A Final Farewell to a Fantastic Faire

Good day! This shall be the last blog post of the season that I write here in Sterling, New York, as bright and early tomorrow morning we will be on our way to Minnesota to perform there through September. The trailer is all packed up, goodbyes are looming closer, and Sterling will soon be another page in my book of adventure. But what an adventure I have had here! Sterling has given me an abundance of memories and experiences that I can carry with me forever.

But before I leave, let me regale you with the tales of this past weekend! As you know, our crew consisted of Dave, Jesse, and Ryan plus all the fantastic squires and ground crew. Since Maggie is in Minnesota, I was part of the ground crew, and I forgot just how much work it is! It was a nice reminder to be running back and forth across the field, heading horses, and bolting on grandguards, makes one appreciate squires that much more! However, I did enjoy it, and it was nice to be able to focus on the show instead of working with a horse.

And boy oh boy what a show it was! Silas was our Marshal, and he is absolutely hilarious with the perfect sense of humor and knack for entertaining the audience. He was riding Millie, who got a bit excited during the shows and he just ran with it, making the knights apologize when they scared her, joking about her twirling through the puddles, and jesting about horses jumping the fence to trample audience members. There’s really no good way to explain Silas to someone who’s never met him, but just believe me when I say he is easily one of my favorite people and is always entertaining. He is a wonderful performer, and was an integral part of making the last weekend so amazing.

The Gang

Silas preparing to marshal with the Court and the squires looking on

Sir Orin Dane and Marcus

Ryan was right on his game as well, and it was so easy to see how much he loved being back up in the armor. It brought a smile to my face when he’d shatter a lance and get to the end and just go crazy, yelling and screaming and pounding his chest. You know someone loves their job when they get that excited about it! Him and Marcus clicked right back together, and it was so nice to see them working together again. Ryan is a brilliant performer as well, and did a great job of riling up his audience and gaining their support; between the four of them on the field, the audience was probably the loudest I’ve ever heard them.

Sunday night the fair hosts Funky Formal, which is pretty much a big end of the season party where everyone dresses up, drinks, and dances the night away. There were some pretty amazing costumes too, like Mario and Bowser and Team Rocket and Meowth. I just dressed funky with a formal flair, pigtails mixed with glitter went just fine with a leather jacket and pencil skirt. I absolutely love to dance, and had an absolute ball rocking out on the dance floor like a total idiot until 1am. The best part was everyone else was out there dancing like a total idiot too, so we just had the time of our lives drinking and dancing together as one big Sterling Family.

The next day, tradition also dictated that everyone convene at the Bluffs to watch the sun sink down over Lake Ontario one final time. We got there and shared drinks and blankets and all recounted how much fun we’d had over the last few months. One of the crew climbed this treacherous path to this solitary island where he played his bagpipes silhouetted against the setting sun. It was beautiful! Becky braided my hair into this elaborate design for old time’s sake (she used to do my hair everyday in Sherwood), and I made friends with a katydid who landed on my shoulder. The sunset was one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen on the lake and it was such a monumental way to end my time here. After it had gotten dark, we all drove into town to get some grub and ice cream together, the perfect way to end the evening.

I will be most forlorn to leave this wonderful place that I have been able to call home for the past two months, but am ever so excited for what Minnesota holds. Dave has promised me fun times at the Mall of America, delicious buffets, good shopping, swing dancing, and a plethora of other wonders. My farewell to Sterling is bittersweet, but I am eager to get on the road and see what other adventures lay in wait for me!

Much love to all, and I will talk to you again once I make base in Minnesota!