Volunteer coordinating is a tough gig, as it turns out.

Between August and September, derby had my hands tied. I reffed six games, and I had to help wrangle volunteers to fill a month-long coaching rotation, a juniors expo game, and a regular game. We practice twice a week for a total of six hours a week, and I coached all but two nights. October is looking negligibly better.

After all that, I needed a real break, something more than celebratory drinks and dancing at the afterparty (or, in my case, a celebratory feast of mac and cheese bites and dino nuggets). So the day after our last game, I ran away to the ren faire.

(Yes, I know, I spend my free time playing D&D and going to ren faires. I like pretending I'm someone way more interesting than I actually am, OK?)

My first trip to the Connecticut Renaissance Faire was a few years ago when it was in North Haven. I went with a few friends I had met through role-playing games, donning a felt cape my gramma made and a wooden sword from a previous boyfriend. I love watching all the demos, listening to the music, and admiring the costumes and shiny stuff and fake accents, as though nothing matters beyond the overwhelming cheer these events foster.

The one downside to it: there's only so much that great outfits and jousting can do to distract from the fairgrounds being right next to a four-lane thoroughfare. Oh well.

More recently, they moved it to the Lebanon Country Fairgrounds, and I fully support the move. It's a lot closer to my house and easier to get to, but it's secluded, so you have some time to detox from the rest of society. The whole ride up, and also while you're there, you're surrounded by trees and other greenery. It's just a much better atmosphere.

Last year, I went with a friend from high school who had also joined derby, and we went for the Queen's Knight "after hours" adults-only program. We got there a little too late to see the demos or shop, but I still got to admire the costumes and some of the shiny stuff of the regular faire, and then we enjoyed crass jokes and songs with kettle corn.

In previous years, I hadn't brought much money with me, and in retrospect, that was probably a good decision. But this time, I had just gotten some money from petsitting, and after the scoreboard meltdown the night before, I really wanted some of those shiny things.

Also on my list was the Hitting and Stabbing Emporium, which is where they do lessons for archery and various projectile weaponry. I had taken archery lessons previously, but for some reason my accuracy and form were nowhere to be found. Instead I ended up doing a lot better at axe throwing – I suppose my built-up stress wanted to throw things, not shoot them – and I took fourth place out of 12 or so in that day's contest, beating a herd of Coasties who joined.

My haul this year was a sticker from the HSE, a pendant, a bunch of soap (I have a soft spot for homemade soap), lunch, a ticket for "excessive jubilation" and failure to stop at a stop sign on the ground, and a plaid top I can wear next time I go. Unfortunately, the top came with a surprise caterpillar, so I also got contact dermatitis. The price I pay for trees at the ren faire, I suppose.

The Connecticut Renaissance Faire runs 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 14 at the Lebanon Country Fairgrounds. For more information, visit ctfaire.com.

Amanda Hutchinson is the assistant community editor for the Times.