• The Bristol Renaissance Faire

Groups/Characters:

• The Forgery 
• The Stage Manager

Years:     197? - 2008

Marc LuPescu.

I am SO grateful that the new owners of Marc's old shop made the drastic changes that they did. It no longer "feels" like Marc's shop - the whole intent has changed by opening it up so people can access the interior. Marc never wanted customers in the beginning, hence no entrance to the shop. All of his business was done pre-season in sword orders for performers, and that was just fine for him. After a time he came to enjoy working on the odd blacksmith item he was requested to make, and once Tommy started working with him he embraced more of the trade. It was so amusing to us that we built his shop with the intention of him being there for no more than five years, principally to socialize and maybe to meet someone sweet. That time snowballed into nineteen years of cooking over the forge fire, gatherings over Sheep Dip, shared music at the Celtic Knot Forge (his friends and neighbors from around the corner, long since gone), late night conversations, laughter, fleeing from mosquitos, nights at the Pig, growing the shop in detail if not size (mostly in the "green room" area), good nights to sleep and fresh and happy mornings. 

I suspect Marc knew something significant was on the horizon for him when he decided to sell the shop and completely retire from the show. He cited that so many people that he'd worked with over the years had moved on it was time for him to move on, too. We didn't know how far he was planning on moving on, of course. 

Marc may never have found romance but he did manage to touch the lives of nearly a generation of people with so many of the things he did. Good lord, the faire management named an award after him: The Marc Lupescu Faire Spirit Award. SO fitting. I have never had a friend as driven, as talented and as fun as Marc. It is SO hard to grasp, after 35 years [of friendship], that he is gone.

Dean Calin
14 Jul 2009