Which certainly proved true when the excesses of Friday night finally caught up with me on Saturday morning. Oh, my achin' head!!! Although it was mighty tempting to fall back on the old "Hair of Dog" cure for a quick fix, several stout cups of coffee helped revive my interest in living, instead.

By 1pm I was back on the road to the Texas Renaissance Festival, arriving at the campground an hour or so later. It certainly doesn't hurt living close to TRF! To my (very pleasant) surprise, the place was PACKED. Guess there's nothing like a little rain to make the tents pop up like mushrooms (Photo, right). Of course, the weather had settled down nicely by then: slightly cool with a clearing overcast -- perfect Faire weather! So I quickly packed up my tent and remaining gear -- all of which had dried out thoroughly in the meantime -- then headed off to faire. After all, I did have an Opening Day ticket which would've been a crime to waste!!!

Naturally, there was quite a turnout for Opening Day, as the photo, left, shows. This view was taken across the parking lot, looking toward the Main Gate (the two towers in the center of this photo). Now Faire patron parking starts about where you see the buses, so all the vehicles you can see in the foreground are actually still in the campground area. That area was completely filled. At least for playtrons, Opening Day at TRF was a really big draw!!!

Following long-established tradition, my first purchase of the day was a hot Scotch egg with plenty of mustard. Sure, it's bad for my old heart -- but it warmed me up right nicely on this cool faire day and gave me a much-needed energy boost for a tour of TRF 2001. Which I definitely needed as there was much to see and do in the short time at my disposal...

My main objective this day was a visit to the new "Magick Garden". For the past two years at least, the Texas Renaissance Festival has introduced a new public garden -- Titania's Bower in '99 and Fons Florida Aeterna last year -- and 2001 is no exception. It is, however, a new direction for the faire.

The trend has always been toward Fantasy. There was a Faerie Court even on my first visit to TRF in '96, but the atmosphere and storyline were much more historical back then. Over the years, however, the Fantasy elements have grown to eventually merge with the Historic in 2001. Quite honestly, it's a blend I find both lively and entertaining!

This year's storyline runs as follows:
ACT 1: Newmarket village is abuzz with excitement as King Henry and Queen Catherine arrive to view their new garden (Photo, right), created by the Royal Architect of Landscapes, Samuel Hawthorne. The garden is so beautiful that it has cast a spell over all -- all except Cecily Shrift, Samuel's scheming and ambitious fiance. But, unbeknownst to mortal men, Maeb, Queen of the Fairies, has also arrived with one thought in mind -- to destroy the blasphemous human garden. Queen Maeb has hired the Goblin King, Trug, to do her dirty work in return for the hand in marriage of her daughter, Princess Merrygold, to Trug's son, Prince Cul DuSak. Trouble is, Merrygold secretly has her heart set on Samuel Hawthorne!

ACT 2:
The Goblins lament their inability to destroy the garden. Although they have been able to inflict some minor damage, it appears that the garden is under a powerful protection. Suddenly Samuel and Cecily arrive in the middle of a heated argument about Samuel's desire to postpone their wedding. When Cecily threatens Sam with ruin, Goblin Prince Cul sees in her the woman of his dreams. When Maeb discovers that her own faeries have been seen by mortal men frolicking with delight in the garden (Photo, left), she is overcome with grief and anger. Instructed by his father to grab the fairy princess and make a run for it, Cul instead nicks Cecily, leaving Princess Merrygold to reveal herself and her love for Sam.

ACT 3:
After touring their new magical garden, King Henry & Queen Catherine proceed to Sherwood Forest for a Royal Picnic. When he discovers that Goblins have been running amuck in the garden, King Henry, in revulsion, orders the gates shut forever. Rejoicing, Queen Maeb reveals herself to the royal couple and awards King Trug his payment -- the marriage of Princess Merrygold to Prince Cul. Enter Cul and Cecily (Photo, right), who have decided that they were meant for each other and Samuel and Merrygold, who reveal that the garden's beauty is not derived from mortal hands alone, but is an embodiment of mortal and fairy love. Join the happy couples as they picnic with the fairies in Sherwood Forest.

ACT 4:
When Cardinal Wolsey arrives to marry Samuel and Cecily, he is surprised to find that he will be officiating at two weddings. Surprise turns to shock when he discovers that he is marrying goblins and fairies! Shock turns to complete confusion as the goblins insert their own hilarious wedding traditions into the ceremony (Photo, left, the Cardinal looks on aghast as Prince Cul thoroughly busses his new bride -- and Princess!). But romance rules the day as Queen Maeb, Samuel, Princess Merrygold and all the Fairy Court arrive for a magical Fairy wedding, ending the day with Fairy Dance that all are invited to join.
(NOTE: all of the above text was copied from the official TRF Program Guide, available at the Main Gate for a small fee).

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