Sweltered, this one was the best fair, renaissance or otherwise, that I have ever been to, and I've been all over the country. But I'd say the draw might be that it is a cross between halloween, imagination, people, getting a little insight into how people entertained themselves 500 years ago, music, performances, a beautiful setting in tall pines, being able to buy some very cool things, the fact you can get in for $34 for the whole weekend (how cheap is that) and the fact that you are part of a crowd of 32,000 people (Saturday's attendance) and never feeling crowded in very, very pleasant weather. The one in Houston has been going on for 30 years, so it is a permanent village.
It is fun dressing up, and half the crowd has cleavage, whether they are dressed up or not