Happily enough, the living history group did most of the work before I got there. My friend who introduced me to them (it was based out of his high school) majored in history with a specialty in Medieval Studies; we met in college. Actually I also grew up going to Ren Faires as a kid, with my parents, but until I met these folks in college I probably hadn't been for ten years.

The group mostly works faires by running a version of "Highlander Games" for small children- which is a lot of fun to watch- and then teaching some of the simpler skills to the adults who don't look like they're going to injure themselves or others. My job is to hang out and be a fan- shouting Huzzahs, joking with the group, encouraging mundanes to participate. I don't get in for free, but it gives me somewhere to go when I want to sit down and people to have lunch with.