I became addicted the MNRF Beginning with Games many years ago just a few days of the season to help a friend out.

I loved the experience and wanted to come back but didn't for a few years.

When I finally did returned, I began as a shop worker at Singletree (some of the most beautiful well made flasks I've seen) and eventually moved on to join the Shakopee Jaycees.

Since that time, I have been an Ale Tender, an Assistant Pub Master, and now, finally, the Pub Mistress for Dragons Lair Pub by Front Gate (not to be confused with the beautiful sculpture shop down through the narrows) I've made many friends of entertainers and patrons in my years with the Jaycees and I look forward to many many more.

Stop by and share an ale with us some time!
[submitted 10/6/2007]

AmazonTrish@gmail.com
http://home.earthlink.net/~tabrizenski/

I am fairly new to Minnesota, 2000 was only my 2nd year at the faire. However, I was born at the Scarborough RenFest, in Dallas, and raised at multiple RenFests, so I am quite used to the craziness that seems to follow them. I recently moved in with Carr (the Ratcatcher) and Marian Hagerman, so I can finish High-School. I started 10th grade at good ol' Chaska High...So get used to seeing me, because I'm stuck here for 2 and a half more years :)

eliafeliz@hotmail.com

John Alexander, Shop Worker ~ Oragami Booth

perkk@scc.net

Joel Allard, Street & Royal Navy Experience
Captain Edward Clifton

2007 will be my 4th season in the Navy, and my 6th as a performer at Festival. My first two years, my energy was focused on fighting in the Human Combat Chess Game.

In 2004, I joined the Royal Navy with Dan Kujawski and Zach Held, and had a very fun year on Street, along with fighting in an awesome Human Combat Chess show.

2006 also brought about more organizational changes within the crew -- I got promoted to Captain. While to many this may seem like a promotion, you would NOT believe how much paperwork the job entails. Seriously. No really. Lots of paper.

We also continued our Royal Navy Training and Recruitment Program, which is based on the WizKids "Pirates" Constructible Strategy game. The idea is to get patrons (kids specifically!) more involved, and we have had a great time with that.

"Rain or shine, sink or float, here we come with our stupid little boat..."
[submitted 8/13/2007]

joel@tempestcreative.com

Jordana Henning, Street
Lady Lucy Roberts of Cornwall

Lady Lucy Roberts runs rampant through the streets with the Ladie's Literary League. Gambing, carousing, drinking, and causing general mayhem would never cross the Ladie's minds! <snort!> Look around the dining areas and you'll be sure to find Lady Lucy gamb...er, crocheting wedding doilies for the Queen.

2005 marks my 4th year out at Festival as a street entertainer and part of the Human Combat Chess Game. I adore swinging steel at worthy opponents, and started taking stage combat classes back in 2001. Maybe you caught my fight in '04 against a silly little foppish dandy in voluminous balloon pants?
[submitted 4/13/2006]

jordana_allard@yahoo.com

I joined the MRF in 2004 as Brigid Herbatrot with the Mayor's Entourage (the Lord Mayor's cheif Herbalist and Bonesetter.) I was stolen away by Pyrates to act as their bonesetter and to play guitar for them. My fellow Pyrate, Grey Beard, and I also perform around the village as the Pyra-Lytes. When I'm away from the villiage I can be found working out of my house (a big purple one!) in South Minneapolis as a Chiropractor. I like to help people with all kinds of aches and pains and to help speed up the healing process in cases of car accidents and work injuries. I also perform with Riverfolk, a rather eclectic folk music group. We play in coffeehouses around the Twin Cities, and also at house concerts and Science Fiction conventions around the Midwest and Canada (www.riverfolk.net). I spend the rest of my time cross-stitching and playing with my puppies.
[submitted 8/12/2005]

beccaallen@att.net
http://www.riverfolk.net
http://www.metafourstudios.com

Matt Allex, Street, Vilification Tennis, Front Gate, Irish Cottage Associate ~ Peasant
Andrew Grant

I’m a Shakopee native, so I have been coming to Fest since I was a kid and as a playtron since 1997. My first year as cast was 2003 as street, (if you ain’t street, you ain’t sheet) front gate, and an Irish Cottage associate. In 2004 I joined the esteemed ranks of Villification Tennis with my partner Taffy (Barry Hughs) from the Irish Cottage, where we are schooled by the vets on a regular basis. I also became one of the Queen’s livery and carry a flag before her majesty for opening gate and the parade. (The pay might not be great, but at least the benefits suck. Bloody English.) Anyway, if you ever want to play, just find me on street.
[submitted 11/1/2004]

mattallexisgreat@yahoo.com
http://www.deadbabyjokes.blogspot.com

David Allyn, Former Festie ~ Fop
CoCo, Fop Footman

dallyn@mn.rr.com

Gate guard, dispatcher, and site walker. Worked at B gate quite a bit

superemily@plinko.net

I Started in 2000 working with CKC. In 2001 I decided to try street I wanted to become an entertainer of more substance so in 2002 I joined the puppet trope. Within the puppet trope I found such talent and I feel very proud to be a part of it. I'm a theatre student in Milwaukee and always credit the Renaissance Festival in my work in the theatre
[submitted 5/28/2004]

adrienne_amell@yahoo.com

Renee Anam Ceili, Front Gate
Lady Victoria

anamceili@qwest.net

I started the MRF in 2001 working for CKC in one of the Travelers Carts selling the official merchandise of the fair, as you see you can take the person out of the cart but you can't remove the training from the man. I worked for CKC at the same cart through 2004. During that off season I was recruited by and joined the Royal Guard for a fantastic 2005 season. It was one of the best years I have had at fest and am looking forward to many more years to come with the guard.
[submitted 11/12/2005]

drukendragonfire@yahoo.com
http://www.briscanndezignz.com

More Pictures

Hi, my name is Hannah...ble. If I had any friends, they'd call me Hannah. (Note: Do not ever call me Hannah -- you are NOT my friend.) I humor this wack-job named something-or-another and let him pretend he's the brains of the operation. I'm really just waiting to get noticed by a broadway scout. That, and for the poison I keep slipping into his lattes to take effect..." In the real word (that none of us like to talk about) I take care of MSN accounts and micellaneous ISP support for Best Buy Corporate. But not for long... Soon, I'll be terrorizing conservative minds around the world as an international human rights' lawyer. Really. I mean it.

tiogar@hotmail.com

Kelly Anderson, Former Festie
Puck

levity@yahoo.com

More Pictures

I have been involved with Festival in and out for 7 or so years. I was a part of the Mayor's entourage in '97 and my name was Mattie short for Madeline. In '98 I joined Their Royal Highnesses; Puph & Phluff. I transformed myself into Lettie the maid. In '99, I became a part of the Royal Court.

Tova99@hotmail.com

I had been a Patron of Festival for many years prior to breaking into the scene with the human combat chess and the infamous blowgun/chain match of the year 2005. I found myself walking the street and working with people. 2006 brought me the opportunity to work at the feast of fantasy and Commedia Del Arte found mainly on the Arbor stage. I found myself entered in the Tights competition both years and managed to walk away with a victory the second year.
[submitted 3/13/2007]

The_bard100@hotmail.com

I worked at fest in 2003 at the climbing wall. I have many friends who also work there generally in the security area and at dueling buckets. I do massage therapy for a living outside of fest and own my own business called A happy haven. For more about me check out the xanga site where my personal web log is.
[submitted 4/29/2005]

malacausa@hotmail.com
http://www.ahappyhaven.com
http://www.xanga.com/thefirecracker

I joined the Hawker's Workshop in '89 with Beth and "Swanee" (Gary) Swanson. Through their service, I was placed (along with Judy Matheis) at Seville Sandwich. In 1990, I was redistributed to the Gnome's Workshop with Don and Annette Hastert. A tour of 10years of indentured servitude was to follow...what a hardship! Meals covered, wine, lemonade, daily visits as THE official Take a Break in the Narrows for the old SS boys (god love'em all, we sure did), grape wars with Diddle. Truly good friends and the kind of parents you wish you'd always had. After their retirement (they done the show 20 yrs, they'd had enough. Thanks JoAnn, Patti and Matthew for helping the unloading on Friday nights thru the years.)I floated for a season which is the time I developed Magdalena, the lovely burgundy costumed character I have. She is a courtesan in semi-retirement. She discovered her favorite benefactor, who unfortunately went to God after one blissful evening, had left her a very small keep near a lovely village which has a rather grand Harvest Festival season. Though she is an independent woman with means of her own, she still likes to visit the Festival and wander through the sea of gentleman visitors, just to keep things lively.

Festival 2000 found me once again behind a counter in a craft shop. Mark Doran of Wood, Willow and Whatknots finally convinced me, after many years of temptations, to join his merry band of whatknots and sell oils, incense, potpourri, and art pieces. More at home in my peasant than my courtesan face, I happily joined and will most likely remain there till I get the MRF out of my blood. My peasant character is Aidan O'FLynn from Killala, Ireland. An adventurous young woman, she set out from her home to discover what the world had to offer her. She was betrothed to an ancient fish monger in a hopes to curb her feisty nature, but she got out before the old bugger had a chance to breathe her way. No one in our village seems to know her as Aidan. A strange talking, former grave digger-sometimes minstrel dubbed her Red Haired Mary after a colorful character in one of his songs. The name has stuck and she's not exactly unhappy about the whole affair.

mayequeene@hotmail.com

Full Picture

Tobie Arfstrom, Royal Guard
Yeomen Richard Cooke

In my red Guardsman Uniform I am called Richard Cooke. In my Green guardsman uniform, I am called Sergeant as I am also a US Marine. I live in Robbinsdale, MN. I have been with fest for the last 4 yrs. I have been around the world: Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, S. Carolina, Florida, Iowa, Missouri, Michigan, California, & Wisconsin. I have spent 6 Yrs with the Great Marine Corps. I've been an Aircraft Rescue Fireman with the Marine Corps Reserves but in 2003 I was activated into the Marines. Unfortunately I have officially become "Sir Notappearing Thisyear 2003 season." Does that sound sufficiently Monte Python-ish or is it just me? ;)

arfstrom_tobie@hotmail.com

Jeffrey Armstrong, Former Festie ~ DeCantus
Thomas Jeffries Davidson

Having joined the festival during the 1998 season, skipped a year and then back to it so far after that, I am quickly gaining a new love of things festivalian. I sing with the group DeCantus doing 5 part acapella music on various stages and shops. With character writing not being a strong suit for me, I just act and play in many different ways, most of which involve a certain amount of innuendo as many can attest.

lionsong@qwest.net

Rebecca Armstrong, Front Gate

shoryl@waste.org

I have been having much fun at fest for about the last 25 years or so. When season passes went on sale I bought 2 for my daughter and I. In these past years since then I think I've missed only 4-5 days.
[submitted 11/20/2005]

renfan14@hotmail.com

I started working the Festival in 2005 but have attended it since the late '70's. Dirty Jack however has traveled the world over in search of gold, money and good ale. Jack is part of a team of fighters who roam the streets, getting into skirmishes and fights. The time and place of these bouts vary so keep your eyes and ears open for the sounds of yelling, swords, sticks and daggers. I will be sword and dagger fighting a little this year with the hopes of becoming a more refined and steady act. I am a martial arts student and instructor. I shoot video and love the arts.
[submitted 8/21/2005]

dagger@mn.rr.com
http://www.mnkali.com

I have been a patron out here for about 5 years now and have enjoyed every minute. Keep up the great work..
[submitted 09-28-2004]

jasher963@yahoo.com

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Tom Ashwell, Games Worker ~ Dueling Buckets Joshua Falcon or just "The Falcon" He is also commonly referred to as "The guy with the claws." (I'll buy that.) I started going to MRF in 1987 and got "hooked" the moment I witnessed a sword fight by Bad Manor and the Bear stage. I began collecting swords and eventually became a Playtron. I worked on and off for some booths, including Children's Trilogy of Games, 2001 and Dueling Buckets 2003 and a traveling act or two so I have performed at several other faires, but never at MRF. I am much misunderstood, especially by festies that think they know me. So look again... I am ever more weird than you imagined... (All I want to do is entertain and have fun. Get over it!) Come on by and say "HI" and I'll see what I can do to get you soaked!

tom_ashwell@yahoo.com

I've been out at fest since '02, in the form of, depending upon circumstance, a gypsy, a wood sprite, a human bocce ball, a getting-better corpse, or anything else that might have amused me at the time. My true, if unofficial home, will always be Irish cottage--or the tree outside, being the dryad that I am in spirit. You're most likely to see me perched on branch or a windowsill, or wandering the grounds in search of wee children who have the look of faerie about them.

phoenix_stardancer@yahoo.com

I started attending the MRF several years ago but only recently as a playtron. I also attended the Briston Ren Faire for the first time this year. You will most likely see me as a piratess or wench. Being a professional career counselor by day, this adds a new realm of possibilities for "what do I want to be when I grow up?" I hope I can visit other festivals around the country when I'm not riding my cycle!
[submitted 12/7/2004]

cspaeth@spacestar.net