Friendly! Playful!! Downhome renfaire hospitality!!! Muskogee 2003 had everything I look for in a renaissance festival -- and then some!!! From the first moment I hit the Main Gate on Saturday morning (Photo, Above: the Main Gate was an impressive bit of architecture in itself) right up to the time I returned home on Sunday afternoon, I felt most welcome and accepted there: like a second homecoming, in fact. My experience wasn't unique, either (Photo, Right: King Henry VIII -- AKA John W. Auld -- welcomes a patron lady to the Oklahoma Renaissance Festival with a right royal kiss to the hand). King Henry wasn't the only active member of the ORF cast, either. It seemed the entire Royal Court was constantly strolling around the grounds all weekend long, meeting and greeting faire patrons -- that is, when they weren't parading through ALL the lanes and byways of Muskogee in the afternoon (Photo, Left: King Henry, Right, escorts his sister, Queen Margaret of Scotland AKA Lisa Pronovost, Center, during the Royal Procession at ORF. Although Muskogee is a small faire, there was nothing small about their Noon Parade! ALL the Royal Court turned out for the Procession, with many of the entertainers, street players and quite a few merchants represented among the marchers. Nor was the Parade over quickly, for the entire procession did not merely march straight from the Main Gate to The Castle but wound -- serpentine! -- up, down, around and through EVERY road and pathway between!!!). Everywhere else I turned, I found other Muskogee players engaging visitors in conversation and encouraging them to join the players in all their various street gigs, stage shows and improv entertainments. Instrooth, I quickly came to think of Muskogee as the "Louisiana Renaissance Festival, North", for both faires share those qualities of friendliness, playfulness and genuine hospitality which I do treasure in a renaissance festival! Truth be told, LRF and Muskogee are so much alike in that regard that they could really be "sister" faires, although certes! Muskogee would be the elder, having a much more developed festival site (Photo, Below: not to mention The Castle itself. What is even more spectacular is the fact that both the Main Gate and The Castle are actually contructed out of CINDERBLOCK! What appears to be blocks of hewn stones in these photos is, in reality, a marvelous paint job -- but you can't really tell until you walk right up to the walls themselves and trace the joinings of the blocks, yourself first!!!).

Among those ORF players making my first visit to Muskogee most memorable were the ladies of "The Scarlett Pillow" (Photo, Right: hanging out on a balcony overlooking the street, the ladies waved to and greeted all the passersby both well and warmly) -- and one in particular, who went by the name of "Honey" AKA Michelle Kobriger (far right in photo, above). Like all the players at Muskogee, she was both friendly and outgoing, not only inviting me to join in their dancing but also willing to spend a few moments in conversation, singing the praises of ORF. It was a real pleasure making her acquaintance that weekend! Still, the "Louisiana Renaissance Festival" connection at Muskogee was quite strong that day: to my happy surprise, I unexpectedly encountered my friends from LRF, the Lady Katheryne; her husband, Lord Andy; and their two lovely children (Photo, Left) who had flown in from Louisiana just to spend the weekend at the ORF! Quite honestly, I had not expected to see them again until the Fall, so meeting the family there at Muskogee was both a pleasant surprise and a great pleasure for me. After all, any faire is more fun when you share it with friends! So we all hung out together throughout that weekend, enjoying the many acts and entertainments Muskogee had to offer -- including the evening Pub Sing, which was actually held in a large white-and-red circus-style tent in front of The Castle (Photo, Below: Brian of "Scotland Rising" (left), Bruce of "Bruce the Bruce" (center) and one of the members of "The Bedlam Bards" (right) jam together at the evening Pub Sing. There, all the musicians and players pooled their many talents together to send all the visitors to Muskogee home with a rousing faire finale of song and dance!).

COSTUMES and CHARACTERS at the Oklahoma Renaissance Festival 2003 -- 35 views of wond'rous garb and interesting characters at The Castle at Muskogee.

Standard Disclaimer: This webpage is strictly an *Unofficial* look at the Oklahoma Renaissance Festival held in Muskogee, OK. The author of these pages is in no way, shape, manner or form connected with the Oklahoma Renaissance Festival (3400 Fern Mountain Road, Muskogee OK 74401 :: 918-687-3625 :: 800-439-0658), the Castle at Muskogee and/or any of the sponsors associated with this event. All opinions expressed are strictly this author's own. Unless noted otherwise, all photographs are copyright ©2000-2004 by George Laking.