THOSE BIG BEAR BREEZES: Honestly? A proper Renaissance-era gown doesn't require heavy velvet, or several layers of crinoline, nor a ruff of the stiffest lace to look especially fancy. Nor would a proper gentleman's vest from the era, and knickers, need to be woolen or thick. But those modern revelers looking to travel back to a wayback era for a few hours often choose a course of sartorial authenticity, and their clothing reflects their commitment to realism. This is all to say that the Big Bear Rennaisance Fair, which will frolic over every weekend in August 2017, should be a mite cooler than the lands below, which are distinctly not located high atop mountains. Thus pack your velvet dress, and your wool vest, with the understanding that while Big Bear isn't experiencing anything fall- or winterlike at the moment, you may find the temperatures a bit kinder to your costuming.
HUZZAH? Huzzah to that! And further huzzahing ahead: Every weekend, starting on Saturday, Aug. 5 and Sunday, Aug. 6, boasts a theme at the Fawnskin-based festival. Fairy Frolic is up first, followed by Pirate Take Over, Royal Purple Weekend (yes, best break out your best lavender- or grape-hued get-up), and Steampunk Weekend, which draws the festivities to a close on Aug. 26 and 27. A daily adult ticket is $25, and there are weekend and season passes, too. Prepare for rollicking and such, from acts like Imperial Knights, Joust Kidding, Gallows Humor, and several other troupes. Guilds? They'll be on the grounds. Vendors? They'll be purveying in corsets, oils, wearables, and more. Best ride your steed, if he's feeling a little hot these days, too, up, up, up the mountain for this four-weekend affair from another era, one that'll feel a touch cooler than the roasty afternoons down below.
