Renaissance Employee Engagement
When it comes to DMC's culture, first we Hire Smart People, but then we also have an activity fund budget that allows all of these smart people plan events for us to have fun together. Summers in Chicago are always full of exciting events. From Wrigleyville Rooftop Cubs Games to cruising on the Chicago River and Lake Michigan. This summer we added a new event to our repertoire. The Bristol Renaissance Faire!
The Invite
When it comes to planning a DMC Activity Fund Event, we do our best to add as much character as possible. It became a new DMC tradition to make sure the invites are true to theme. When it came to the decree that DMC was going to the Renaissance Faire, the invite was a must to follow suit.
Good morrow fine folk of DMC,
Your presence has been requested at the Bristol Renaissance Faire. If thou art so inclined to partake in this event, thou shalt be transported back in time to when knights nobly jousted for the honor and glory. Where Cobblers and Blacksmiths peddle their wares in the village squares. And where strolling with a turkey leg in hand is no strange occurrence.
I tell ye truth, tis not an event to be missed.
Doth thou wish to get on a caravan (bus) with DMCers and join in the merriment??
Prithee use the voting buttons if you’d like to partake.
[Renaissance Email Invite]
[Renaissance Email Signature]
The Preparation
When it was decided that we would be partaking in Renaissance merriment, it was obvious that we needed to do proper preparation for the event. First step was to make sure everyone was familiar with what going to a Renaissance Faire would be like. We called a happy hour to make sure we were properly educated. We watched some videos and made sure to pull up the map of the Faire. It was essential to look over the show schedule noting which shows were not to be missed. It was decided which shows were going to watch as a group and where good photo opportunities were.
The next step was to make sure we had proper attire. After doing some pinterest research and storyboarding our characters, we headed to the thrift store. It was a mad dash to find the perfect items before the store closed, but because of our prep work, everyone knew exactly what they were looking for so we made full outfits in 45 minutes.
[The Preparation]
The Transport
Our chariot arrived at the office around 9am. After our stomachs were full with the morning bagels and coffee, we boarded the caravan. Everyone was dressed in their medieval garb and anticipation of the day's excitement. We took roll call with a "Huzzah" from each participant to we had brief vocab lesson to ensure we spoke the properly throughout the day. The Bristol Renaissance Faire is only a short carriage ride from the office. No road trip would be complete without a soundtrack. In our extensive renaissance research, a wonderful minstrel was brought to our attention. Bardcore or Tavernwave is a musical genre that became popular in 2020, consisting of medieval-inspired remakes of popular songs. Our ride was serenaded with the melodies of Candy Shop
The Celebration
My favorite event from this past summer was coordinating a bus trip to the Bristol Renaissance Faire. Yes, we could have just drove there and had a wonderful time, but I wanted everyone to get the full Renaissance experience and to feel like they were really a part of the fantasy world. To introduce the group to the world of imagination, we had happy hours to study renaissance faire customs and prepare ourselves to become fully emersed. We storyboarded characters then thrifted to craft the perfect outfits. We even found an amazing soundtrack for the ride there (look up "Bardcore Bad Romance." You will not be disappointed). By the time we climbed onto the bus, everyone was dressed in medieval garb, ready to jam out to some lute and harpsichord music on the way to become part of the world of a Renaissance Faire.
