🥁 "Spirit Of Vincennes Rendezvous" 2023 ⛺ Part 1
The "Spirit Of Vincennes Rendezvous" has been taking place annually for 46 years, and contains 18th century battle re-enactments, a trade fair, and more.
$12 To Enter Rendezvous 🎟️
While I was back in the USA some friends of mine treated me to a trip to Rendezvous as it's known locally. I had only been to this festival once when I was a kid, and I barely remember it, and so hard to believe it's less than 50km from my hometown.
The Spirit Of Vincennes Rendezvous takes place every year on the Saturday and Sunday of Memorial Day weekend in late May. The area where I grew up contains a lot of pioneer era American history, and this festival is centered around the historic Battle of Vincennes, where George Rogers Clark defeated the British Henry Hamilton.
It's All About The Vendors ⛺
As a kid I can only remember the battle re-enactment and the raccoon skin hat that my parents bought me, but my return as an adult with different eyes made me realize this festival is all about the vendors. The overwhelming majority of the grounds were dedicated to both the food and merchandise vendors, and it was very clear why.......everything was fascinating.
Whether it be some iron kitchen cabinet door handles forged by an 18th century blacksmith or handmade bar soap, there are so many cool things for sale here, and believe it or not a handful of things were affordable. My friends purchased two water bird whistles for my daughters, and I think they have both already posted about these simple but amusing old school toys.
Leather & Canvas 💼
If you wanted to rebuild a new life from leather, canvas, and iron, this place would be a one-stop shop for all your needs. My former boss was here with a concession stand of her own, but I forgot to take pics. She was selling plates of homemade sourdough bread with apples and cheese, and made several thousand dollars during the two-day event.
A Sausage Trump Would Approve 🌭
There were some very 'Merican vendor names at this festival, and among them Patriot Sausage stood out to me. What's more American than pork products, patriotism, and patiently waiting in line 😂?
Iron For Sale 🧲
Unless you have a comically large magnet for Tom and Jerry style thievery, you'll likely have to pay for any of the iron items for sale here. Seeing this stuff kind of makes me wish I had been a blacksmith in this lifetime, well part-time blacksmith and paramedic if we're making this a fantasy scenario.
I am restricted to my 50kg luggage maximum weight limits on international flights, so anything iron from Rendezvous was going to be going back with me to Cambodia.
The iron soup ladles and spatulas really grabbed my attention, but the price tags made them easy buys to resist. We spent most of the afternoon here, and of course I did my best to take some slo-mo shots of the battle re-enactment footage, and it's really all too much for one post, so stay tuned for part 2 of this adventure folks.
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I can't tell what is the actual reasons for such event, perhaps a little googling can help to understand what is a Vincennes. As you have mentioned, it's all about vendors. I have no problem with that. As long as free cat park and not too darn far, I'd like to go.
My 3rd uncle was a modern blacksmith. He told us before, it's not a job for everyone. It doesn't pay enough, it's dangerously hot and it's loud. He loves fabrication, and that's why he's in that job til the day he died.
I don't actually know if Vincennes means anything, perhaps just a name, but I know it is of French origin. There was a famous battle here where the soon-to-be American army defeated UK loyalist troops, and some say this was the beginning of the end of colonial rule in the USA. I do know, Hamilton, the guy defeated in Vincennes, was captured, not killed, and eventually freed, becoming the head honcho of various Caribbean colonies.
Blacksmithing is so manly, sure it's not all fun, but it sure always looks cool in every movie I've ever seen.