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Logan Jimenez runs through a crowd with bubbles at Scarborough\u2019s Hollow on Oct. 3 in Waxahachie, Texas. Jimenez performs for Circus Pop! The Giant Bubble Show.<\/p>\n
Photo by James Ward<\/a><\/p>\n WAXAHACHIE, TEXAS \u2014 Pumpkins and bales of hay sat under fairy lights and damp trees. Performers stomped enthusiastically in murky puddles, chatting with every attendee who passed.<\/p>\n The air was misty, and the clouds were dark. Bagpipes and the pitter-patter of rain could be heard over the sound of attendees\u2019 talking.<\/p>\n Despite the rain and mud, Scarborough\u2019s Hollow, a fall version of the Scarborough Renaissance Festival, went on.\u00a0<\/p>\n At one wooden booth, folded pages and book origami were scattered for passing visitors to see. One book, Stephen King\u2019s \u201cIf It Bleeds,\u201d was cracked wide open to reveal crystallized black and red flowers with fake blood dripping down the sides.<\/p>\n Erin Jordan, owner of Honey\u2019s Book Garden, creates crystallized books and folded art. Her books include flowers in the middle that have also gone through the crystallization process.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re dipped in a solution, and the crystals are grown right on them, and then I let them dry for 24 to 48 hours,\u201d Jordan said.<\/p>\n Psychology senior Sam Alanis, left, public health alum Lynell Samreth, middle, and computer engineering senior Jack Yohn, right, wear gnome costumes at Scarborough\u2019s Hollow on Oct. 3 in Waxahachie, Texas. They wore ponchos to keep dry from the rain<\/p>\n Photo by James Ward<\/a><\/p>\n She rescues books from library sales, she said. Libraries often put out-of-circulation books on sale. After that sale, whatever books are left are thrown away. Once Jordan gets them, the books are turned into her art.<\/p>\n To protect the books from the rain, she said they offer customers plastic bags and cake boxes. They also let customers keep the books in their back room until the rain stops.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t get to put anything outside, but that\u2019s OK,\u201d Jordan said. \u201cFor the most part, we just have to be careful, see where it stays dry in here.\u201d<\/p>\n Along with her crystallized and folded books, Jordan sells blind dates with a book, wrapped mystery packages with books readers might not have read already.<\/p>\n The books she puts out are thoroughly researched, she said. She makes sure they have a review score of 3.5 or higher on\u00a0Goodreads and are by independent or lesser known authors.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not any popular author or any popular title because I don\u2019t want somebody to have already read it,\u201d Jordan said. \u201cIf you\u2019re going to do it, get something you haven\u2019t read before.\u201d<\/p>\n While business owners tried to adapt to the rainy day, performers used it to their advantage.<\/p>\n Matthew Legare, known as Tobias the Adequate on stage, some performed on a sheltered, canopy-like stage.<\/p>\n He is aware of how people might find his dedication to the performance and his costume absurd, he said. He uses that sentiment in his performances to make his audience have fun.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is the most meta music act you\u2019re going to see at a Renaissance festival because I have no shame about anything that I have to say here,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd when you play off the audience, then you have a different show each time because your audience is always going to be a little different.\u201d<\/p>\n Legare considers his performances comedy shows with music mixed in rather than traditional bard performances.<\/p>\n He was originally a magician at fairs and festivals like the Scarborough festival for about 20 years, he said. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, he was not able to interact with the crowd as much as he used to.<\/p>\n Wichita Falls, Texas, resident Dale McRae, 52, left, shoots an arrow while Arlington resident Lizabeth Williams, 30, watches at Scarborough\u2019s Hollow on Oct. 3 in Waxahachie, Texas. Attendees could participate in games to test their skills.\u00a0<\/p>\n Photo by Emmanuel Pizano<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cA friend of mine had made and given me a cigar box ukulele, and it\u2019s like, well, I can learn to do this, and so I learned how to play it, and I started writing songs,\u201d Legare said. \u201cI can\u2019t really stop.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re all kind of building, making something silly together and having some fun, getting outside of ourselves for a little bit,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Legare has performed in diverse spaces, including pubs,\u00a0Renaissance fairs and festivals.<\/p>\n Musician Matthew Legare performs on a stage at Scarborough\u2019s Hollow on Oct. 3 in Waxahachie, Texas. Legare used to be a magician at Renaissance fairs.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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