Ok so this is our SECOND year going. This year I was lucky enough to have my bestfriend since high school (no dates!) Shandai work with HER roommate Emily (who is AMAZING with a needle and thread I might add!) and outfit me in one of the most amazing costumes I have ever worn!! I found out after the fact that this outfit (minus the headpiece and chemise) was made in 1998 by Melinda Kimberly Layden. I have yet to meet her anywhere but on my Facebook post of the amazing dress but WOW that talent and she says she is currently even BETTER!! Now the snood was made by Shandai who also was sweet enough to lend me her undergarment hoops to keep the dress from baking me alive and the chemise was stitched up by Emily. Add in a bodice chiller that Shandai sells at the amazing shop called Lady Artisan (HERE), my parasol from last year (can’t remember shop name), a lovely borrowed paper fan (I am totally going online to source out another… the only one I came across at festival was plastic handled) and a basket I found in the boot room at home (covered in a piece of fabric from my mother in law’s amazing fabric stash!!) and I felt like I was back in time! I got compliments from people who WORKED there for goodness sake!!!! Do I ever feel special, I got compliments from a fairy!!!

I am absolutely in love with the snood! I can only make the crochet version!

Now after the outfit break down (of which I must admit I did cheat with modern yoga shorts underneath to avoid the inevitable rubbing of the heavy fabrics against legs) I must say we had an AMAZING time! Though the temperature DID reach like 35 Celsius and felt like 46!!! We managed 5 hours in the heat without mishap and enjoyed THREE shows…

We saw the Danger Committee (HERE) TWICE. First show of the morning and then back for their Ninja comedy show. I would have loved to stay for their fire show or the adult end of the day one but we just couldn’t quite stretch it.

Audience participation!

The Tortuga Twins (HERE) who are now THREE! This was THEIR first show of the day… their closest to PG honestly. We are DEFINITELY going to some of their later shows next year! They were HILARIOUSLY inappropriate!

Had deep fried cheese curds (Ken’s whole reason for going), shopped and wandered. Ken is absolutely going to have to get himself a new costume for next year (he has been thinking on the gypsy look or borrowing a kilt) as this year he again went in his Chris and Chris wedding finery. (minus the cape, we are crazy to be out in the heat but not THAT crazy!)

I totally wish I had gotten a picture of Emily out in her beautiful blue dress… she was with the dancers and we missed them multiple times. We also ran into Skot, a friend of Shandai’s and a coworker of Ken’s (no picture as well darn). It is rather amazing, knowing multiple people at these events!! I am dying to have a Canadian friend come down to enjoy it with us (hint hint).

With Shandai in the shop at the beginning of our amazing day! Doesn’t she look amazing!

We didn’t purchase much, though I would have loved a pair of fairy wings or a hat (started at over 100! Handmade and all!) but Ken finally got me my brass rose… we are going to try and get one each year we go (and an extra for last year when we didn’t budget for it). They scented it for me and everything. A rose that will last FOREVER!!!

We returned to one of our favourite displays… Mermaid Cove.

This is the best picture to see the beautiful colour in her tail!

This mermaid was giving out treasures to the children!

There was a new display… a Fairy Garden. So of course we had to go and take a picture of these normally elusive woodland creatures! They were resting, making bracelets, singing songs… it was cooler in their grove and absolutely beautiful!

We came across this bee right outside the Fairy Garden, a travelling musician suggested it was a fairy in disguise… what do you think? It looked so lovely and plump and fluffy, almost kind…

We even saw the amazingly beautiful Fairy Twig! She has her own website HERE (I plan on ordering a book for the girls for Christmas)…

I have so many more pictures be sure to check out the companion blog entry HERE. This is certainly Ken and my special time each year!!! I really appreciate that Ken’s folks were willing to watch the kids for us. We really don’t have much special just us stuff since we moved to Minnesota and this is pretty much our anniversary, Valentine’s Day and all our special memorable moment celebrations rolled up into one AMAZING day!

Ken thought it hilarious that this gentleman asked first if I worked there and THEN did his spiel asking me to move over so he could enjoy my shade 🙂

You can check out the Festival information yourself HERE. And my overflow pictures HERE.