Interested in making your modern pop-up sun screen more medieval-looking? Randall Whitlock can help. His article, How To Disguise Your Portable Pavilion for Renaissance Faires and Medieval Events is available online.

From the article:

Modern is not the right look at the renfaire. With a little work, however, a pop-up can be made to resemble a proper medieval pavilion.

Open-sided pavilions were indeed used in the middle ages. A noble couldn't be expected to be exposed to the hot sun while enjoying a tournament or directing a battle. One type, called a "baldachinum" was a cloth stretched between four poles. These were seen in period art being carried by four servants over some dignitary's head in a procession.

What is it about pop-ups that makes them look too modern for us rennies? I see three condemning characteristics:

• Overly sharp or square lines
• Modern framing materials (especially shiny aluminum or steel)
• Synthetic fabric tops.

All of these are fairly easy to disguise.