🦊 Festival Life: One Last Festival, Cotton Candy Skies & a Final Campfire 🌅🔥

After the stressful day we had getting back on the road, we finally arrived at our campsite late Friday night. By then, we were pretty much ready to crawl into bed and call it a day!

After getting some much-needed sleep, we woke up, got ready, and headed out for a day of fun at the Ohio Renaissance Festival.

And for once, we weren’t dressing up in our usual festival garb!

We went in our regular clothes, just being what some of our Renfolk friends affectionately call “normies.” 😂 No elaborate costumes, no getting all dolled up, just us enjoying the festival as ourselves.

And let me tell you, this place is HUGE!

I’m not even sure how many shops and vendors there were, but there had to be hundreds. The festival grounds were spread out, with so much to see that I honestly think we’d need at least two days to explore every inch of the place properly.

Guess we’ll just have to keep that in mind for next time!

Bug had a pretty special little milestone, too. He got his very first tin mug from the band Pirates Creed! 🍻 Well, technically, his mug is for him to enjoy as he grows, but you know what I mean. 😂

Then a lovely lady decided that his new mug needed its very own charm. She tied a teeny-tiny key onto it, and Bug seemed pretty happy with his new treasure.

It’s the little things like that which make festival life so special. Between the music, the makers, and the people we meet along the way, there’s always something memorable to bring home.

Speaking of music, we got to see three fantastic bands: Pirates Creed, Hexxen, and Damh & Dove. We love these bands and the people behind them, so getting to enjoy their performances was a wonderful way to spend the day.

Naturally, we also did a little shopping.

Okay… maybe more than a little. 🤣

We spent more than we’d originally planned, but we picked up things that we probably wouldn’t find at other festivals, so I’m calling that a win!

And one of my favorite purchases was something I’ve wanted for YEARS.

My first corset from Damsel in this Dress! 🖤

I’ve followed the brand for a few years, so I was absolutely thrilled to discover they had a shop space at the festival. The business is based in Utah, and the pieces are handmade in the USA by the lovely Michelle.

As someone who enjoys sewing and making things, I appreciate the work that goes into creating beautiful pieces like these. I may be able to sew, but I’m perfectly happy leaving corset-making to the professionals for now! 😂

Maybe one day I’ll get around to making my own, but until then, I’m excited to support a USA-based business and slowly build up my costume collection with more pieces from the brand.

After all, a good costume is a work in progress, right?

As the day came to an end, we headed back toward the campsite, and Mother Nature decided to give us one more beautiful sight.

The sunset was absolutely gorgeous, with colors that reminded me of those cotton candy sunsets in Colorado. I’d really missed seeing those during our travels, so it was wonderful to catch one again.

Once we got back to camp, we decided there was only one proper way to spend our final night of the season…

One last campfire. 🔥

We put on our new cloaks, grabbed our new mugs filled with mead, and settled in beside the fire. The evening was peaceful, the stars were out, and for a little while, there was nowhere else we needed to be.

Of course, I took the opportunity to admire the night sky and snap a few pictures. Anyone who knows me knows I can’t resist a beautiful sky, especially when the stars are shining bright!

After months of traveling, festival weekends, long drives, unexpected detours, and more adventures than I can count, that quiet evening felt like the perfect way to close out the season.

This morning, we slept in a little, made some coffee, and started packing everything up for the journey home.

And honestly?

After three months on the road, I am SO READY TO BE HOME! 😂🧡

I’ve loved this adventure. We’ve seen incredible places, met wonderful people, watched Bug grow and reach new milestones, and made memories that we’ll be talking about for years.

But I’m also ready for my own kitchen, my chickens, my own space, and the simple pleasure of not having to plan our next departure.

The camper will get a well-deserved rest, we’ll have time to recharge, and I’ll be able to look back through all the photos and stories we’ve collected along the way.

And next year?

We’ll do it all over again.

Maybe with a few more costume pieces, a few more festival adventures, and hopefully fewer surprise tire repairs. 🤣

For now, we’re packing up the last of our things and pointing ourselves toward home. Three months of chasing miles, music, sunsets, and memories are coming to a close, but this is far from the end of the story.

Thank you to everyone who’s followed along, supported us, shared in our adventures, and helped make this season so memorable.

The road trip may be ending, but the stories are still coming.

Until the next mile, keep the fire lit and the road calling. 🧡🦊