Theatre for the Pyrates Royale's late afternoon set. They started the set off with "Bring Them Down", and continued with "Icy Acres", a song about weary whalers who are homeward bound. Polly sang lead on "Cruel", a song about a young woman's sadness about being separated from her lover when he is pressed into service at sea. Stubbs was next with "Blow the Man Down", a tale of a sailor's misadventure on land (Pyrates Royale fans, they did this one without a cucumber this time). Afterward came the Pacific inspired shanty, "John Kanaka". 

The Pyrates Royale showed their softer side with "Nelson's Memory", and concluded the set with a song that goes back quite a ways with them, "Wild Mountain Thyme". 

Back at the White Hart, Pub Sing began with "Health to the Company". Captain Jean Cabot gave a special toast for Pirate Weekend, and then the Vagabonds took the stage with "Rare Old Mountain Dew". This was followed by the Adventurers with "Santiana". After the Host Toast, Nell Quickly performed "Bell Bottom Trousers", and Sir Richard Mondes performed the tall tale song, "Irish Rover". Two of the Brocades were next, with the Janie Meneely favorite "Twiddles" (a song that tells the other side of the 'girl in every port' story). 

The Weyward Sisters were next, with "Sunday". They were followed by the Vagabonds and their take on "Beggarman". Millie sang lead on "Nancy Whiskey", a song about a weaver's cautioning people about whiskey. The Adventurers were next, with "Wellerman". And then it was time for Last Call.

Moil Frith was next with "Johnny Be Fair", a song about a young woman who encounters unexpected difficulties when looking for a suitable husband. Nan Rash took the stage next and got the crowd clapping along with the upbeat "Cuckoo Bird". John the intern (the special third host of this weekend's Pub Sing alongside Sir Richard Mondes and Nell Quickly) said that he was an agent of chaos and wanted more bird songs, so this was followed by the Weyward Sisters and "Cuckoo's Nest". Next, the Vagabonds performed an upbeat "One Last Drink".

Pub Sing then moved into the slower portions. John the intern aka Captain Red Beans reprised "White Squall", and afterward noted that one of his duties as an agent of chaos is to occasionally sing sad songs. Next, Connie O'Danny, Viola and company performed "Siren's Song". Sir Richard Mondes performed "Blowed and Torn", a song written by someone local to the Chesapeake area, and a longtime favorite at MDRF. And Pub Sing concluded with "Wild Mountain Thyme".

I made my way to the Main Gate, where I encountered Hugh MacGregor and the Exit Poll. This poll had a question about which nautical direction you prefer (fore, aft, port, and starboard). I noted that since I intended to turn left after walking through the gate, then my choice would be 'port'. 

All in all, a wonderful conclusion to Pirate Weekend 2026 at MDRF. It started off wet, but conditions improved and I had a truly amazing experience. Looking forward to Celtic Weekend, where we will be seeing Poehemia, The Bards, the O'Danny Girls, Albannach, and the Rogues. 

Well, Sunday of the Third Weekend of MDRF 2026 had some, well, let's say interesting weather. 

Before the gates opened, it was a misty moisty morning, with sprinkles of rain, but that cleared up before the Opening Gate, so we still had King Henry arrive on horseback to hear Queen Anna of Cleves' account of the wonders she has discovered in Revel Grove (such as jugglers and food on a stick). So we didn't have too wet a ground, and we had some reduction of dust in the air. However, there was a LOT of humidity that day. And later on we had rain, but I'll get to that later.

Anyway, after Opening Gate, I made sure to see Sunday's Entry Poll from Hugh MacGregor and Millie. The main poll question was one about guilty pleasures. One of the options was one they decided they didn't really recommend, so it was replaced with a squiggly line. The second poll question was "Where does one go first in thy day?". I couldn't pick an option for that one, as where I go first each day might be different every time.

Well, anyway I soon found myself at the White Hart Tavern for the Hooligans' hangover set. The Hooligans were bantering about how they needed more Instagram content, so they were handing out kazoos to the audience for a later bit. And indeed, after "1353", we had a surprise visit from King Henry and Anna of Cleves. They were present during "Wild Mountain Thyme" holding kazoos for the little bit of silliness that ensued. I'm sure others have video of that particular event, and pictures. 

Afterward, there was a bit where the Hooligans played brief snippets of other songs, including "Ferryman", before settling on "Loch Lomond". After the King said "one more time", the audience joined in to sing the chorus. The King and Queen soon departed, but the set continued with "Welcome Poor Paddy Home" and "Parting Glass".

The Rambling Sailors performed a set at the Boar's Head Tavern, featuring "Last Shanty", a song about how life at sea has changed since the era of sailing ships described in so many other songs. Next was a song/poem, "You and I are sailors" (I'm not sure of its actual title). Afterward was the grim tale of the "Dark Lady". Next was "Drop of Nelson's/Chariot", mixed with "Drunken Sailor". The set concluded with "Rambles of Spring".

Bard City performed their early set at the White Hart Tavern, starting with "Friendship", about the various tools and treasures adventuring parties find in their adventures, and the reasons for having adventures in the first place. There was also "A Level 3 Party Accidentally Breaks into the Lair of a Beholder", which is short and to the point and tells you just about everything you need to know about such situations. "Are We the Bad Guys?" ponders the actions of adventuring parties whose perception checks fail miserably but proceed anyway not understanding the actual situation.

Then there was the 'Ten Levels Down' song where people are advised not to linger in a particular dungeon. Afterward came a song about how dungeon masters just can't predict everything the players will do or which NPCs will turn out to be the big favorites of the campaign, "Greta the Goblin". And just in case people were saying this set's songs had plenty of dungeons but not any dragons, along comes "Vesuvius", about a dragon who saw the error of his ways, gave up all his gold, and became a most unconventional firefighter. 

Over at the Gatehouse Stage, Chaste Treasure was doing their first set of the day. They performed the "Professions" song, where they take suggestions from the audience and improvise lines based on those suggestions. Today the suggestions were certainly bizarre ones, from 'museum tour guide' to 'mortician' to 'P E teacher' to 'I T security'. 'Plumber' seemed kind of conventional compared to those, but Elsa, Sultana, and Lady Gwendolyn came up with some great lines anyway. I especially liked Lady Gwendolyn's revision of the 'at night he comes home and drinks tea' during the 'I T security' verse to a new 'working from home' variation. 

Afterward, they did their version of "My Thing is My Own", which contains several new verses Chaste Treasure has written. They finished the set with "Swallow". 

I then headed to Canterbury Pork Pockets for my lunch break, and then to the Boar's Head Tavern. Reveler's Roulette soon began with the Toast, followed by Aoife O'Neill with "Downeaster Alexa". Next, Ginger and Robin were joined by Viola Belgard and Nan Rash for the popular "Siren's Song". Beck Marshall sang lead on "Wayfaring Stranger" and Robin and Ty provided an additional tune set. 

Next, Baron Templeton and Lady Templeton performed the soft "Sleepsong". This was followed by Ginger and Robin being joined by Anne Bracegirdle, Master Ty, and Sir Richard Mondes to harmonize on "Seven Bridges Road", a personal favorite of mine from back during Ginger and Robin's days with the Surly Mermaids. 

Over at the White Hart Tavern, the Hooligans were in the midst of their mid-afternoon set. I arrived in the midst of "Queen of Argyle", and stayed for "Scalliwag (Jump in and Take My Hand)". Next was "Over the Hills and Far Away". They finished the set with "Those Were The Days".

Bard City did their next set at the White Hart Tavern, beginning with a song about being the "fourth favorite band" of a certain figure. The next song took us to a Bog where a Swamp Hag lives. Afterward came a song about how a dungeon master's pain about dealing with paranoid players who can't even have a nice victory party after defeating the Big Bad without worrying about some surprise, "Check for Traps". Then there was "Bar Barbarian", focusing on the barbarian class. They finished the set with a reprise of "Vesuvius". 

I headed over to the area of the Gatehouse Stage, and had a brief chat with Queen MUM, one of the visiting street acts this year. Queen MUM, of course, claims to be related to the royalty. This weekend is the last scheduled weekend for Queen MUM, so I made sure to see Queen MUM before the weekend was over.

Afterward, I stayed in the Gatehouse Stage area, where the STREETSpeares for the Romeo and Juliet 'masque' scene (preceded by a bit from Jack Ripley and the Revel Grove Dance Company) and "Poetaster" were to be performed. 

It was shortly after the Romeo and Juliet 'dance' STREETSpeare and just at the start of the "Poetaster" STREETspeare that we had a sudden pouring of rain. The cover above the Gatehouse Stage's audience did not do much to help shield the audience from the rain. The cast of the STREETSpeare moved underneath the roof to finish the scene. 

The rain soon stopped as suddenly as it had arrived, but the ground was wet, meaning that clearly the dance portions for the Jammer's Ceilidh were going to be a bit different this time around. And indeed they were. There was still some dancing, but it was a bit more subdued this time.

Paul of the Revel Grove Dance Company sang lead vocals on "Broken Mast Bay". After the Jammer Clan played a rendition of "John Ryan's Polka", Bardwin the Bard and Mistral were next with a Tarantella. We still had the "And pelvis" dance, and I was surprised the faster portion of it at the end was still included. Jammers Ceilidh concluded with a scaled down version of the Ripley Rhumba, with everyone mostly staying in one place. 

Next at the Gatehouse Stage was Village Court. Presided over by Justice of the Peace Reginald Waldegrave, with bailiff George Grimm, petty constable Margery Malagrave, stenographer Hugh MacGregor, and musician Ty, Sunday's Village Court had some strange turns.

Case one involved a guy saying his girlfriend was too attractive. Reginald warned him that even if he technically wins the case, he could still lose. Grimm said there's no real issue and that some people can't handle attractiveness. The client claimed, however, that she is the light of his life. In the end, it was decided the girlfriend had a respectable amount of attractiveness.

Case two had a woman claiming her sister was a party pooper. In the end, it was basically about differing personalities between the two of them, one being more extroverted. The case was decided in the extrovert's favor.

Case three had a kid arguing for a later bedtime. Grimm argued in the kid's favor, while Margery argued in favor of the existing bedtime. Grimm said all the good things in life happen after 9 pm so the kid is missing out, while Margery said the bedtime should stay where it was so that the parents can rest. By a very narrow margin of the jury/audience's thumbs up/thumbs down vote, the existing bedtime was allowed to stand.

Case four was another relationship drama, where a young lady said that her best friend's boyfriend shouldn't date her. 

Case 5 went back to the more usual Village Court territory, where a man argued a citation for witchcraft he received the previous week. Margery said it was slander, while Grimm said it was part of the job to issue such citations. The citation stood.

Case six had a young woman who didn't really have a disagreement with anyone or a citation to argue against, she just wanted her time in the sun. So the case became "Is this a waste of the court's time?", and in the end, it was decided that it was.

In the pathways, I encountered Thomas Tallis, musician on the harpsichord and virginals. He played a favorite that some people familiar with a certain drama series about intrigue and thrones may be familiar with.

I then headed to the nearby Lyric Stage for Famous Death Scenes with Gwendolyn and Nobeard. This comedic show has the pair enact famous death scenes from Shakespeare plays, as long as they have the right props and their means of selecting scenes works. In this particular show, they find themselves doing scenes from Romeo and Juliet, but will they do a famous death scene that's actually in the show? Just where does Gwendolyn get the bizarre props she uses for this one? I'm not spoiling anything, so you'll have to see for yourself.

I then headed to the White Hart Tavern for Pub Sing. Pub Sing began with "Health to the Company", and continued with the Brocades performing "All For Me Grog". The Adventurers were up next with "Santiana". After the Host Toast, Idle Fancies performed "Doodles", and the Vagabonds took the stage with their variation of "Beggarman". Inspired at least partly by today's weather, the ensemble got together for "Misty Moisty Morning". 

The Weywards were next with "Beigh Aonach Amarach", a song about a girl who has dreams. Next, Sir Richard Mondes stated that his next song was his contribution for Myth and Magic Weekend, though the song is less of a magical sort, and more of a tall tale, as it is full of exaggeration (such as its description of a seemingly impossibly huge cargo). That song, of course, would be "Irish Rover".

The Vagabonds were next with the upbeat "Old Black Rum", about how the rum can have a hold on people. Afterward, however, it was time for Last Call. But Nan Rash got things upbeat again with "Cuckoo Bird". The Adventurers performed their popular song "Donkey Riding", and Sir Richard and friends performed the shorter version of "Paddy Murphy". Then the Brocades were next with "Toast to Tomorrow", whose opening lines certainly describe what people do at Pub Sing.

The Adventurers returned for "Retirement Song", which explores the reasons why sailors might decide to leave the sea life and settle down on land. The Weywards were next with "The Woods", one of their new songs this season. Nell Quickly sang the darkest of her 'man troubles' songs, "Blue Bleezin' Blind Drunk", a song about a loveless relationship. The Vagabonds had a song about possible love, "The Keys to Canterbury".

Soon, Pub Sing concluded with "Wild Mountain Thyme", followed by Nell Quickly's parting words of wisdom to be safe, be kind to one another, and drink a lot of water (rest assured, I had been doing a lot of that this day, given the humidity). We had an encore tune, "Kellbourne Brewer", from the Jammer Clan to wrap things up.

On the way to gate, I chatted first with Varrick from Bard City, who said that Bard City will be back in later weekends, performing at the Boar's Head Tavern. I also spoke with John Dickson Wakefield, who confirmed that the Hooligans are taking the following week (this coming week, Pirate Weekend) off so that there's more slots for the pirate-themed bands. 

All in all, despite the humidity and the strange weather, I still had a good time on Sunday. Looking forward to the Fourth Weekend, Pirate Weekend, where in addition to Bone & String and the Rambling Sailors, we will be joined by the Pyrates Royale and the Crimson Pirates. This will be quite a special weekend, and I'm looking forward to it. 

And so we come to the third day of Labor Day Weekend, Monday. A tiring day, but still a lot of fun.

And so after Opening Gate and seeing the latest Entry Poll from Hugh MacGregor and Millie (one question was about your favorite utensil for eating, another about languages), I found myself at the Lyric Stage for the morning Pipe Organ recital. Tunes from various different sources and lands are played there, and some were recognizable to those familiar with a certain show about power and intrigue and attempts to claim a throne. 

Afterward, I headed to the Market Stage where Vixens En Garde were performing their earliest show. Today, Andromeda, Circe, and Thalassa were performing their take on one of Shakespeare's Roman plays, Corialanis. For those unfamiliar with the story, what you need to know about the Roman general Caius Marcius (who later earns the name Corialanis for his bravery at the battle of Corialander) is that he is (according to the Vixens) a "Brilliant general who has absolutely no people skills". The Vixens do a comedic retelling of the story of how the former Roman hero ends up banished from Rome and allying with his former enemy, working in plenty of pop culture references along the way.

From there, it was a very short trip to the nearby Boar's Head Tavern, where Digger Plotts was doing a set. Digger Plotts, gravedigger turned gravesinger, performed some original songs. One of which was "We Are Gathered Today", about various funerals and how people generally react to them. He moved on to a story with a happier ending, "The Blacksmith Tommy Carroll", about how the blacksmith's knowledge of certain properties of metal helped to save the day.

He returned to the subject of grave matters with 'G is for Gorey', an Edward Gorey inspired alphabetical listing of recently deceased people. He switched from his shovel-guitar to a ukelele for the sweet song "A Daisy a Day".

Piper Jones performed their early set at the Market Stage, playing a number of energetic reels on the pipes and drums.

Next at the Boar's Head Tavern was Fortress Dwellers, a band that has been becoming very popular online over the past year. And for good reason: They're a very energetic band with a number of original songs and tunes, with a wide range of instruments: among them drums, pipes, whistle, guitar, and saxophone. 

Before a huge and enthusiastic audience, they performed a set with great energy, starting with an instrumental before moving on to a story song about a man who fears the Devil is after him and what steps he eventually takes to get said Devil to leave him alone. They followed that up with a song about a voyage that could possibly end at the bottom of the sea. Next was "The Mine", an original song about a man in a mine who ends up thinking back to the words of wisdom an old man said to him. This song was punctuated by an upbeat arrangement and a saxophone solo. Their next song was a much more upbeat song set at sea, followed by another energetic tune. All in all, an amazing set.

Bardy Pardy did their 1:00 pm set at the Gatehouse Stage, starting with "Come and Be Welcome". Noting MDRF's 50th anniversary, they said there would be a few Faire classics in this set, one of them being "Wild Rover" (albeit with a few other songs briefly intruding). Another was their rendition of "Saucy Sailor". They then moved to the love song "Like Ships Need the Sea", before performing another Faire classic, "Queen of Argyle". They finished the set about "Home Again", a song about being among old familiar faces.

After getting lunch from Canterbury Pork Pockets, I once again headed to the Boar's Head Tavern for Reveler's Roulette. This season, the schedule worked out so that Bardy Pardy made a special guest appearance at the show, performing their original song, "There Are No Bagpipes In This Song". Brittany was next, with "Devil's Cup". Next was "Devil's Backbone", performed by Lottie. On a more lighthearted note, Ty performed the comedic "Bricklayer's Song", about a bricklayer telling the story of a bizarre work-related accident. Brittany returned for "Queen of Argyle", and another newcomer, Allison, performed "Down by the Sea". 

Over at the Lyric Stage, the Jacob D Eustachio show was in full swing, as the barista turned juggler (and possible alter ego of the title character) performed a number of juggling bits. There was knife juggling, an apple slice in mid-air, and of course the bottle-like juggling clubs. The finale of the act included a story about a unicorn combined with bouncing/juggling balls on a disc on the ground, accompanied by a drumbeat.

At the Gatehouse Stage, Village Court began another session. Justice of the Peace Reginald Waldegrave, petty constable Margery Malagrave, stenographer Hugh MacGregor, and musician Ty were once again joined by Gregory Grimm for this session of Village Court.

Case one had a man dressed in a Robin Hood outfit accused of imitating a gentleman and stealing from the Mayor. The man bore a resemblance to the previous day's jester. Gregory made the point that Robin Hood is not a jester, though Margery said the man was dressed differently when she cited him yesterday. Gregory surprisingly cited the 'Groundhog Day' loop that the Revel Grove storyline operates under, and said that under that logic there was no yesterday and therefore the man never dressed as a jester. In the end, the citation stood.

Case two involved a child cited for being pretty and sassy. Margery defended the child while Gregory claimed the child's cuteness could be a distraction. In the end, the jury/audience ruled in the child's favor.

Case three involved a young boy who didn't listen to his parents. Margery took the parents' side saying there should be rules for children. In the end, the case was decided in favor of the parents.

Case four was one of those 'radiant beauty' citations. In the end, the citation stood.

Case five was a man cited for treason for saying 'down with the king'. Margery questioned whether or not the citation was correct, and if the man should have been cited for heresy instead. In the end, the citation stood.

Case six had a man with a hood and a staff cited for radiant beauty. Gregory defended the client saying he wore the hood to shield us. Margery said the man might have magical influence. In the end, the citation was thrown out.

Case seven was a bizarre case where a man was cited for 'shameful rainment'. In this case, the man had a white 'period' Renaissance shirt, but his leggings were modern jeans. Margery said the people he arrived with, on the other hand, were properly dressed. In the end, the citation stood.

After Village Court, there was the Midwife Crisis show. It's a satirical look at medieval/Renaissance era pregnancy and related topics, as our midwife explains just what a midwife does and how things were handled in those times. 

I then headed to the Boar's Head Tavern for Bardy Pardy's last set of the day, and, sadly, their last set for this MDRF season. I arrived as they were finishing their 'Wild Rover' mashup, and was there for "Johnny Be Fair". They followed that up with "Wildflowers" and "Queen of Argyle". They moved to a song with a different tone, "Some Say the Devil is Dead", telling several wild stories. 

They moved to the sentimental with a song they acknowledged is a very big song at MDRF, "Wild Mountain Thyme". Then they performed their new song about why some people might have to leave Faire early. They finished the set with a rousing rendition of "One Last Drink". Here's hoping we see Bardy Pardy again next season.

I arrived at Pub Sing at the White Hart Tavern just as the Vagabonds were finishing "Beggarman". The Weyward Sisters were next with the comedic song, "Widow and the Devil". Then the Brocades took the stage for "Mairi's Wedding", followed by Sir Richard Mondes and company with the shorter version of "Paddy Murphy". Idle Fancies performed "Doodles", and then it was time for Last Call.

The Tavern Twins were next with "Whiskey You're the Devil". Nan Rash got the whole tavern clapping with "Cuckoo Bird". The Adventurers performed their popular song "Donkey Riding", albeit later in Pub Sing than usual. The Weyward Sisters followed with "Bonny Man". And then Sir Richard Mondes and the whole Ensemble got together for "1,2,3,4", a song that because of its lyrics has to go somewhere in the second third of Pub Sing where it's not quite time for the softer, sentimental songs but there have already been lots of big upbeat numbers (it's all about how the performers have been performing for quite a while at this point, but they've still got it in them for more). 

We had at least one more upbeat number with the Vagabonds and "Donnybrook." To properly bring things down, the Adventurers had a spooky song about famous ships lost at sea, "Downed and Drowned and Never Found". Nell Quickly showed her sentimental side as she joined Sir Richard and company to sing "Red is the Rose". And soon afterward, it was time to wrap things up, and they did with "Wild Mountain Thyme".

I arrived at the Front Gate in time for Captain Jean Cabot giving the Evening Farewell speech. And with that, the three day Labor Day Weekend has concluded.

All in all, a tiring but still fun weekend. As I finish this, I'm anticipating the third weekend, where we will see, among others, the (adjectiveless) Bards, Bard City, and Chaste Treasure. And with that, I conclude the three-part recap of Labor Day Weekend of the 2026 season of the Maryland Renaissance Festival. 

Well, the three-day Labor Day Weekend of MDRF 2026 is in the books. And now it's time for me to do my recaps of all three days at the Maryland Renaissance Festival. 

I arrived for Opening Gate, where Mayor Hugh MacGregor and Reginald Waldegrave are joined by Queen of Anna of Cleves, who had arrived with Sir Richard Rich ahead of the King and the rest of the Court. Millie, meanwhile, explained some of the apple business to the Queen. Soon, the King and the Court arrived, and the Queen told of what she had seen as she toured the village and got to know it better. In particular, the Queen shared the benefits of food on a stick.

Soon, the gates opened and it was time for the day to officially begin. I obtained this week's schedule from the Guest Services Pavilion, and then I saw Saturday's Entry Poll from Hugh and Millie. The first question was "What's thy favorite food-on-a-stick?", and this being Faire, there are certainly plenty to choose from. It was narrowed down to three options in the version I saw, though.

I made my way to the White Hart Tavern where the Hooligans were starting their hangover set. They started the set off with some banter before moving on to "Back Home in Derry". This was followed by the "Night Visitors Song", which is basically the slower version of "I'm a Rover" (if you've heard both songs, they have the same storyline and even the same verses, just with a different chorus and a different tempo). There was some banter talking about how the Hooligans got started (they were founded many years back by the now retired Mickey Hooligan and the two Johns, who were part of the Village Ensemble cast at the time. After Mickey Hooligan moved on, the Hooligans continued, growing and evolving along the way). 

Next came "1353", the comedic song about an inept attempt to woo a lady. On a more serious note, Patrick sang lead on "Motherland". This was followed by "O Danny Boy", a song the Hooligans have done at least two recordings of on their albums/CDs (one the straight serious version, the other, not so serious). They moved on to "Loch Lomond", a song about how when a Scotsman passes on away from home, his spirit returns home to Scotland via 'the low road'. 

Poehemia was next at the White Hart Tavern, and their set featured "Dirty Old Town", a song written by Ewan MacColl inspired by the town of Salford. Next was "The Scotsman", a song familiar to many at Faire. After "All For Me Grog" and "Old Black Rum" came a version of "Wellerman". They followed that up with "Streams of Whiskey". 

Over at the Reveler's Bower was a STREETSpeare scene from "Everyman Out of His Humour", a play by Ben Jonson. In this scene, Buffone gives advice to Sogliardo on the ways of a gentleman.

At the other side of Revel Grove at the Blackfriars Stage was Boom Boom Shake, a music and bellydance band. Featuring Shane on drums and other instruments, Claudia Harrison (familiar to many longtime MDRF fans) on violin, and some talented bellydancers, it's a spectacular show indeed.

Over at the Gatehouse Stage, Bardy Pardy performed their 1:PM set. When I arrived, they were in the midst of combining 'Wild Rover' with a few other songs. They moved on from there to a romantic song, "Like Ships Need the Sea". They followed that up with "Queen of Argyle", and then the heartfelt "Back Home Again".

I then made my way to the Reveler's Bower, in time to see Hammered, a duo of hammered dulcimer players, performing their set. Said set included a few familiar songs, including "The Boatman" and "Auckland to the Bluff." 

I stayed for the STREETSpeare scene from Henry IV where Falstaff and Mistress Quickly have their discussion about Falstaff's tavern bills. This was followed by another STREETSpeare scene, Arden of Flaversham, involving (as the card describes it) "a volatile clash between adulterous lovers". 

Over at the Globe Theatre was one of the three one-act plays performed there this season, this one involving the Mechanicals and the 'play within a play' from Midsummer Night's Dream, Pyramis and Thisbe. The Mechanicals perform a tragedy that might (unintentionally for them) come across as a comedy instead. 

I then headed over to the Ground for Defense near the Royal Pavilion and the Chapel for another STREETSpeare scene, taken from Romeo and Juliet. This one takes a different approach to the Romeo, Mercutio, and Tybalt incident by having witnesses to the incident recount it while the flashback to it is enacted before us. 

I only saw a bit of Reveler's Roulette on Saturday, in time to see Beck Marshall and Lottie perform a lovely version of "The Baton." 

I returned to the Reveler's Bower (I know what you're thinking - quite a lot of moving from one end of the village to the other, and back), and saw the STREETSpeare scene from Satiromastix, from the 'Poetomachia' sub-series. This scene involves the arrogant poet Horace who has a rivalry with other poets Crispinus and Demetrius. This was followed by another STREETSpeare scene, this one from the 'Scene Stealers' sub-series, from Measure for Measure, featuring Elbow the constable bringing forth two criminals for questioning.

I stayed at the Bower for Casks and Flasks, which focuses on the history of brewing and beverages. Today's theme was cider. After a rendition of "Drink Up the Cider", there followed a discussion of cider and just how cider is made, and how deviations from the cider recipe could result in non-alcoholic apple juice. Plenty of advice on how to do it properly for the best results were given.

From there, it was a very short trip to the nearby Globe Theatre. There, I saw the 4:30 Royal Court show, Recollections May Vary. It starts with the King noting how he fell in love with the woman in the portrait but found that the actual Anna of Cleves is nothing like the portrait. Members of court mention other possible options for the King, including the Duke of Norfolk's niece Catherine Howard (who is not with the Court in Revel Grove, but instead at Woodstock Manor). It also becomes clear that Cromwell's enemies at Court such as the Duke of Norfolk are taking advantage of the situation to bring about Cromwell's downfall.

Then, things take a turn when the Queen's Players show up and give us not one, but two re-enactments of the day King Henry met Anna of Cleves. They enlist the help of the Court, but members of the Court end up disputing their initial re-enactment. The second one is also disputed. Thus we come to the theme of the show where memories of certain events may be affected by people's biases. Afterward, we get some more personal monologues on the matter, first from Anna of Cleves, and then from King Henry. It is painfully clear that the marriage to Anna of Cleves is not going to work out. And also, one would NOT want to be Thomas Cromwell in this situation.

Some time later, I found myself at the White Hart Tavern in time for the Hooligans to begin 'Rattlin Bog'. I think I'll keep this one short and say that in the end, John Dickson Wakefield won the Rattlin Bog medal.

Pub Sing began with "Health to the Company" and continued with the Adventurers leading that old Pub Sing favorite, "Roll The Old Chariot Along". Millie Appleton sang lead on "Nancy Whiskey". The Weyward Sisters were next with "Irish Eyes". Then we had the ensemble song "Misty Moisty Morning". 

After the Host Toast came the Adventurers with "Santiana". We had a surprise appearance from Queen Anna of Cleves as she visited Pub Sing, and she stayed for "Step It Out Mary" before heading off on her way. Jack Ripley was next with his version of "Old Dun Cow" which always works in excerpts from a different song during the last verse. Then it was time for Last Call.

The Brocades were next with an Isley Brothers inspired arrangement of "Chandler's Wife". Then the Weyward Sisters appeared with "Moon Dance". Nell Quickly sang lead on "Bell Bottom Trousers". Idle Fancies was next with "Love and Freedom". And then Jack Ripley led the Tavern in the Ripley Rhumba dance.

The Adventurers returned with "Row Me Bully Boys". The Weyward Sisters were back with "I Am The Moon", while Tommy Crommy and company performed "Swing, Boys, Swing". As Pub Sing moved into the slower, sentimental portions, Sir Richard Mondes with Millie and Viola performed "Mist Covered Mountains". Pub Sing concluded with "Wild Mountain Thyme".

And so concludes Part One of the three-day Labor Day Weekend. On Sunday, we would see both old favorites and new at Reveler's Roulette, plus a different Grimm subbing for George at Village Court. But those are stories for Part Two.

And so on Saturday August 29th, 2026, another season of the Maryland Renaissance Festival officially began. But not just any season: This happens to be the 50th Anniversary season of the festival. To mark the occasion, banners stating the year's status as the 50th year decorate the Main Gate and the Globe Theater stage, and various signs featuring pictures from the faire's past have been placed throughout the village. 

The 50th Anniversary was also acknowledged in the Opening Gate show, where Justice of the Peace Reginald Waldegrave and Mayor Hugh MacGregor noted that it was the 50th anniversary of the village's annual harvest festival. The new Queen, Anna of Cleves, arrived ahead of the King, accompanied by Sir Richard Rich (a prominent figure during the reign of three Tudor monarchs). Both were pleased with the Village and the preparations for the festival. And then King Henry arrived on horseback (the Village Ensemble having helped to clear the path for His Majesty and the Royal Court), and greeted everyone. He, too, acknowledged the 50th Anniversary as he concluded his speech.

Soon, the Gates opened and it was time for the festival day to begin. I made my way inside, saying hello to friends from previous seasons, and obtained the schedules from the Guest Services Pavilion. As usual, Hugh MacGregor and Millie had their Entry Poll. In honor of it being a new year with a new Queen, the first poll question revolved around "Who's your favorite Anne?" (Note, 'Boleyn' was crossed out and replaced with 'of Cleves'). 

Soon, the King and the Court arrived, and it was time for the Morning Dance. Many in the Village Ensemble, joined by a few members of Court, did their dance in a circle around the Maypole. Afterward, King Henry thanked former Mayor Richard Mondes and current Mayor Hugh MacGregor for their hosting the Harvest Festival for the past several years, much as the previous Mayors did before them. 

Before I continue, I'd like to add that there were a few pleasant breezes on Saturday which helped make Opening Day pretty nice, weather-wise. I still of course made sure to have plenty of water to drink. The following Sunday had more humidity, but that's a story for another writeup. 

Anyway, I arrived at the White Hart Tavern for the Hooligans' hangover set. The hangover set is the 10:30 am set where they focus on the slower or softer songs and ballads, gradually easing audiences still waking up into the day ahead where there will be plenty of faster paced and upbeat music. The Hooligans continued their running joke of being the first performers to perform 'Wild Mountain Thyme' that day, as they began the set with what is usually a concluding song. The Hooligans engaged in their witty banter, acknowledging both John Kelso's birthday and the 50th Anniversary of MDRF. They also noted the new food court section near the White Hart which they considered to be a fourth White Hart audience section (though this did not become relevant until Sunday's Wildest Rover Singing Competition).

Music wise, the set also featured "Back Home in Derry", "Caledonia", and the soft lullaby "Blue is the Eye". The set concluded with what I think is, for the Hooligans, a new song, "I Remember the Fallen", or "Bones in the Ocean". It's a about a sailor reflecting on those lost at sea and how ultimately, their wish is for the sailor is not to obsess over his crewmates' untimely end but to honor them by going on with his life on shore. 

I then headed to the Globe Theatre stage to see the Queen of Hoops perform her hula hoop filled show where she finds several imaginative uses for the hoops. In addition to spinning them in all sorts of places, she also uses them for juggling, visual storytelling, and illustrative purposes. In this particular show, she worked in a bit she'd been working on in the lanes the previous season, where she and an audience volunteer spin a giant hoop around them. As always, she brought in more hoops as the show progressed, culminating in the grand finale involving two audience volunteers and a very large number of hoops to spin.

I then made my way to the White Hart Tavern where Bone & String were performing their noon set. I arrived in the midst of "Heart of Oak", a song for the British Navy dating back to 1759. They then followed with a Bone & String original, "Herring Bay" about a bay within a bay. Next was a favorite of certain Revel Grove residents, "Country Life". 

Next was a song about a sailor's bad experience, "Can't You Dance the Polka." The set featured another Bone & String original, "Meet You in Gravesend", about a town in Kent, England on the south bank of the river Thames. They concluded with the traditional "Old Maui."

On this weekend, a number of acts that hadn't performed at MDRF in many years were making return appearances, and I made sure to go and see them on Saturday. First was Robin and Marian, who I believe last performed at MDRF in the 2017 season. At the Fortune Stage, they performed their 'Saint George and the Dragon' show, telling the story with the assistance of some audience volunteers. A fun little family friendly show.

Next, I made my way to the nearby Blackfriars Stage to see Broon. It has been over 25 years since Broon last performed at MDRF, so I was looking forward to seeing him. The comedian/juggler/variety performer told a few stories of his history, and did a few card tricks where it was difficult to tell whether he was performing them straight or parodying card tricks. He also did a bit he's been doing for many years, where he brings out a bowling ball that will later be used in a juggling bit with items of different weight, such as an apple and a machete. 

Next up on the Blackfriars Stage was the 25th Anniversary of Fight School. For those unfamiliar with Fight School, it's a fun-filled show where Dash Rippington, Hamish Stuart, Captain Romero, and Nymblewicke demonstrate combat with different types of swords, at both 'slow speed' and 'fight speed'. Along the way, there's plenty of silly jokes and pop culture references. As they hadn't performed Fight School in eight years, they did a question and answer bit at the start, before moving into the show proper.

They proved their timing and comedy is still just as good as ever, with many jokes from the old Fight School making their return (some of them pop culture references that had gotten stale but cycled back into being relevant again). They updated some of their old material as well. For example, there was a reference to a popular video platform replacing a reference to a once-popular camera. All in all, a triumphant return for Fight School.

Afterward, I made my way over to the Gatehouse Stage for Bardy Pardy's set there, arriving in time for the conclusion of 'Don Gato'. Next was a new, for Bardy Pardy, song "Johnny be Fair", about a young lady's troubles in finding a suitable future husband. Then came the story song "Outlandish Knight", about how a young woman thwarted the plans of a wicked man. Molly O'Flaherty noted that Ireland has it share of ghost stories, leading in to "Molly Malone". They concluded the set with a beautiful rendition of "Beggars to God."

I then made my way through Revel Grove to the White Hart Tavern, and saw the latter part of Bone & String's set, which included "Hundred Years Ago (Eastern Shore)" and another Bone & String original, "Road to Clifton." 

The Queen's Players, along with Nan Rash and Anne Stanhope Seymour, performed an improv game near Potomac Leather, where one reads a paper giving a question or a scenario, and the others improvise a bit with the premise. One bit was "How do you signal the end of the day if the cannon is broken?", leading to a few suggestions, including one that the King actually used in the 2018 season. 

Over at the Market Stage, Vixens En Garde performed their 'Hamlet' show, complete with a puppet to help with the large cast of characters. 

At the nearby Boars Head Tavern, Bardy Pardy began their set with the short version of 'Paddy Murphy'. After 'Bonny Ship the Diamond' came a new original song inspired by pipe bands, "There Are No Bagpipes In This Song'. They moved back to a song they've known for years as Tallulah Tattersly sang lead on "Cheshire Kitten". After 'Fields of Athenry' came another new song, this one about the various reasons people might have to leave Faire early. They closed the set with their version of a popular 'bard' adaptation of a modern song, "Pink Pony Inn" (the setting being adapted to a medieval or Renaissance setting).

At the White Hart Tavern, the Hooligans were performing their late afternoon audience participation set. I arrived in the midst of "Finnegans Wake", before they began the Wildest Rover Singing Competition. The Relatively Normal People on the Right won the Wildest Rover trophy, though possibly because it was a special bit of circumstances honoring a long-time Relatively Normal regular. Afterward came 'Rattlin Bog', where they add new words to the progression and see which of them can make it through the entire progression without messing up. With some new words inspired by a certain Dolly, they gave a good effort, only for no one to end up winning the Rattlin Bog medal.

After that, it was time for Pub Sing, which began with "Health to the Company". The Vagabonds were next with "Old Black Rum". Next were the Weyward Sisters with 'Beigh Anorach', a song about a very different fair at County Claire, and the hopes and dreams of a girl. The Adventurers had a new song, "Tilbury Town." After the Host Toast came the Brocades with the Faire classic "I'll Tell Me Ma". 

The ensemble got together for "Yarmouth Town", followed by the Tavern Twins with their version of "Whiskey in the Jar". Nan Rash got the whole house clapping with "Cuckoo Bird". Afterward, the Adventurers' Captain Red Beans did a whale song before the Adventurers performed a song featuring people who go around pursuing whales, "The Wellerman". Soon it was time for Last Call, and Aoife O'Neill (who is back for the whole run this year) performed the short and sweet "Humours of Whiskey". 

Sir Richard Mondes and company performed the short version of "Paddy Murphy". Then Jack Ripley performed his version of "Old Dun Cow", with a special tribute to Dolly worked in. Tommy Crommy (bearing a resemblance to Thomas Cromwell) and company performed "Maid of Amsterdam", while Idle Fancies performed "Doodles". The Adventurers performed "Retirement Song", which is about the reasons why a sailor might decide to settle down on land. The Vagabonds were next with a new song, "Home For A Rest". The Weyward Sisters also had a new song, "Moon Dance."

Soon Pub Sing was in the soft and sentimental portion. Sir Richard Mondes performed the longtime favorite, "Blowed and Torn", and the entire company got together for "Wild Mountain Thyme." Afterward, the Jammer Clan played the tune "Kellbourn Brewer" as Sir Richard gave a few parody messages.

All in all, a wonderful start to the 50th season of MDRF. Sunday would have some more humidity, but would still be enjoyable nonetheless, but that's a story for the next recap.

This writeup is being posted weeks after the fact, but it's finally complete.

And so on June 6th, I made another visit to the Virginia Renaissance Faire during its 2026 season. This was on Saturday of the season's closing weekend. I had previously visited a few weeks previously during Pirate Weekend. This time, there was no rain or mud, but lots of sun and heat.

I arrived a bit early, and heard some huzzahs coming from the vicinity of the front gate. Sure enough, a number of patrons and Staffordshire residents were gathered there to await the Opening Gate and the arrival of the Queen. I spoke with a few, including carrot farmer Rosey Sprout, who asked me my plans for the day. I mentioned that I definitely wanted to see Rover's Way at the Barleycorn Tavern (since I hadn't had a chance to see them in years).

Soon, the Opening Gate show officially began, with Stafford's renowned air distributor Fin De Breeze (known for carrying a huge folding fan) giving everyone an enthusiastic welcome to Stafford. In addition to being "your biggest fan", he is also a big fan of the Queen, which is why he has been doing his best to ensure the best day possible by sending away all the rain clouds. Hallie the Berry farmer, meanwhile, has picked up stray berries so that visitors do not squash them and leave a mess. Fin then suggested an idea to deal with the dust on the ground that probably would have not helped, but fortunately at that moment the Queen and her court arrived. 

At that point, Fin and Hallie focused on letting the Queen know about the entertainments in store for the day. Her Majesty soon ordered the gates to open, thus starting the day's festivities.

Once inside, I took a stroll through the lanes. I chatted a bit with Hallie the Berry Farmer, and met with Hera of Vixens En Garde. I also paid a visit to Scarlet Moon Hats and chatted a bit with the vendors there.

Over near the Barleycorn Tavern, I encountered Fin De Breeze, who thanked me for returning to VARF today. I noted that his plan for the dust would have created some problems with dust clouds, and he admitted that he is far from infallible, which may explain why he appears frequently at the Court of Common Pleas. 

I then made my way over to the more wooded parts of Staffordshire where the Woodland Stage, R.E. Pilands, and Art of the Wood are located. I chatted with Art Wood for a bit, talking about the shade and speculation about the years to come at VARF. 

Soon after that, I headed to the Barleycorn Tavern to catch the first set of the day with Rover's Way. As stated above, it'd been a long time since I had a chance to see them perform, so I was looking forward to this set. The talented duo (Matthew and Kiera) began with "River Driver", and followed it up with "Rambling Rover". From there, they moved on to "The Fox", an English folk song that goes back to at least the 15th century unless I'm mistaken. Afterward came the optimistic "All of the Hard Days Are Gone", about looking forward to happier times. 

The set concluded with "Mary Ellen Carter", a song about persevering in the face of adversity. 

Next on the Barleycorn Tavern Stage was Fletcher Moone and the Culture of Beer, a show where Fletcher Moone discusses the history of alcohol with many fun facts. He started off by talking about quality inspection, and livened things up with the song "Grand Pubs of Yorkshire", celebrating actual Yorkshire pubs. Next came a history of fermentation, as well as a discussion about ale and potatoes. Fletcher also noted that when one proposes a toast, almost everyone in the room seemingly instinctively knows what to do (raise their glasses - or whatever they're drinking out of - on high) and await what the person making a toast is going to say. After a rendition of "Guinness for Two", Fletcher took questions from the audience related to the subjects brought up earlier.

I visited a few vendors, including Trinket's Costume and Sundry, before taking a lunch break. As I ate my lunch, I could hear the Rogues playing their pipe and drum tunes from the nearby Rose Stage.

Vixens En Garde performed on the Rose Stage next, with their take on one of Shakespeare's Roman plays, Corialanis. The play concerns a brilliant general whose people skills were not good. The Vixens take this on with plenty of silly jokes and pop culture references.

Over at the Nobles Glade, the Queen and her court were gathered to hear suggestions from members of court, hear poetry, and have at least one game where audience volunteers are challenged. One of the noblewomen at court presented Queen Elizabeth with a 'magic ball' that apparently (before finding its way to the noblewoman's relative) was a possession of Her Majesty's father, King Henry VIII. Members of the court asked questions to be answered by the magic 8-ball held by the Queen. One of them was "Will Robert Dudley marry the Queen?", to which the magic 8 ball responded "No." (and history of course proves it to be correct).

Next came a game where audience volunteers were asked to read English words written in an older English style (with the 's' written like an 'f', and so on). It proved to be a bit more challenging than it initially appeared.

Afterwards Lady Dorothy (?) and a yeoman presented a flea circus tightrope act. After they held the wire, they experienced a bit of the expected downsides of working with fleas. 

Things turned to somewhat more serious matters as a discussion about possible places for the Queen and court to visit on their progress ensued. Lord Ormond suggested a manor to visit - the only problem was that said manor was located in Ireland, which the Queen is not eager to visit at this time. Lord Burghley suggested another manor, Burghley manor, as an alternative. 

After a Galliarde, Dudley entertained with a familiar poem, which concluded with a surprise response from the Queen.

Back at the Barleycorn Tavern, Rover's Way performed their next set. During "Black Velvet Band", there were some additional geographical clarifications as to where Van Dieman's Land is actually located. They followed up with some more traditional songs, "Whiskey in the Jar" and "I'll Tell Me Ma".

I then made my way to the Woodland Stage for the Gwendolyn Show. On this occasion, Gwendolyn was telling her fairy tale mashup which starts with the Three Little Pigs but then includes a whole bunch of other characters. Afterward in the Q&A session, there was an explanation as to why Jack didn't just grab the egg the goose laid immediately, and waited until after everyone else was busy elsewhere to retrieve it. (It makes sense in context).

Over at the Nobles Glade, the group calling themselves We May Be Mistrels (in the medieval to 16th century musician sense) were inviting the audience to join in with them in singing a number of songs with varying degrees of seriousness and silliness, such as the "Ewe" song which had, due to the arrangement, a twist at the end. 

Afterward, it was time for the Court of Common Pleas. Dudley and Burghley as presiders were joined by Fin de Breeze (who on previous occasions had been called into court, such as the time where his fan's breeze accidentally sent Millie the musician's sheet music flying). Fin said he was there to help be a translator for the common people (though in truth very few of what was said was in overly formal speech). 

In any event, the first case involved Sir Francis Drake and a band of female pirates who claimed to be privateers but did not have the letters of marque needed to actually be privateers licensed by the crown. However, Drake proved to be willing to do the Black Pearl pirates a favor and help them obtain the letters of marque that they needed. 

Another case involved a dispute between a student who claimed her teacher was neglecting her, and the teacher who claimed the student was too busy sewing to pay attention. 

Rosey Sprout had a strange case accusing her mother Dottie of a breach of contract. During this case, the presiders turned the case over to the noblewomen at court (accompanied by berry farmer Hallie) as this family dispute qualified for a Court of Love case. Anyway, Rosey said her mother had broken her trust by telling others secrets. Dottie's side of the story is that she was a mother proud of her daughter, and that she talked in great detail about Rosey. It seems that in her enthusiasm, she said more than her listeners really wanted or needed to know. The court decided in favor of Rosey Sprout.

Other cases followed, including a man who was clearly clueless in his interaction with ladies. No one was surprised when he lost the case. 

Later, I chatted with Dottie Sprout. She's proud of Rosey, despite Rosey's taking her to court, but she does think Rosey could sell more carrots.

I made my way back to the Barleycorn Tavern, where Fletcher Moone was doing his Q&A as part of the Culture of Beer show. He mentioned the origin of ale, and how it is derived from switching around the ingredients of beer. This resulted in a drink whose taste was distinct enough from beer that it earned its own name. 

Soon it was time for Tavern Sing. We began with many of the villagers of Staffordshire presenting gifts for the Queen, followed by the Melodius Strum group of musicians performing some lively tunes. Token Entertainment performed "On the Road To What May Be". 

Special guest Bardwell performed the classic darkly comedic "Irish Ballad", about a young lady who didn't have her family long. Rover's Way was next, with the shorter version of "Paddy Murphy". Maugorn the Stray took the stage, singing a song about the supposed "Hero of Canton" (those familiar with the original context of the song know that the story of the supposed hero's altruism was a misinterpretation of his actions by the people of Canton). 

The Queen and her Court arrived soon afterward to oversee the proceedings, greeted by Fletcher Moone and company. Afterward, We May Be Mistrels took the stage to perform a rendition of "My Mother's Savage Daughter". The fact that this was the last weekend of the 2026 season was acknowledged, and so was the fact that to many, coming to Faire and going to the Pub to see acts perform was like coming home. In that spirit, Token Entertainment performed "Pub That We Call Home".

As usual, the Rogues appeared for some lively pipe and drum tunes, with a few guest drummers. This of course got many of the crowd on their feet to dance.

All too soon, it was time to bring things to a close. Cornelia gave her closing speech quoting from The Tempest ("Our revels now have ended..."), and thanked everyone for coming on this, Saturday of Closing Weekend of the Virginia Renaissance Faire. And then it was time to announce "To the gates!"

So after a bit of chatting with a few people, I made my way to the Gates where the Rogues were playing a few last tunes for departing visitors. And then I was on my way home.

Well, it was great visiting VARF this season. From what I hear, change is in store for the Virginia Renaissance Festival in the near future. What next season at VARF will be like remains to be seen. In the meantime, we can reflect and reminisce about this past season, and look forward to what is to come.