The boutique Cliché takes fashion off the catwalk and onto the street -- literally, to the corner of 24th Street and Lyndale Avenue S. Be among the first to see new fall fashions from Cliché favorite Jenny Carle, who uses vintage fabrics and girly-sweet designs, and Sarah M. Holm, who injects a dark twist into "Mad Men" silhouettes. Newcomer Rachel Blomgren made her debut at Voltage this year with a collection of folk-meets-punk knits and gauzy separates.

If the State Fair is the popular high school cheerleader, the Renaissance Festival is its sneering Dungeons & Dragons-obsessed little brother. Whether you don authentic chain mail, corsetry, man-tights or leather boots with pride, or simply enjoy gnawing on a turkey leg the size of your head while watching men joust, there's something for everyone here. Among the must-see acts are the long-running comedy duo Puke and Snot, which has continued since the original Snot's passing in 2008; the Tortuga Twins, a trio (yes, there are three of them) of R-rated, fairy tale-twisting loose cannons, and the amazing Tuey, who juggles with fire sticks while walking across a blazing tightrope. Grab a huge pickle from the flirty pickle boys (only $1!), try your hand at paper-making and watch glass-blowers work their magic. The food is good, too: Try the spinach pie and Scotch eggs, plus plenty of traditional German, Italian and Greek foods, and sip on some mead (that's fermented honey).