In 2022, I attended all 17 days of the Texas Renaissance Festival over a 2 month period of October and November. The festival is known for the great talent in all of the shows, the fantastic costumes of the cast and patrons, and the many different taverns and drinks offered.
Another very important aspect of the TexRenFest is the food. There are so many options.
This season, I had planned on trying as many dishes as I could to get photos in order to show the great offerings. What follows is my experiences.
The first thing that I tried was a cheeseburger and fries. It was freshly made and tasted great.
I met Lourdes at the Steak on a Stick food stand. I told her of my goal to try more food and she immediately offered to help me out by letting me try the food from her stand.
The first thing that I tried was the crawfish mac and cheese. I love crawfish and also mac and cheese. I had never even heard of this dish before and it was superb. I loved it.
This is a dish that should be tried by everyone that visits the festival.
Elaine was serving apple turnovers with ice cream and I snapped this pic. I didn’t try them but I will next year because they looked fantastic.
On another weekend, Lourdes let me try the fried crawfish and potato wedges. Great again and served by such a cute lady.
If you love crawfish but hate peeling them, this is the way to go.
I tried the Pork on a Stick from Adrianna. It was a favorite of mine and I’ll have it again in 2023.
Hard to beat for a meat lover.
Shelley served me the bacon on a stick. A thick piece of bacon cooked just right and so flavorful and juicy.
I was offered the pierogies from the Polish Pub. I had never tried them and thought they were great.
They come with different fillings and all were very tasty.
The manager of the Polish Pub, Kasia, offered to let me try their combo plate. Here, her co-worker is serving it to me.
The plate has hunter stew (sauerkraut mixed with a few kinds of meat, sausage, piece of polish sausage), three kinds of Pierogi: meat, potato and cheese, sauerkraut and mushrooms, cabbage roll (stuffed cabbage with rice and pork meat) topped with tomato sauce. It was all so delicious. I had never tried most of it and now love it all.
I didn’t try the funnel cake but this nice lady was kind enough to let me get a pic.
Every good festival has funnel cakes. I love them.
Later in the season, I tried the crawfish mac and cheese from Lourde’s Steak on a Stick stand again. Can you tell that it was a favorite?
So good that I ordered some cooked and peeled crawfish from HEB and made this dish at home.
One day, I bought lunch for the crew at Catskill Mountain Moccasins. The pizza is really good.
The cheese pizza is a favorite of many but I prefer the Meat Lovers.
I tried the crawfish and potato wedges again also. I love how Lourdes and her crew always dressed for the theme of the weekend.
A must try.
Kasia, the manager of the Polish Pub, began letting me try other dishes. On this day, I tried the Polish Sausage. It was delicious.
Kasia introduced me to Lady Ligia. She owns 15 food booths at TRF and is a living legend there.
Kasia began to give me food coupons each weekend day to let me try the different dishes at Ligia’s stands. Ligia runs an empire at the TexRenFest and I’m glad to have met her.
Ligia is known as The Empanada Lady because that’s how she got her start at the TexRenFest.
She offers breakfast empanadas that have bananas and then she offers empanadas filled with meat.
Ligia and I had some of both one day and had a nice chat.
Ligia was born in Bolivia and has lived The American Dream.
I am proud to call Lady Ligia a good friend and I look forward to seeing her again in 2023.
One of the places that Ligia owns is the new Thirsty Pirate Pub. It’s a great addition to the festival and offers drinks and also food.
Here, Katy is serving me the meatballs on a stick. Such a cute server with a great smile and good food.
I tried the coconut water and learned that it is good for a hangover.
Another stand of Ligia’s serves a cup with layers of pulled pork and mashed potatoes. I had never heard of this either and now love it.
I met Julie while on my walks around the festival. She works in the Fish and Chips stand. She also offered to help me with my goal of trying more food in 2022.
In this pic, she is serving me the fried shrimp. So big and delicious. And from such a beautiful woman.
Another must try while at the festival.
Kasia let me try the pulled pork sandwich. Holly served it to me in a great costume.
I’m getting hungry as I create this post, haha.
Lourdes gave me their main menu item, the steak on a stick. It’s one of their best sellers and I know why. It’s fantastic.
TRF is a meat lover’s heaven.
On a cold day, Kasia served me some hot mulled wine. I had never tried it and soon loved it.
Jazi Love served me some hot chocolate and it hit the spot on a chilly day at the festival.
I tried the beignets from Lourdes’ stand. Warm, fluffy and sweet. Great beignets.
I’ll definitely have these again in 2023.
Another of Ligia’s booths serves Nachos. It was so good. Loved it. So much meat.
One cold weekend, Lourdes let me try their boudin. It was hot and delicious. It warmed me up and filled me up.
So good.
I also tried the chicken stir-fry.
Lots of flavor and chicken. Great.
The fried shrimp form Lourdes’ stand were superb. I love shrimp and these were great. The potatoes add to the meal.
My arteries may hate me but my stomach loves me, lol.
I tried the fried alligator from Vendella’s Cajun Food stand.
If you’ve never tried fried alligator, you should. It’s very tasty.
I ordered the chicken quesadilla from one of Ligia’s stands. One of the best I’ve ever had.
Cooked well and filled with chicken and cheese.
Here, Julie is pictured holding their loaded baked potato.
I didn’t try this but it looked awesome. It’s on my list for 2023.
Catalina Longview showed me their bread bowl from the Bread Bowl stand.
This looked so good. Didn’t try it but will next time.
Julie offered me their fried pickles and the were so good.
I love fried pickles and these were terrific.
I had the fried crawfish again from Lourdes. You can’t keep a Cajun away from crawfish, lol.
Super meal.
Ligia’s Taco Salad is awesome.
I can’t wait for TRF 2023 to try this again.
Julie let me try their fish and chips.
The fish is catfish and so delicious. The chips were great as well.
I had the steak on a stick again because it is so tasty.
If you can’t find something delicious at TRF, you’re not even looking.
Ligia also offers a Cuban sandwich.
I love Cuban sandwiches and this one was fantastic. I’d have it again.
I had the fried shrimp from Lourdes again. This may seem repetitious but Lourdes wears such great outfits that I had to include these pics.
I’ll be having fried shrimp very soon after seeing these photos again.
One day, I stopped into the Greek section and stumbled upon a food stand that had the best looking salads.
If you’re not into meat all of the time, these salads are the bomb. The dressing was terrific.
Ligia also owns the Red Lion Tavern that serves the best BBQ at TRF.
Is that mouth watering, or what?
This was one of my most favorite things to eat all season.
I had the cabbage rolls again from Kasia at the Polish Pub. As a kid, I hated cabbage and never tried it. Now, I’m a big fan, thanks to Kasia.
Filled with meat and covered in sauce. Unbelievably good.
Julie let me try their crab cakes.
Really good. Loved them and will have them again in 2023.
I’d like to thank Kasia, Lady Ligia, Lourdes, Julie. Adrianna, Jazi Love, Holly, Catalina Longview, Vendella and all of the rest for serving me such great food with a smile.
I hope you enjoyed this look at some of the food at the TexRenFest. To see several more pics of the food offered at the festival, visit the link below.
The last weekend of the TexRenFest 2022 season is themed as Celtic Christmas weekend and is a lot of fun. This weekend includes the Friday also, which is nice to have a third day to enjoy the last weekend at TRF.
What follows is a story for each of the final 3 days with photos. I hope you enjoy the look back.
I camped out 2 weekends this season. For every other day that I arrived at the festival, I was the first one in the parking area. I get up at 4:30am, leave my place at 6:30am and arrive at TRF by 7:30am. That gives me 1 1/2 hours before the cannon goes off to get my throne pics and pics of the beefeaters. I also enjoy a cup of hot chocolate on the colder days.
When I arrive, the grounds crew has already walked the walkway and picked up every bit of trash. For the most part, the patrons at the TexRenFest don’t litter, which is nice.
I like being able to park close so that my walk back to my Tahoe is not a long one at the end of my day.
The estimate is that 500,000 people visit TRF each season.
That is not 500,000 individual people because several people attend on multiple days, but 500,000 is the cumulative number of visits.
I usually get a beefeater to snap my throne pics. Jim and Greg are always so nice about it.
Here’s Jim. Such a nice guy.
All season long, the front gate beefeaters were happy to pose for me and I appreciated that.
I like getting a pic of the entrance plaza inside the gates before the crowds enter. It’s so peaceful in the mornings. And later in the day, there are a lot of people in this area.
I stopped by the Queen’s Pantry for a hot chocolate on this day. It really warms a person up.
Queen Juana was happy to pose with me all season long and I’m grateful. She is so nice to me and I enjoy her company.
A few barbarians and vikings. Good group of people.
Alan, getting ready to fire the morning cannon.
A cool screen grab from the video of the firing.
Capturing the morning cannon on video was a favorite thing to do for me.
The King entertaining the guests.
The Queen was always happy to pose for me and she always looked great.
These two ladies were photographed several times by me and they were always very pleasant.
Jade is another favorite of mine to photograph. So beautiful and talented.
Kristina played the White Swan and was great at it. Very beautiful also.
The morning dance with cast and patrons.
Rudy plays Hamish McGregor, the bagpipe player. He stays busy all day long with his pipes and does a fantastic job entertaining the patrons and leading the daily parade.
TRF had some really nice Christmas trees.
Tea and Strumpets has the best bacon sandwich in the Kingdom and an awesome upstairs patio.
June works there and is a new friend. Very photogenic.
Elizabeth as well.
My eyes are down here.
Gracelynn and Karlee.
Ravenswood Leather.
Rebel, Mary, MJ and Tori. Some of the best salespersons in New Market Village.
Ravenswood Leather has so many great items.
I purchased two leather pouches this season and really like them a lot.
When at TRF, you should definitely stop by this shop.
So many cool items to choose from.
Their hats are great.
I may have some custom items made.
Dex cooked up a lot of chicken this season.
Thirsty Pirate Pub.
Katy, Michael, Margot and Shane. Great people and new friends.
The Pirate Pub was a favorite place to visit all season long.
Cheyenne looked festive with her glasses.
And her outfits were always very nice.
Meeting Kasia was a highpoint of my season. Such a nice person and so hard working. The Polish Pub is lucky to have her as the manager.
The staff of the Polish Pub dressed for every themed weekend. And always looked great.
Maybe next season, I’ll take an elephant ride.
And camel too.
Savannah was in the Christmas spirit and was so nice all season long.
Julie helped me out a lot by allowing me to photograph and taste several items from their menu.
I didn’t try the loaded baked potato but it looked delicious. I’ll definitely try it next season.
Julie is one of the most beautiful women at TRF. Many others have mentioned this also. I’m not alone in this.
Her and her daughter, Kylie, are very photogenic.
Kylie lets me get her photo also and I’m grateful.
I took Jessica’s pic a lot during the season and was happy to get a pic with her. So nice.
Jenna was a favorite to photograph and several people commented on her photos.
Catalina Longview works with Kylie at the Bread Bowl stand. Another RenFest beauty.
I didn’t try the bread bowl either, but it’s on my list for next season. Looks great.
A fun group pic.
Bri is another new friend that I made this season. She always had great photos too.
The Cajun Food staff is another favorite of mine. Angela, Blaise, Vendella and Reagan.
Blaise never takes a bad pic.
I was happy to take pics of the food stand staffs. They deserve attention for the long, hard hours they work.
Kelsey and Alex. Two more TRF beauties.
The staff at the Red Lion Tavern dressed for each weekend also and really looked great.
Ty and his staff were always ready for a pic and I liked that.
Allen was so very nice to me every time that I stopped by the Wyrmwood Public House.
Two lovely ladies enjoying a drink at the Wyrmwood. Juju is on the right.
Mickey is my favorite bartender in all of the Kingdom. Last season, he introduced me to the Wyrmwood and I’m so happy he did.
He is such a cool guy and a great, new friend of mine.
Monsieur Bunny prefers to be called Daddy, so I do. When people hear me say that, they always laugh.
I took some pics of Ammon. He does the puppet show and the kids love it.
The whip show is always packed.
Kasia is so nice to me that she’s very easy to like. I consider her a dear friend.
Jessica and Stephanie were always ready for a pic and looked great each time.
I did try the fried pickles at Julie’s stand. The Fish and Chips stand has some great items on the menu and the fried pickles were delicious. Julie and I shared them.
These are a must to try if you visit the TexRenFest. And you get to meet Julie… an added bonus.
Kylie and Catalina.
Lourdes is another new, dear friend. She helped me out a lot during the season by letting me try items from their menu.
This is the fried crawfish. So good!
The RenFest has great patrons that are always willing to pose for a pic.
Hyle and Erika at the Asgardian Armory.
So beautiful.
Erika always make me look good. Beautiful women tend to do that for a clown like me, lol.
The Asgardian Armory has such a fun, nice staff that I stop by there every day that I’m at the festival.
Greg works at Catskill Mountain Moccasins. He is also very nice to me and lets me store my stuff at their booth.
Becca works there also. Very stylish.
I met Sara last season and she’s become a good friend. I like her a lot.
This staff does a great job for Catskill Mountain Moccasins. They sell a lot of moccasins during the season.
A close-knit group.
This lovely fairy is a great addition to the festival. So beautiful.
I tried the taco salad on this day.
All I can say is that it was great. I’ll have this again next season.
The Spanish Area has some of my favorite dishes.
The King and Queen of Spain.
Another fun group pic.
Ronnie is probably the most in shape dude at TRF.
Another of the fantastic Christmas trees in the Kingdom.
The French section has some great food also.
I ran into Pain Killer. He’s a fun guy.
His back looks awesome.
Santa Scott. A great look for the holidays.
Santa, I would like 2 ‘old school’ Victoria’s Secret models, gift-wrapped and under my tree by Xmas morning.
Amanda works at the Sea Devil Tavern in the Glory Hole bar. A good friend of mine.
Mickel makes a good Santa too.
The shiny, metal on her outfit is all beer can pull tabs. That’s a lot of beer to make this. Impressive.
Kids love the pony rides.
Shelley and Katy at the Pirate Pub.
Tawni and Elizabeth, upstairs at the pub.
Written in the concrete at the Thirsty Pirate Pub.
A great photo op.
Chelsea’s bird whistle stand.
She is a great salesperson and so very nice.
Three more RenFest beauties. That’s Juju in the middle.
Another great tree at the festival.
I told this couple that their costumes would look better is they went to the gym more. They didn’t laugh, lol.
I never took a carriage ride this season. Maybe next year.
I didn’t ask this Santa for my VS models because I have faith in Santa Scott to deliver.
So colorful and festive. Great costuming.
The tree in the entrance plaza. A great photo op.
Lady Iris stays busy painting faces all day long. Such a sweet soul.
After I take my morning Tahoe pics, I back in so it’s easier to leave.
This concludes the pics from Friday at the festival.
First again on the Saturday.
A little wet on this day from all of the rain overnight.
The day turned out well and it was another good day to be in New Market Village.
Morning throne pic.
Willie and Jim are great.
The entry plaza tree.
June was a pleasure to meet and I enjoyed getting pics of her.
Zoe served me my morning hot chocolate from the Queen’s Pantry.
Such a good look.
Lady Iris’ supplies to do her face painting.
Several members of the cast come by before the festival opens to get their faces painted.
And Lady Iris always does a great job for them.
Sherry was fun to meet.
I went back to the Queen’s Pantry to buy a hot chocolate for Lady Iris.
Sherry looked great in front of the tree.
Another screen grab from the video of the morning cannon firing.
On this morning, Brandi ignited the cannon. She was one of the only ones to do it correctly by covering an ear and opening her mouth to lessen the percussion to the brain.
Queen Juana, looking as good as ever.
I ran into Kevin. He’s one of my favorite pirates at the festival.
Every good pirate wears many rings.
And so do I.
I’ve been lucky in life. From left to right… Sturgis Motorcycle Rally ring, Lifeguard Championship ring, IndyCar Championship ring, Nascar Championship ring (Jeff Gordon), Turquoise for luck, Brickyard 400 Championship ring ( Jeff Gordon), NHRA Ring, College ring. I have another ring that will be delivered soon to replace the turquoise ring.
Over the course of the season, I had many comments made on the way I dressed. On this day, a lady at the Queen’s Pantry told me that she liked my sense of style.
Two damn good-looking pirates, lol.
The morning dance.
I photographed this group often and the pics always came out great.
Elizabeth looked good in her holiday corset.
I like the effort TRF puts in to create the holiday spirit.
Mary, Tori, MJ and Rebel.
I met MJ last season and added her shop to my morning route. So nice.
Mary has one of the best hats at the festival and looks great in it.
Tori was always happy to pose with me and I’m glad about that.
I met Rebel at a comicon. She’s a really good cosplayer.
Thirsty Pirate Pub.
I never saw their decorations after dark, but I bet they looked fantastic.
Shelley and Katy.
The Polish Pub staff. So cute in their outfits.
Jacob is a lucky man.
The Polish Pub is a favorite stop of mine.
Kasia is also lucky to be surrounded by such wonderful people.
Jacob and Kasia.
Kasia is another lovely lady that makes me look good.
Cheyenne can be added to that list as well.
Jenna was a pleasure to photograph.
Jessica and Stephanie.
Julie, looking as beautiful as ever.
Catalina Longview.
Adriana was really nice to me all season long.
Blaise.
Vendella.
Reagan.
Kelsey and Alex.
Red Lion Tavern staff.
Haley, looking so cute and so festive.
I decided to start asking Haley to take a pic with me and I’m glad she agreed.
Lilly, the high seas Barbie. Such a good look for her.
Always happy to get a pic with her.
Queen Juana.
I stopped by the Wyrmwood on this day and Allen greeted me with pleasure.
Mickey and Taylor.
Two cool dudes, indeed. Ha.
An overhead view of the Wyrmwood.
Probably the coolest bar in the Kingdom.
Daddy and I.
Taylor and Daddy.
Funny pic.
Travis is another good friend.
Bri looks good in her ears.
So cute.
Becca looks great each day.
I look forward to seeing Greg on the comicon circuit this next year. He’s also a great cosplayer.
Hyle and Erika.
I’ll miss taking Erika’s picture every weekend. Already looking forward to the next season in 2023.
A favorite pic of mine.
Alex always had great poses.
I’ll meet Alex at another festival this next Spring.
Waiting for the couple that was about to be married.
Santa Scott and his main squeeze.
Another pic of this beautiful fairy.
This lovely lady always does a great job with her costumes and face.
I went by the Fish and Chips booth and Julie let me try the fish and chips. The fish is catfish and it was very good. I’ll try that again next season.
I’m amazed that I didn’t gain any weight with all of the food I had this season. Walking around the festival helped burn it off.
Cheyenne and Kasia. Two great, new friends of mine.
The Polish Pub has two great acts to enjoy while you’re there. 2 Merry Men and Chaste Treasure are very entertaining.
Another packed audience for the whip act.
I asked this group if they wanted a pic so they posed for me. Then, I said that the pic was only $20. They didn’t laugh, but I did.
Philip is the best dressed pirate at TRF and always looks spectacular.
I met these two RenFest cuties on this last weekend.
I’ve ran into these two clowns a lot over the past 2 years. Great to photograph.
I tried the steak on a stick this season and it is one of my favorites at the TexRenFest. It’s a best-seller for Lourdes and her staff.
So delicious.
I tried the Cuban sandwich on this day and I really enjoyed it.
Ligia, the Empanada Lady, has so many great dishes at her 15 food stands. I loved all of the ones I tried.
Chelsea’s stand.
I wonder how many whistles she sells in a season. I bet it’s a lot.
I photographed this lady last season and was happy to run into her again this year.
A fun group pic.
The view from the Tea and Strumpets’ patio.
This last Saturday had a good crowd.
And the weather was good.
Santa making a child happy.
Lots of kids got to sit on Santa’s lap.
Still coming in as I was leaving for the day.
This concludes the pics from the last Saturday of the festival.
First again on the last day of the festival.
No sign of rain on this day.
George is a genius and a visionary.
All hail, King George.
Morning throne pic.
Hundreds of thousands passed through these gates this season.
Willie and Greg.
Robert and a few beefeaters.
The final beefeaters pic of the season.
On this morning, I bought Lady Iris’ hot chocolate when I purchased mine.
I’ll miss taking June’s pic each day.
Lady Iris at work before the festival opens.
And she paints tatas also.
All painted and ready for the last day of TRF 2022.
A beautiful tree.
I love Gabby’s hat. She looks good in it.
I caught Rudy as he was going out to entertain the early morning patrons. Such a nice guy and a good friend.
Alan, preparing to fire the cannon.
Boom goes the dynamite, lol. That’s an older reference to something funny. IYKYK.
The video of the last cannon firing of the 2022 season.
Jade, looking as cute as ever.
Robert and his sidekick piggy.
Erin makes a great Glenda, the good witch.
The morning dance.
Ravenswood Leather decorated for the holidays. I would have loved to see it after dark.
MJ makes a good Vanna.
The staff at Ravenswood never refused me a pic and that was cool of them.
MJ is the only person to tell me to turn my credential around for the pic. I appreciated that.
I took Elaine’s pic quite often and they are among my favorites.
Katheryn allowed me to take her pic several times also. Very cute.
Thirsty Pirate Pub.
Love the hats on Shelley and Katy.
I’ll miss seeing Savannah. Another RenFest cutie.
The staff of the Polish Pub.
Great people.
All so very fun-loving and hard-working. They are an asset to the festival.
Jacob and Kasia.
I’ll miss seeing Kasia every weekend also.
I look forward to returning to the Polish Pub next season.
Three fun patrons.
And I’ll definitely miss seeing Julie. Easy on the eyes and a good friend.
Kenley, Vendella and Reagan.
Lourdes let me try the fried shrimp and I loved them. Lourdes was so kind to me all season long and I can’t thank her enough.
So good.
Red Lion Tavern staff.
Haley looks good as a red head and also as a blonde.
I was in the Greek section and decided to try a salad.
I really liked it a lot. I’ll definitely have this again next year. Superb.
Three RenFest beauties.
Lourdes, Kelsey, Tanya and Alex were the best-dressed staff for the last weekend.
I loved getting pics of Pam all season long. Such a fun person and she loves her job at the Sea Devil Tavern in the Bilge Pump bar area.
Jim MacKenzie always had a large crowd for his act.
Kylie.
Adrianna and Kylie at the Bread Bowl stand.
Cheyenne and Kasia.
Chaste Treasures. Three beautiful and talented women.
On this last day, I had the cabbage rolls again from the Polish Pub. I never liked cabbage before and had never tried a cabbage roll. Now, I’m a big fan. Love it.
So delicious.
The bird act draws a huge crowd also.
Fun couple.
Kids love climbing. Fact.
Julie let me try the crab cakes and they were great. We shared them.
One of my favorite dishes at TRF.
Sara is someone that I love getting a pic with.
Melissa in front of the Asgardian Armory.
Love Erika’s headwear. So beautiful.
And yes, she gets a close-up.
I’ll miss getting pics with Erika.
I look forward to seeing Alex this next Spring.
He always looks good.
I enjoy my pics with him also. Such a cool guy.
Two colorful, fun ladies.
Love the carriage rides. If I had a date at the festival, we’d definitely take a ride in one.
This gentleman is the owner of the Wyrmwood Public House. My hat is off to him for creating such a cool bar.
I enjoyed all 17 days of the festival.
It seemed like the year flew by since the 2021 season. I hope this off-season goes by as quick because I’ll miss my time in the Kingdom.
At least I’ll have over 4,500 pics and videos from TRF 2022 to pass the time.
I met Johnny Danger (far right) this season. What a great guy. A true friend.
I love that TRF creates so many great memories for so many people.
A great trio.
Patrons love taking pics in front of the main Christmas tree.
I ran into this lovely lady again on the last day and was happy that I did.
The last day had a good crowd.
I met Mindy this season also. So nice and such a great part of the festival.
The beefeaters are the first and last to greet you at TRF and do a great job.
Still coming in on the last day.
The only way to come in from the parking area.
TRF entertained hundreds of thousands this season. And I was among them.
Until next season.
This concludes this post about the last weekend at TRF for 2022. I hope you enjoyed the look back.
I’ll have a blog post about the food coming up.
To see all of the pics and videos from TRF 2022, visit the site below and click on Photos.
Every weekend day of the Texas Renaissance Festival season, a cannon is fired to start the day. Over the years, thousands upon thousands have heard it and it filled them with a sense of excitement to know that the day at TRF has begun.
And even though so many have heard it go off, not many have actually seen it happen. This includes the cast and crew of the TexRenFest also because when it fires, they are all around the festival in their shops and booths getting ready for the day.
Last season, I was asked several times to meet crews before the festival opened to get their photos. When I started getting into the festival early to meet these crews, I knew that I wanted to see the cannon go off.
What follows are 12 videos for 12 days of the cannon being fired. Next season, I hope to capture all 17 firings.
I didn’t capture video of the first 3 days of the festival, but started shooting video on the fourth day. This firing is for the Sunday of the 1001 Dreams weekend.
A still shot achieved by using the video and advancing it to just the right spot and taking a screenshot. With a high quality iPhone that shoots 4K video, this is possible to do.
Alan is in charge of the cannon and also works on the fireworks show at the end of the day. Alan and I found out that we both worked for the same guy many years ago doing pyrotechnic work. Small world.
This firing is for Saturday of the Halloween weekend.
I shared the gallery of these videos and pics with someone and they were amazed at what I had done to get these pics. After so many years, you pick up some tricks.
Here is what I found on cannons… “A cannon is a type of artillery, usually large and tubular in shape, that uses gunpowder to propel a projectile over a distance. Cannons vary in size, range, mobility, rate of fire, and fire power.”
This firing is for the Sunday of Halloween weekend.
Alan really liked seeing these pics.
“Cannons were first used in China. The first European cannon was in Iberia, in the Islamic wars against Spain in the 12th century.”
This firing is for the Saturday of the Cosplay weekend. A film crew was there to record it. The cameraman still jumps even though I told them all what to expect.
A great shot of the video crew getting some footage of the firing.
On this next day, the Festival Queen lit the cannon. Alan always tells the person lighting the cannon to cover the ear closest to the cannon and also to open their mouths to lessen the percussion to the head. Many times, the person forgets to open their mouth.
This firing is for the Sunday of the Cosplay weekend.
I really like the still shots.
This next guy’s reaction to the noise is pretty funny.
This firing is for the Saturday of the Barbarian Invasion weekend.
I bet this guy would love to have this photo. It’s in the photo galleries on the website, if you know him.
“An English cannon was first used during the Hundred Years War, when small, primitive cannons were used in the Battle of Crecy in 1346. The end of the Middle Ages saw the introduction of a more standardized and effective cannon.”
This firing is for the Sunday of the Barbarian Invasion weekend.
Alan always has the best pose when firing.
On this next day, it was a little wet, so Alan fired the cannon from under an awning. “Keep your powder dry” is a very old saying that refers to soldiers using older guns that utilized gunpowder.
This firing is for the Saturday of the Highland Fling weekend.
This might be my favorite pic.
“Some of the largest cannons ever constructed were of Asian origin. Some European cannons were large also, but were abandoned in favor of larger numbers of lighter more maneuverable pieces. The Medieval Great Turkish Bombard required 200 men to operate, while the 18th century English cannon only required a dozen men to fire. By the Napoleonic Wars, only 5 men operated the British cannon.”
This firing is for the Sunday of the Highland Fling weekend.
If I were Alan, I’d want some of these pics framed for the wall.
“The word cannon has been used to refer to a gun since 1326, in Italy, and 1418, in England. From 1430 onward, the word cannon was only used to refer to the largest weapons.”
This firing is for the Friday of the Celtic Christmas weekend.
Another favorite.
On this day, Brandi Baldwin ignited the cannon. She was one of the only ones that did it right by covering her ear and opening her mouth.
This firing is for the Saturday of the Celtic Christmas weekend.
Alan looks good in his cloak.
“The earliest depiction of a gun is a sculpture from a cave in Sichuan dating to the 1100’s of a figure carrying a vase-shaped bombard with flames and a cannonball coming out of it.”
This firing is for the Sunday of the Celtic Christmas weekend. The last day of the festival. The Italian gentleman that ignited the cannon also did it in 2019, when the pandemic started. Alan had hopes that his igniting the cannon again would end the pandemic.
The last day of the 2022 season.
I hope you have enjoyed this blog post about the TexRenFest cannon and a little history lesson. If you have enjoyed this post, leave a comment and let me know what you think. I’d love to hear from you.
To see all of the pics and videos from the Texas Renaissance Festival, visit the site below and click on Photos.
The seventh weekend at the Texas Renaissance Festival was themed as the Highland Fling and yes, there were a lot of kilts.
This is a story from my visits on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday was a cold and wet day, but I made the trip to TRF anyway because I figured there would still be people there.
I arrived first again and got my usual parking spot.
I don’t usually promote the clothing company that much, but if you were interested in checking out the merchandise in the Contraband store, visit the link at the bottom of this post and click on Contraband. Lots of cool stuff.
Most may not have noticed in these photos, but my right rear hub cap fell out sometime back. I went to the dealership and had no luck. I came home and found a set of 4 for $19 on Amazon. Many times, people have bad things to say about Jeff Bezos, but he gave the world one of the best shopping websites ever.
There are a few superstitions at the TexRenFest. One is that people never say the “R” word in reference to bad weather. The previous weekend, I was talking to a TRF photographer and said, “This season has been great and no r….” He said to me, “We don’t say that word.”
I said the no-no word and sure enough, the next weekend we had r…. Lesson learned.
My morning pic on the throne.
One of the beefeaters, Jim, striking a good pose on the throne.
Rudy, about to entertain the early arriving patrons.
The cannon was fired under an awning because of the r….
Ravenswood Leather has one of the coolest buildings at TRF. The upstairs balcony if for employees only, but I’d like to go up there at least once.
The staff at Ravenswood is great and MJ is a really nice person.
All of the ladies look great posing with the merchandise. Here’s Mary looking great in her hat and fur.
I had on my STORM Factory jacket and also my STORM Factory raincoat. When I button up everything, I look like I weigh 250 pounds or that I’m pregnant, lol.
Mary had her hair down for a change and I complimented her about how nice it looked. She said that she usually wears it up so it doesn’t get unruly with the humid weather in Texas.
Kevin is a very stylish pirate and the only one I know that uses green as his predominant color with his garb. Love the hat.
I’m going to have to find a solution to the puffiness of my jackets because I don’t like looking like I just ate a whole cow.
Elaine always takes a good photo. I learned her name this weekend and she’s a favorite to photograph.
I learned Dex’s name also. I thought it the polite thing to do since I take his pic often.
I stop by the Thirsty Pirate Pub a few times each weekend day.
The staff are always willing to pose for a pic and I appreciate that. Such nice people and hard workers.
Shelly and Katy are two more people that I met this season.
Kylie never takes a bad photo. Some people are lucky like that.
Her mom, Julie, is the same way. All of the pics I take of her always look great.
Such and attractive mother and daughter. And both are really nice. I’m glad that I met them this season.
The Polish Pub is another of my regular stops each morning of the festival.
Kasia has great people working with her. Kasia has become a great new friend and I appreciate her friendship.
I said last week that I’d learn this girl’s name by this week. Meet Jenna.
The Cajun Booth has one of the friendliest staffs at TRF and they have great food.
I stopped by the Wyrmwood Public House and saw Allen at the front door, as usual.
Mickey made my kamikaze and it hit the spot on a cold and wet day.
I ran into Tim and Cameron again this weekend. They attend the festival several days of the season and always dress so well for the themed weekends.
Tim is very supportive of my efforts on social media and I appreciate that.
Sara and Abby from Catskill Mountain Moccasins.
I met Sara last year and we’ve stayed in touch via Facebook. She posts some funny stories.
Abby is Sara’s niece and I met her last season also. Abby Normal, lol.
Two tough dudes at the Asgardian Armory.
Erika has the best wardrobe and always looks fantastic every weekend.
Erika and Hyle.
I love Erika’s fur hat and I bet it’s very warm.
I’ll try and learn these young ladies’ names this upcoming weekend.
This is a fun-loving group. Very tight-knit.
The attendance was lower than usual because of the weather.
A little muddy in some areas.
Lots of rain gear and umbrellas.
Kelsey, Lourdes and Alex at the Steak on a Stick booth.
Lourdes let me try the boudin. She offered to cut it open for me but I ate it the traditional way and not with a fork. On this cold, wet day, it really warmed me up and tasted great.
The Steak on a Stick booth has a lot of great food items and the boudin is definitely one of their best.
Savannah works in the back area of the festival and I don’t always make it back there. It’s worth the walk to get her pic.
Catalina Longview always takes a good pic also.
I got a pic with Scott. Kurt Russell played Santa Claus in a movie and looks just like Scott. Scott plays Santa during the holidays.
I tried the chicken stir fry and it was good.
Good chicken, peppers and onions.
I stopped by Ravenswood Leather again and got Christina’s pic. A beautiful woman.
The patrons kept coming in, even though the weather stayed overcast all day.
I left about noon because there weren’t that many people in costume to photograph.
I snapped a pic of Willie on my way out. Such a character.
One of the funniest people at TRF.
The bad weather didn’t stop everybody from coming to the TexRenFest. Diehard fans.
This concludes the pics from Saturday.
On Sunday, the weather was still cold but not wet. First again.
If you arrive later in the day, it is a long walk from the parking area to the entrance plaza.
If you arrive early, it’s a short walk.
Such a great entrance plaza.
Much better weather than on Saturday.
A statue of the founder of TRF, George Coulam.
A great man and a visionary.
Morning throne pic.
An early morning pic with Willie. A good man.
The beefeaters of the Front Gate. They have a tough job overseeing all of the thousands that attend the TexRenFest.
Before thousands enter the festival.
The cannon was fired from its’ usual spot on this day.
Lady Iris paints the faces of TRF workers before the festival opens.
She has all of the many options for face-painting on a board so people can choose what they want.
There are many to choose from.
Lady Iris gave me a gift. It was a decorative spider and it is very cool.
Nuria as Queen Juana. Beautiful, as always.
The cast at TRF are so friendly and polite that it makes my job easier.
Rudy stays busy all day with playing his bagpipes for different occasions like weddings and the noon parade.
The morning dance with cast and patrons.
Ravenswood Leather shop has great merchandise to pose in front of.
MJ, Tori and Mary.
Mary is another photogenic person that I met at TRF this season.
I stopped by Elaine’s booth again on this day.
I learned Katherine’s name this weekend also. Very nice.
This pirate got her hat from Big Hat Pirates shop. It looks great.
Thirsty Pirate Pub.
Michelle, Michael, Shelly and Katy at the Pirate Pub.
I took some photos of the Polish Pub that I haven’t taken before.
It’s a great place to eat, drink and be entertained by their shows.
Hunters will appreciate this.
And this.
The Polish Pub is another place I discovered this season. TRF has many treasures to enjoy and this pub is one of them.
Ligia owns 15 booths at TRF, including the Polish Pub, the Thirsty Pirate Pub, the Red Lion Tavern and the whole Spanish section.
Her and Kasia are two new friends that I made this season. They are both great people and so hard-working. I respect them both and am proud to call them friends.
Ligia has a great group of people working with her.
People love Ligia and want to do a good job for her.
She is a Queen of the festival. This is her 46th year at TRF.
She started out making and selling empanadas. Her nickname is The Empanada lady.
TRF would not be as good without Ligia and her family’s hard work and efforts.
Jenna and Janie.
Kylie.
Kylie and Julie.
I enjoy stopping by to chat with Julie. It’s fun to hang out with her.
Rylie and Kylie. Two cuties.
Bri has a floof on her head. I learned that women wear floofs at the festival.
Kelsey and Alex.
Emily sells cool necklaces.
The staff of the Red Lion Tavern. Fun girls.
I saw a few Furries on this day.
My usual stop by the Wyrmwood. Notice Allen’s small hands.
The Wyrmwood also has an upstairs section.
I had Travis look up as I snapped this pic.
This girl’s name is Little Foot.
A pic with Travis.
These girls sing around the festival.
That’s a lot of faces to paint.
I’m always surprised to see guys going shirtless on really cold days. Not me. No way.
Abby and Sara.
Sara looks good in her fur.
Abby brightens my day when I see her.
TRF is a huge festival but I’ve managed to run into this couple on three different days. Nice people.
Erika, wearing a different fur hat on this day and looking great.
She is a favorite to photograph also.
Alex makes leather goods and is very talented.
He made what he’s wearing. Very nice.
Erika has been a favorite person of mine since last season when I first met her.
Alex and Erika.
Chelsea’s bird whistle stand.
She looks cute every day that I see her. One of my best friends at TRF.
Notice her floof.
A good group shot.
These ladies were having a lot of fun at the festival.
Better weather and a better crowd on this day.
No more mud to walk through.
More people in costume and no umbrellas.
I’m sure this guy liked the pic I took of him with the festival in the background.
A pirate and his main squeeze.
I started getting pics like this last season. It’s a great vantage point.
I ran into the King, who was playing golf.
This girl had on some cool pants. I asked her about them and she said that she made them.
The Spanish Court.
Getting a pic with Nuria is always on my list.
Lourdes let me try the fried shrimp and they were awesome.
Who doesn’t love good fried shrimp?
Tanya and Lourdes, two new friends.
This guy was balancing a beer on a stick on his head while playing the violin. Unbelievable.
Lots of great kilts during this weekend.
Elly was at the festival promoting different drinks. Nice girl and knows her stuff well.
They were giving out free samples in little plastic cups.
I talked with Elly for a while and she told me about their different drinks.
A good group shot.
One of my favorite pics from the weekend.
Love this pic.
I mentioned in last week’s blog post that I was going to try the fried alligator and this weekend, I did. Tastes like chicken, lol. Not really and it was delicious.
It should be on everyone’s list to try if they attend the festival.
The food stand areas always have a good crowd of people enjoying the great offerings.
With so many choices, there is something for everyone.
The Spanish section always has a lot of people getting some good food.
I also tried the chicken quesadilla on this day.
One of the best I’ve ever had. Ligia knows how to prepare great food.
Another favorite pic from the weekend.
Kilts and berets are always a good look.
This next weekend, I’m going to ask how much it costs to take a carriage ride around the festival.
Love this guy’s hair.
A much larger crowd than on Saturday.
More people equals more fun.
One of many photo ops at TRF.
Still coming in.
Lady Iris is always busy from before opening to close. And always smiling.
More Furries.
A smiling face to greet you as you leave for the day.
Such a long line to purchase a ticket.
I don’t know why these people wouldn’t buy their tickets online to avoid this long line.
Another successful day at the Texas Renaissance Festival.
This concludes this blog post. Look for another one next week for the last weekend of the festival.
To see the pics and videos from the festival, visit the site below and click on Photos.
The sixth weekend at the Texas Renaissance Festival was themed as the Barbarian Invasion. That is always a big weekend and this one was really big.
I ended up with 504 pics and 14 videos for the two days. My totals for the season are 3,418 pics and 42 videos. I will easily exceed my goal of 4,000 and will come close to 4,500.
What follows is a story about Saturday and Sunday with photos and videos. I hope you enjoy the read. I had a lot of fun gathering the media for this post.
I arrived first to the parking area again. I get up at 4:30am and leave my place at 6:30am. After an hour’s drive, I arrive about 7:30am. The opening cannon fires at 9:00am. I have an hour and a half to get photos of the entrance plaza, the front gate beefeaters and a few throne pics before the cannon goes off to start the day.
You might not think it, but these decals ended up costing me a good deal of cashola. Easily $200+.
I’m an early bird and it pays off when I’m ready to leave and tired from a long day of walking. Having a short walk to my Tahoe is nice. I’ve had people tell me that they knew I was there because they passed my ride.
Each morning, a worker brings out a long hose and waters all of the plants and flowers. Usually I wait until he is done before I take this photo. On this Saturday, I was ahead of him and got this pic before he drug out the hose.
On this day, tens of thousands will enter the Kingdom of New Market Village.
The beefeaters are always nice to me and happily pose for a morning photo.
I’m wearing my STORM Factory jacket due to the cold weather. More about this jacket later.
The beefeaters always look so organized. Willie has a great crew.
The entrance area of the village before thousands come into the festival.
Lady Iris gives Elizabeth some face-painting each morning before work. She does this for several people. She has worked at TRF for 29 years.
Queen Juana was dressed for the cold and looked fantastic.
Myself and 5 other exLifeguard friends received a STORM Factory jacket. We all worked at WaterWorld together in the 80’s and 90’s. They are all a part of the Factory.
Our lifeguard competition team won 15 consecutive lifeguard competitions. Our team was called S.T.O.R.M., which stood for Strong Team of Rescue Men. Hence, the STORM Factory. And now you know.
