North Carolina Renn Fest, 1st weekend report

Darrell's home safely from the first weekend at the North Carolina Renaissance Festival. We've got a great spot, just inside the front gate. The booth is up & full of lots of pottery & leather as well.
D. reports that Saturday was nearly perfect weather wise. Actually, he told me that the weather was too nice, if that's even possible! He's gotta stop with the crack smoking!
Anyway, according to D. Sunday was a disappointment both in terms of attendance and weather.
So, good citizens of Raleigh NC, what's up with that?!
You have two more weekends to check out the Renn Fest in your midst, so put on your Faire clothes & come out to play! It's a fantastic site full of friendly folks and wonderful crafts-- one might even say it's worth of a road trip (she types in her best come hither voice)(it's surprisingly difficult to type while batting one's eyelids!)
And don't forget to bring some Dancing Pig Pottery home with you as a souvenir of your day at the Festival!
See you at Faire (on the last weekend, at least)

Gulf Wars prostelisization paraphernalia, err, i mean, report.

This was the 2nd time Dancing Pig had been to Gulf Wars and the first time i've been.
After D. & Rob went last year, D. came home & told me it was better than Pennsic.
I was all: "blasphemer! How dare you say such a thing?"

Well, after going down to check it out for myself i'm here to testify.
Much, much more fun than Pennsic.
Less money. More fun.
Aside from the less money part it was all the things i love about Pennsic & none of the things i don't. And Gulf Wars has better weather & amazing croissants fresh from the bakery every morning!



So, you have to come down & try it out. At least once.
Yes, it is that cool.
As further incentive, here's a picture of all the folks who camp or hang out in the bog--Proof that you do know folks who go to Gulf Wars.


And if you come, i promise you'll make lots more friends.
Here we are with some new "feels like i've known them forever already" pals.


You too can hang out with great people and make new friends. All you need to do is come down to Gulf Wars next year.
See ya there!

We're home from Gulf Wars
but not for long!

Since we didn't sell as much pottery or leather as we'd hoped to (& really, i'm not sure i'll ever manage to do that) we're still in the throes of our extra-special-before-the-spring-season-gets-started-broke money drought.

So, on the "it never hurts to ask" school of thought, we called up the friendly folks at the North Carolina Renaissance festival this Monday & asked if they could squeeze us in somewhere.

Guess what. Yep. They're happy to have us!

So, Dancing Pig is hitting the road AGAIN. TOMORROW!

That's right! We'll be driving south tomorrow, heading for Raleigh, NC and the three weekend long North Carolina Renaissance Festival.
The show is going on at the Heritage Village section of the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh, NC for the next 3 weekends.
The hours are a bit tricksky (meaning they change about a bit) so check out their website for details, but it's opening this weekend: Saturday March 31 & Sunday April 1.
Then there's a special Friday at the Faire: Friday April 6.
Usual hours on Saturday April 7 & then we're open Easter Sunday at 2pm. *admission on Easter Sunday is half price, since it's only open half as long.
Closing weekend things get back to normal: Saturday April 14 & Sunday April 15.
So get your taxes done early then come spend the refund on pottery!

It's a wonderful show, full of friendly folks. You should go check it out if you can.
And if you go, you are of course, required to buy some pottery. FROM US!

Hope to see you in Raleigh this weekend!
love from a frantically packing Va

On the road again....
Greetings from beautiful Meridian, Mississippi!
(which is really a neon lit spot off the interstate &/or a welcome break from all the scrub pine & billboards)
I'm posting from the spacious Super 8 motel just off I-59. We're 700+ miles into our 888 mile trek from still wintry WVa to beautiful springlike Lumberton MS. We're on our way to Gulf Wars, an SCA event down here on the gulf coast of Mississippi.
It's been a long & slightly surreal journey so far. We left my valley in WVa before sunrise this morning. It was 25 degrees outside, the stars were amazing in the crisp cold & silent night. After driving for 13 hours, we're going to sleep in Mississippi in a hotel off the interstate where the spring peepers (tree frogs) are loud enough to be heard over the traffic and the air conditioner! It was 74 degrees at 7:30 at night! The dogwood & pear trees are in full flower & the daffodils are past their peak! (those same daffodils are barely peeking out of the ground back home). This is a welcome change indeed. I highly recommend "driving south" to find the spring if you too are frustrated with waiting for spring to come to you!
We've taken our last "real" shower & are enjoying our last sleep in "real" beds before commencing our week long camping trip tomorrow at noon (that's when set-up officially commences). We're planning on selling lots of pots & seeing lots of old friends & making lots of new ones! I plan to post more later, with pictures even. Till then, enjoy whatever signs of spring you can find wherever you are. And seriously, think about that drive. & if you do succumb to temptation, you have to play the John Hiatt song "Drive South" as you go!
Blessings from the road weary potter
~Virginia

Finally, a more or less updated calendar. with links even!
Here's where we'll be when for the next few months:

March 11 through March 18

Gulf Wars Kings Arrow Ranch Lumberton MS

We're going back to Gulf Wars for a 2nd year. And Darrell had such a good time that he's making me go with him this time around. We're gonna take lots of pots and we'll have lots of leathergoods and amber necklaces with us as well. So y'all be sure to come out to the event that everyone i know who's been to describes as "more fun than Pennsic". Please note: this is a SCA camping event. You must be in garb to be on site and you have to pay for the duration of the event regardless of how long you stay on site.

April 20, 21 & 22 Friday, Saturday & Sunday 10 til 5 each day

Countryside Artisans Studio Tour
Art of Fire World Headquarters Laytonsville, MD

Once again, we're back for the studio tour at Art of Fire. Sadly, Tuatha won't be here this time, though we will have a whole box of new Tinsmith CDs (everyone needs at least one copy of this awesome disc!) with us & we know we'll have lots of pots fresh from the kiln! We should have the new "crow" line up and running by now, so come on by and see what's new! Enjoy a spring drive in the country & get some great pottery, glass & Celtic music. What more could you ask for?!

April 26 through 29 we'll be onsite & have the booth open
from 10 til 6 Friday & Saturday, only open til 3 on Sunday afternoon.

Blackstone Raids Cedars Lakes Conference Center Ripley WV

This was our first event in West Virginia- our recently adopted home state! We had a great time! The site is great, the folks are friendly & the event even lets you bring your dogs out to play! What's not to like?!? Come out to fight, shop & party! We'll see you there! please note: this is an SCA event, and while they'll let you on site in mundane clothing, you'll probably feel more comfortable if you are in 'garb'. So, dress up and come play! Come explore the current middle ages & our corner of WVa! (this event is practically in our new backyard- only an hour from our new homestead) note to friends: contact us now for reservations to stay here at Hearth Hill with us. We offer bed, breakfast & hot showers & we won't make you work the booth (much)

Saturday April 28

Southern Maryland Celtic Festival St. Leonard MD

A great festival in a beautiful location. Come out & enjoy spring & all things Celtic in Southern Maryland. Note: we're not guaranteeing an actual appearance by Darrell or me. Last year we suckered/ err, persuaded our friend Rob into running the booth for us. Thus, Dancing Pig's presence at this show is subject to Rob's schedule! Will post more when we know what's up.

May 4-6 noon til 7 Friday, 10 til 6 Saturday & Sunday Rain or Shine

Pennsylvania Fairie Festival at Spoutwood Farm Glen Rock PA

Whooot! We had a great time last year- our first time at this 'Grandmother of Fairie Festivals'!!! Wonderful location, fantastic folks, great happy earth energy! We'll be back next year, assuming we're accepted!
update: yaaaay! We're in! We'll be there, with our new dogs in tow. Come out to play with the fairies & dogs!

Saturday May 12 10 til 6 Rain or Shine

Frederick Celtic Festival Urbana MD

This is a spirited & growing festival. The folks who run it are great and it is smack dab in the middle of my old stomping grounds- Come out and play at one of the most friendly festivals I know of! We'll be there unless we are somewhere else! (sort of like our shop hours- 'Open, unless we're closed')
update: our friends Rob & Sherry will probably be running this show for us while we hunker down at home & make stock. So come on out for lots of pots & a good chance for quality time with baby Luke! (pictured on the right w/ his Dad aka Rob at Pennsic last year---->)

May 19 & 20 Saturday & Sunday

Maryland Faerie Festival Upper Marlboro MD 10 til 6 Rain or Shine

This is rapidly becoming one of my favorite shows! My first Faerie Festival and still my favorite! It is soooo fun & genuinely magical. Bring your kids & your inner child & come out to revel in a beautiful site filled with (quoting their site) "love, cooperation, peace, harmony, and respect for all beings, along with a pinch of mischief!" You have to check this show out! I'm threatening to make my niece & nephew fly out from Colorado to experience this- that's how much i love this show!



May 25 thru 28

Balticon at Marriott's Hunt Valley Inn, Baltimore, MD

We're coming back for a 2nd year. This is a four day, 24-hours-a-day Extravaganza! though the Dealer's Room isn't that brutal. Still, we'll be there peddling pottery, leather & amber necklaces. Come on by & say hello!



Saturday & Sunday May 26 & 27

Westminster Renaissance Festival
Carrol County Farm Museum Westminster MD

a new show that we're thinking of trying if we can figure out how to split stock & be in two places at once. Updates as we figure this one out.



Saturday & Sunday June 2 & 3

Hampton Blackbeard Festival

the link is to the site for last years show so these dates are a best guess. I've promised D. that we'll try this show again (he's the pirate guy, not me!) It was fun when we went three years ago, but the sales just weren't there. So come on out and support us so we can dress up like scurvy dogs & terrorize the tourists together!



Saturday June 9

Potomac Celtic Festival Leesburg, VA

Like a phoenix from the ashes, this festival is attempting to resurrect itself after suffering a series of financial setbacks. I've been to & loved this show every year since it started, so Dancing Pig will be back. This promises to be a smaller & more intimate show, but still full of amazing Celtic spirit. So come on out & enjoy what still promises to be the Best. Celtic. Festival. Ever.



June 9 & 10

Western Pennslyvania Fairie Festival
Cooper's Lake Slippery Rock PA

A magical weekend full of music, dancing, fairies, elves, pixies, sprites & perhaps a friendly goblin or two. This is the 2nd year for this growing event, it's in a great location & the coordinators are enthusatstic, so if we can work out how to be in two places at once, we're coming here to play & sell our pots. Come play with us!



June 22-24

Celtic Fling and Highland Games Cornwall PA

Plaid wrapped fun for the whole family! Last year we were here sharing a booth with our pals from Foolish Oak Designs. This year we'll be there, though the Foolish Oak folks haven't committed one way or the other yet. It's a big event, so plan on doing some serious shopping! We'll see y'all there!
update: yes on Foolish Oak foolishness! So we'll be there under their name!



Saturday July 14

Adams County Irish Festival Gettysburg PA

The date is an educated guess. Will update when we know more. We shared a booth with our pals from Foolish Oak Designs last year and made out like bandits. So we'll be back! You should come too- great Trad music at this show! Sounds like fun! You should come check it out with us!

July 28 thru August 11

Pennsic War 36
Cooper's Lake Campground Slippery Rock PA

We had a good War last year, though i think we sold too many pots! (is that even possible?) Anyway, we're planning on coming back for my 23rd consecutive War (relax, i've only been selling pots there for 16 or so of those) (and yes, thank you, i know i don't look that old!) What was i talking about? Oh yeah, Pennsic. We'll be there, as will my pals Alasdair and Minna of Foolish Oak Designs and Ambrosia Farms respectively with their wonderful leather and mead kits. And pottery. Hopefully enough this time! ***Please note- this is a participant only camping event! You must be in garb to be on site & you must pay for the entire week, regardless of how long you stay***



August 25 thru October 21 Weekends and Labor Day Monday 10am to 7 pm each day

Maryland Renaissance Festival Crownsville MD

It will be our 9th season at Maryland & we're still having a great time! Come on out to play in the woods. There's great pottery, wenches in bodices, men in tights, turkey legs, beer, cider, improv & oh yeah, great pottery! We're still in our wonderful space, third booth in on the right from the front gate. So be sure to stop in early and often for lots of-- say it with me-- great pots!



Phew! So, that's it for now. Maybe i should have titled this post "a modest proposal"
I'm getting worn out just thinking about all this. What am i doing here typing?! I gotta go make me some more pots!
See ya soon!