Woods Hole Renaissance Fair

This is my second year helping out at the Woods Hole Renaissance Fair, a wonderful holiday tradition here in Woods Hole.  As a newcomer to Woods Hole, this event is one of the ways I have found to meet others and connect with this incredible, close-knit community.

My favorite thing about the Fair is the way the whole community comes together to put it on.  Volunteers show up the day before at the Firehouse to start assembling evergreen wreaths and garlands, chatting and catching up in the chill air as they make these lovely hand-made greens. 

That same day, every baker in Woods Hole is at home whipping up some amazing "tea house" treats and sweets, for sale the next day upstairs at the Firehouse.  Transformed with tables and chairs into a warm and cosy cafe for the day, the Tea House is one of the best parts of the Renaissance Fair crowded with happy kids and their grandmothers enjoying a home-made sweet. 

The morning of the Fair, craft makers from Woods Hole and all over Cape Cod arrive early and dress their tables with unique gifts and crafts not available anywhere but right here -- photo books from the area, jewelry, sock puppets, calendars with Woods Hole pictures, hand-knit scarves and sweaters, hand-made letterpress stationary and books... It's really a cornucopia of great things and I plan to knock off my whole holiday list that day!

Then there are the Solstice Singers who march in middle of the day in Renaissance garb, several of them shouldering a paper mache roast pig on a large platter.  This is the colorful highlight of the day's events, and many children follow them in and then gape at their lovely singing voices as they entertain the whole hall with a free concert!

I hope you will join us at this year's Renaissance Fair -- an incredible expression of community and love, and a great place to find that special something for the holidays.  You will see me there!