The weekend of October 28th and 29th at the Texas Renaissance Festival was themed All Hallows Eve for Halloween. And it never disappoints.
I arrived about 7:15am and parked on row 10 with no problems.
I usually post this pic to advertise Contraband Clothing Company in case anyone is interested. The website is http://www.Contraband.World
I like arriving early and being the first one to park.
The walkway is always clean and in the early hours, a water truck comes down the path to wet it down so it’s not so dusty for the patrons.
The TexRenFest is the largest RenFest in the U.S.
Ace snapped my morning throne pic.
I asked a patron to take a pic of Ace, Willie and I.
The Beefeaters, looking sharp and ready for a big day.
I was on duty this weekend, keeping order in the Kingdom. I had to issue many warnings to some young ladies about their conduct in New Market Village and even threatened a few with my pink, fuzzy handcuffs.
As a bonus of working at TRF, I’m able to get tickets for my friends to attend. On this day, I had 4 guests coming.
The morning inspection by a patron.
This is always entertaining to watch.
The TRF photographers, all dressed and ready to snap some pics.
Aislynn sells programs as the patrons enter the gates.
She did a great job on her face.
This is King Henry VIII aka Christopher Millard and the cannon crew of Kenny, Lisa and Alan. Christopher would be lighting the cannon on this Saturday morning.
I enjoy getting a pic with them each weekend day.
Here is a still frame from the video of the firing.
And here is the video of the cannon going off to start the day in New Market Village.
The Royal Guard is always up for a good pic.
The TRF photographers from the other side of the entrance area. I wonder how many pics they take on a day and weekend.
The first patrons arriving through the gates of TRF.
Take note of the purple, yellow and red badge he is wearing. He looks great.
Sherry enjoys her role and does a great job. So hard-working.
King Henry the VIII’s Royal Court.
The morning festivities.
The characters will have a dance with some of the guests.
My daily pic with MJ at Ravenswood Leather. They fixed my leather pouch for free by putting on a new snap. That pouch holds all of my business cards and I can’t afford to have them all fall out and get ruined before I can hand them out.
Rebel and MJ are so nice and very good friends.
I passed by the morning festivities again and they were busy having fun, as always.
Angela, on the right, always looks fantastic and does such a great job with all of her many characters.
The Washing Well Wenches have one of the funniest shows at the TexRenFest and should be watched.
The undertaker was in attendance on this Saturday. Phil Brayton looks great in character.
The wenches were showing Phil their map of the Kingdom.
I’m always confused so when they finish showing their map, I always ask where the exit is again. In this pic, she is showing me. Too damned funny.
Getting a pic with Phil is always on my To Do List. Such fun photos.
Another great costume. Notice that they each have those purple, yellow and red badges also. I’ll explain later.
Taylor sells the flower wreaths and has one of the best smiles at the festival.
Jazi Love works at the Polish Pub and that’s one of my usual stops in the morning.
I bought a hand-rolled cigar from Baubles and enjoyed it when I got home. Baubles always looks great and sells good cigars.
Catalina Longview works back by the elephant area and is worth the walk.
The shows at TRF always draw large crowds. And everyone is thoroughly entertained.
Jenna was dressed as the Pink Panther, complete with pink tail.
Who wouldn’t want a cold beer from these ladies?
Julie is another regular stop for me and she always photographs so well.
Elizabeth, Hannah and Amber always dress for the theme and never disappoint me.
Julie and her daughter, Kylee. Two real beauties.
Luckily I didn’t have to arrest them.
Three horny devils with beautiful smiles.
Reagan and Vendella having a laugh.
Fifi and Jeanette.
The food booths and merch shops had candy on this weekend for the kids to Trick or Treat.
And the candy all looked delicious.
I may get tired after a day in the Kingdom but my job never gets old.
These guys cook up a lot of steak on a stick.
Fernanda and Tonya always have smiles on their faces.
The crew at the Red Lion tavern always dress for the theme also.
I enjoy getting pics with Hayley. It’s a highpoint of my day.
Notice the skeleton hand coming out of her top. Fun.
Saxon Moon always draws a large crowd. They are all very talented and Violet is their Fire Dancer. This show should be watched.
TRF has several attractions for the children.
Kids love carousels.
Riding a live animal is always fun for children.
Here are some ponies taking a break.
As a child, I would have loved to jump really high like this.
I bet that after a day of fun and activities, the children all sleep really well from all of the excitement.
This guy grabbed two of his favorite heads for this pic.
Here, you can throw heads through hoops to win.
While at TRF, you can have your palm read or future told by Tarot cards.
I think that parrot owners are good people.
A beautiful bird.
Another fortune teller.
I’ve never had my fortune told. It might be interesting to hear.
The TexRenFest always has some great families enjoying their time at the festival.
The Mud Show is a lot of fun and always has a crowd watching it.
You never know what will come down the street.
That’s Angela in the middle. So talented.
This is Reagan and her friends.
I always enjoy getting a pic with her. Everyone loves her outfit and so do I.
The choir draws a good crowd. Here, the ladies are singing to the gents.
Lots of great costumes. They always look fantastic.
I stopped by the Wyrmwood Public House.
Emmy, on the right, will swing in a swing over the bar. It’s fun to see and she looks fantastic doing it.
Mickey, Shelby and Bri, the Wyrmwood bartenders.
Great costumes. She is a spider woman.
Now, the gents are singing to the ladies.
Quite entertaining.
There are several facepainting booths located around the Kingdom.
Spider with Greg of Catskill Mountain Moccasins.
Erika and Hyle of the Asgardian Armory. Erika was named after Erik, the Viking.
Erika and Alex.
I didn’t have to arrest Erika either.
Artemis has a beautiful smile.
Two young ladies enjoying their time in the village.
Brandywyne had several spiders on her.
Two of them were called Laverne and Shirley and the others were named after “Friends” characters.
When it gets colder, Alex will still dress the same. He is a tougher man than I.
Demon and Angel.
I photograph this couple each year at TRF. Nice people.
Cool Knight garb.
This guy was dressed as ‘Day of the Dead’ and looked great.
These young ladies work at Ye Olde Portraits.
Saturday drew a good crowd.
The Kingdom had many thousands of guests in it.
And all were having a great time.
This is the patio of Tea and Strumpets. It’s a great place to get a bacon sandwich and enjoy the view.
The kid giving the thumbs up made me laugh.
Pirate logos are all around at TRF.
Patrons came in all day long.
Another successful day for the TexRenFest.
Aislynn was still at her post and selling programs with a smile.
The photographers were busy getting pics.
Another good memory.
Jessica had her desk decorated well.
This couple is dressed as characters from “Kill Bill.”
Another well-dressed couple.
Willie does a great job of overseeing the front gate Beefeaters.
People would continue to arrive by the thousands.
More cars than when I arrived at 7:15am.
This concludes the pics from Saturday. Sunday follows.
On Sunday morning, I arrived about 7:15am and parked on row 6. There was already a car parked on the other side of the row. They told me that they arrived early to avoid traffic. They must have arrived at 7am or earlier.
The guy, Brian, came over to me to borrow a lighter to burn some threads on a costume so I got him to snap a pic of me and the STORM Factory Tahoe.
I had a little shorter walk to the entrance plaza on this day and I liked that.
The valet parking area is right by the entrance plaza so a person that uses this service is really near to the front gates, making for a short walk when they are ready to leave. If you arrive later in the day, you might be stuck in a long line of cars, have to park way down the walkway and have long walks to and from the festival.
On this weekend, tens of thousands entered this area.
You could get your tickets from this electronic kiosk.
This is a very nice restroom sign. It is for the number 1 restroom. Notice the 1 by the red arrow.
Willie is always ready to pose with the patrons. He does an awesome job and everybody loves him.
Ace is always happy to take my pic on the throne and I appreciate that.
No leather NYPD cop shirt on this day, but I was still on the lookout for women causing trouble… and in need of a Partner in Crime, lol.
Ace, Spider and Willie.
Ace and Willie, discussing world affairs and working out global problems.
I may be the only photographer to regularly get a pic of the Beefeaters and I’m proud of that fact. They deserve a little attention also.
A nice seating area near the front gates.
There are several banners located above the entrance plaza. Each with a different image.
Aislynn with her candy for the kids.
Some good stuff.
If I could have dressed in my costume as a kid and come to TRF to go Trick or Treating at all of the shoppes and booths, I would have been in Heaven. Trick of Treating for candy is one of the best things that the TexRenFest does all season. The children love it and the employees have fun giving out candy all day long.
And you’ll notice that there was a wide variety of candy offered everywhere throughout the Kingdom of New Market Village.
I enjoy getting photos with the cannon crew each morning. I feel privileged in knowing them and shooting video of the cannon.
There are thousands that have now seen what the morning cannon looks like thanks to me and I’m happy to share this every weekend day. It’s a special moment in a day at TRF.
Here is the video of Kenny igniting the cannon.
Ready for a busy day of facepainting.
She also has a purple, yellow and red badge. That explanation is coming soon.
The King and Queen do such a fabulous job of promoting the festival and interacting with the guests. Here, the King and Queen are talking with a family. The little witch was so cute and enthralled by the King.
I told the King and Queen that these were some of my favorite Royal Clothes.
Hamish MacGregor aka Rudy. Such a nice guy.
The crowd of villagers bow for the arrival of the King and Queen to the morning festivities.
Ravenswood Leather also has some great furs. Some are behind MJ in this photo.
I ran into Donald Trump.
Phil Brayton is a great D.T. So talented he is.
Phil and others wear this badge that lets the people know that he is allowed to receive tips for photos. Only a certain, special few can wear these badges and it’s a good status symbol.
When people ask my why I spend so much of my time working at the RenFest, I explain to them that I love what I do. This photo is an example. I love knowing that they will enjoy this photo for years to come.
In the above photo, you’ll notice that I captured 100% of their costumes, including the feet. Some photographers will cut people off at the feet or toes. I find those pictures could be framed better.
And many times, the shoes or boots of a costume should be in the pic because they go with everything.
I also will shoot a midrange photo of people so that they have a 100% pic that includes everything and also a shot taken a little closer. I do this most every time that I stop someone for photos.
Having a drink on this outside patio would be very relaxing.
The King’s Patio Bar has a lot to choose from.
Anything you could want to wet your whistle.
Picking a tune to entertain in the morning.
This young lady sells jewelry.
And has a great smile. Love the hat.
Winner, winner, chicken dinner. Looks and smells delicious.
This is Nuria in front of the Big Hat Pirates shop.
She has a great skeleton pirate costume.
This is another fun ride that the kids enjoy.
Two lovely ladies from the Polish Pub.
The entertainer gave this little girl a prize for assisting him. He gave her a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle sticker and said he gave her that because he… “was born in the 1900’s.” That’s funny.
Coconut water is good for a hangover. I tried it last season and enjoyed it.
Two of the funniest ladies in all of the Kingdom.
A fun couple.
On this Sunday, I had a breakfast of the meat lovers pizza. It is stone fired pizza and tastes so good. I’ll have this again before the season is over.
Jenna had another nice headpiece on this day.
The yound lady on the right, Cris, donated to our children’s charity. We really appreciated that. We’ll be offering gifts and treats to children in the Harris County Children’s Shelter this Christmas again. If you’d like to help us in this project, you can learn more info and donate to our cause on our site.
https://TheSTORMFoundation.org
Lots of good candy.
I plan on trying some of the food from Julie’s booth before the season is over. They have some great items. Here she is holding her candy.
You can’t go wrong with Dum Dums.
Mother and daughter, Julie and Kylee.
Here is an interview that I did with Julie.
Kylee is just as photogenic as her mother.
Here is an interview with Kylee.
Elizabeth, Amber and Ariel always look so fantastic.
Here is an interview that I did with them.
I’ll interview Bri this upcoming weekend while I’m at TRF.
Kenley and Reagan are going to join Angela and Vendella in singing a song on video for me soon. I’m excited to hear their song.
Fifi said that this is the only fox allowed near the chickens.
Kelsey and Alex always photograph well.
This young lady looked great as well.
Making leather headbands with a smile.
You can get a cold, refreshing lemonade from this fine, young lady in the Greek section of the village. And you even get a souvenir cup. I have a few from over the years and use them often.
The buidlings and architecture of New Market Village are amazing. Every building has such character and style. I love that so much thought went into the designs.
The Red Lion Tavern ladies had candy also.
Everybody loves Tootsie Rolls.
More great Knights. Love this look. So cool.
Mr. Fox out on a stroll through the Kingdom.
Pyxie, at the Wyrmwood Public House, had candy too.
Lots of chocolate. My favorite and yours as well.
Mickey and I inside the Wyrmwood.
On this Sunday, he made me a classic Lemon Drop shot. It was delicious.
Here is a video of him making the Lemon Drop.
The bartenders at the Wyrmwood are the best in the land.
Doyle and Timely Rain. Timely runs an Open Mic in the Montrose in Houston. She hosts musical acts, burlesque, stand up comedians and more. I’ve done stand up at her Open Mic and had some success. I’ll be back after RenFest season to tell some more of my jokes. All are adult content, as you might have guessed. I even discuss the time that I had sex underwater with Scuba tanks. That’s a funny story.
A day in New Market Village is so much fun. Lots to see, lots to eat and drink, friends to meet and fun to be had.
Ran into Donald Trump again.
The choir was out again on Sunday.
Quite pleasant to listen to them sing.
Another cool pirate flag.
Handmade soaps.
TRF has 400 shoppes and so much great merchandise.
I enjoy getting this shot of the crew at Catskill Mountain Moccasins because it shows off all of their moccasins on display. These moccasins are custom made to fit each person by creating a cast of their feet and creating the moccasin around said casts.
Greg and Spider. I’ve known Greg for a few years now and he is a really great guy. And so knowledgeable about their product.
The Asgardian Armory had candy and Erika was giving it out.
Such a good variety. Reese’s, Almond Joys and great blow pop suckers. Love her rings.
The Asgardian Armory is one of the coolest shoppes at TRF. Last year, they fixed my utility belt for free and really helped me out. In my utility belt, I carry a battery, a charging cord, extra business cards and a few other things that I need throughout the day while working in the Kingdom.
Fun pic.
Sometimes Mead is all you need.
I think it would take several weekends to see all of the shows at TRF.
The noon parade started with Hamish MacGregor at the lead, playing his bagpipes.
Being a Knight of the Joust would be a cool gig.
I know it’s something that I could never do. This is a highly skilled position with years of training around horses.
Great promo outfit. So easy to read.
A day in New Market Village is always special. And seeing the daily parade is always a lot of fun.
The cast, characters and crews all love being in the parade and it shows.
I’m probably too broken down to walk at their pace, but it would be fun to ride in the parade.
Mindy has the right idea.
Ronnie may be the most in shape person that works at TRF.
After the parade, I was walking towards the front gates when I heard, “There goes Spider Michaels.”
I stopped and snapped the young ladies’ pic. I’ve photographed them before. Really nice girls.
Great garb.
I liked her look also.
I’m always a fan of great face makeup.
I stopped by and got a pic of June again. So nice.
Always a crowd at the Queen’s Pantry area.
Next year is the 50th Anniversary of the TexRenFest. I know they are planning lots of special things to commemorate this milestone.
A day in New Market Village is like visiting a fantasy land where you can see just about any type of character that you can imagine. You also can be anyone that you wish in a Judgement-Free zone.
Many times I wish that TRF had a Spring season also.
I’m sure others would enjoy that as well. October and November weekends are my favorite time of the year and I’d like more of that throughout the year.
This was a funny scene as she was explaining the map to the dragon.
Lady Iris, creating smiles and beautiful faces.
Another happy guest.
Jessica was ready with her candy bucket also.
The children could grab one for the road as they left. I imagine many kids left TRF with a bag full of candy. What a haul? For me, as a kid, this would have been fantastic.
That throne gets great promotion for the TexRenFest because a lot of people post their throne pics on social media.
I’m curious to know at what hour of the day do most guests arrive.
On the way in or out of the festival, you can stop by this building to sign up for a prize giveaway.
Just fill out a form and drop it in the bucket.
Somebody will win. Why not you?
A chance to live like a King & Queen.
My choices of trips are Hawaii and Vegas.
The crew were all very nice.
I had another successful weekend at the Texas Renaissance Festival. For the two days, I shot 603 photos and 7 videos.
Look how many were about to enter the Kingdom.
This concludes my blog post about All Hallows Eve weekend at the Texas Renaissance Festival. To see all of the pics and so much more, visit the link below and click on Photos.
