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Please pick Bristol for the next Rendezvous

Started by Lady Renee Buchanan, August 20, 2011, 08:52:12 AM

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Lady Renee Buchanan

The faire is in a beautiful, shady venue.  It is small enough to be navigatable, but large enough that you won't see everything in 1 day and you can't wait to get back the next day.

The noble glade is where Queen Elizabeth's Court is located (though they travel the kingdom throughout the day).  This is a truly historically accurate court, something not a lot of other faires that we have attended have.

The village of Bristol has permanent structures.  Did I mention flushable privvies?  A lot!

More choices for food than I can begin to list here.

The entertainment is first rate.  The big names in juggling, comedy, musical acts, the joust, and I'm probably forgetting lots more.

The market place is filled with artisans.  Yes, people who spend the year making what they are selling, not stuff bought elsewhere to bring in and fill up a booth.  The workmanship is exquisite, and there are many, many one of a kind pieces.

Our Friends of Faire has a weekend guest membership of $5 - that's for both days.  And they provide a shady spot with benches to relax, as well as unlimited gatorade and water.  And entertainers stroll in and out and give an impromptu show, singing a couple of songs just for garden occupants.

On a practical level, Bristol in Kenosha, WI is served either from Milwaukee or Chicago airports, for those who would fly in.  This is a large tourist area, so there are many things to do besides visit the faire, if you want to come a few days early.  About 20 minutes from the 6 Flags Amusement Park.  Locally, there is a jelly belly factory tour.  It really isn't that good, but they give a great goody bag, and in their shop at the end of the tour, you can go nuts in jelly bean heaven.  If you are a shopaholic, Kenosha is surrounded by a multitude of outlet malls.  There is even a restaurant in Kenosha that is run by a rennie. 

And another reason for the Rendezvous at Bristol next year?  I am planning a huge M'Crack gathering in July at Bristol.  There are tons of hotels.  The M'Crack cruise directors are getting quotes for discount rates from different hotels.  I have things in place for a Meet & Greet at a wonderful bar that will have either a DJ or Karaoke.  The dinner on Saturday night is already set up.  In Tennessee, the M'Crack gathering and the Rendezvous were the same weekend, so all events were open to everyone, as they will be at Bristol - M'Cracks (so many of whom are members of this forum) and RF members.  So the groundwork is in place for a big gathering that we have the potential to turn into a huge gathering!   

P.S.  Did I mention flushable privies?    ;D
A real Surf Diva
Landshark who loves water
Chieftesse Surf'n Penny of Clan O'Siodhachain,
Irish Penny Brigade
Giver of Big Hugs 
Member since the beginning of RF
All will be well. St. Julian of Norwich

Grouser

#1
Any idea what the camping options are there?

Edit: A quick Google search turns up Happy Acres Kampground a mere 13 miles (23 minutes) away, Chain O'Lakes State Park campground at 17 miles (35 minutes) away (alcohol prohibited, for those that care about such things) and the nearest KOA is Chicago NW at approximately 50 miles (about an hour and a half) away.

LadyFae

I would absolutely LOVE to visit Bristol Faire! July would be a good time to visit, too! :D
Amanda  =D

"Do not call for your mother.  Who is it that you think let the demons in to eat you up?"

Lady Renee Buchanan

Sorry, I am not a camper, so I forgot to add that in.  The Cruise Directors have found a couple of campgrounds that are nearby.  I can't remember the names of most of them.  The only one I remember is the Bong campground.  Because Goodwin Anicet and wildthingjew, both forum members and friends of mine, have stayed there.

But if it is picked, campgrounds will surely be on the accommodations list.  Because there are some, I just am not familiar with them.
A real Surf Diva
Landshark who loves water
Chieftesse Surf'n Penny of Clan O'Siodhachain,
Irish Penny Brigade
Giver of Big Hugs 
Member since the beginning of RF
All will be well. St. Julian of Norwich

Hector

What a great suggestion Renee -- and not just because Bristol is about to become my home Faire again.  Its a great place and the artichokes are amazing. 
-

cowgrrl

Sounds lovely. Could you post the dates & times of Bristol?  I believe it's going on right one but I'm not sure.

Lady Renee Buchanan

Bristol usually runs from the first weekend after the Fourth of July (in 2012, it is the weekend of July 7-8) through the Labor Day weekend, including Monday.

We are looking at the third weekend, July 21-22, for the Rendezvous.  That is the weekend of the M'Crack invasion, so we would like the 2 to be at the same time, since many M'Cracks are forum members, plus, everything is already set up for the Friday night Meet & Greet and the Saturday night dinner.

A real Surf Diva
Landshark who loves water
Chieftesse Surf'n Penny of Clan O'Siodhachain,
Irish Penny Brigade
Giver of Big Hugs 
Member since the beginning of RF
All will be well. St. Julian of Norwich

Mairte

Besides everything Bristol has going for it, I hope it's there since it's within easy driving distance! :)

LadyStitch

Are there any camping clans for your faire?  I mean are there already Rennie groups that tend to camp near each other at any of the camp grounds?

what are some of your acts?

How are are hotels from the faire, roughly?

What is the typical weather for your faire? (I know this year EVERYONE is roasting, but on average for you?)

What are the grounds like?

The PP is bugging me for details about each place so just passing along questions.  ;D
It is kind of strange watching your personal history become costume.

Lady Renee Buchanan

Quote from: LadyStitch on August 29, 2011, 04:51:49 PM
Are there any camping clans for your faire?  I mean are there already Rennie groups that tend to camp near each other at any of the camp grounds?

what are some of your acts?

How are are hotels from the faire, roughly?

What is the typical weather for your faire? (I know this year EVERYONE is roasting, but on average for you?)

What are the grounds like?

The PP is bugging me for details about each place so just passing along questions.  ;D

There is no camping at or right near the fairegrounds itself.  There are a couple of campgrounds within 20 minutes, but I don't camp and only know 2 people who do, one a MN visitor and the other from IL.  So I don't think there are any camping clans.

The hotels range from Pleasant Prairie/Kenosha, around 5 or 6 minutes away, to around 20 minutes away in Gurnee.  Kenosha has Country Inns & Suites, Holiday Inn Express, La Quinta, Super 8, Radisson, and more.  Our cruise director has prepared the list and is working on some kind of group rates. Gurnee is where Great America is, so there are lots and lots of hotels.  Also, Racine, WI is about 12 miles north of the faire, again lots of hotels there.  I've never stayed there, but last year friends of ours stayed in a hotel there and said it was clean, fine, and inexpensive.

The Meet & Greet and dinner are both set up in Kenosha, probably less than 4 minutes from any of the Kenosha hotels.  As a matter of fact, if you stay in the main hotel area, you can walk to the Meet & Greet and not have to worry about drinking and driving.  Also, I  don't drink, so there will be a designated driver if someone feels they need one.  We want everyone to be safe.

Some of the acts that have been there are Barely Balanced, Tartanic, Shakespeare in a Suitcase, Hanlon Lee Jousting, the Falcon Show, the Spirit of the Stallion (airs above the ground), Christophe the Insulter, Ded Bob, Clan Tinker, Dick & Guido, the Swordsmen, The Dread Crew of Oddwood, Moonie the Magnificent, the Mud Show, Gyspy Geoff, juggler.  There's more, just can't remember all of them.  Musical shows:  Craig of Farrington, Dan the Bard, Bounding Main, Rambling Sailors, Jock Stewart, 3 Pints Gone, Dylan Robertson, Tinker Maclea, Ogham, Kenny Kline, Guerilla Gypsy Band, again, I can't remember them all.  Not every act is there every weekend, but there is enough to keep you going for 2 days and not see everything.

Weather.  That's funny.  It can be anything!  I've worn noble garb in July and not broken a sweat, and also been so hot I've walked around with a wet dish towel around my neck.  This is where the best kept secret of Bristol comes in:  Friends of Faire.  You can get a weekend pass for $5. Yes, that is for both days.  And all the free Gatorade and water that you want, plus private privvies (port a potties) that are so clean, that I can use them and not worry about my immune system from my kidney transplant.  They also have iced water that you can wet your towel in to keep you cool when it's hot.  Can get up to around 100 degrees, but can also be in the 70's.

The grounds have heavy shade, it's like a real village with permanent buildings, trees, gardens, and lanes.  There are some stages that are in the sun, and I won't lie, it can be hot, but all of them have a netting on top and this year they have put up some patio umbrellas, which has helped a lot.  There are a couple of places in Bristol no matter how hot it is, there is a nice breeze.

Steve and I took a ride Sunday afternoon, took a break from faire, because I was feeling unwell.  There are tons of factory outlets in the area, too, so if anyone comes in early and wants to shop, they can have a field day.

Here is the faire's website:  http://www.renfair.com/bristol/

You can see the stage schedules for each week to get an idea of the shows and the many stages there are.


If you or anyone else have any more questions, please don't hesitate to ask.  If I don't know the answer, then I'll find out.  I will see the cruise director this coming weekend, so I'll ask her to find out more about the camping.
A real Surf Diva
Landshark who loves water
Chieftesse Surf'n Penny of Clan O'Siodhachain,
Irish Penny Brigade
Giver of Big Hugs 
Member since the beginning of RF
All will be well. St. Julian of Norwich

Lady Renee Buchanan

Absolutely wonderful update!!!

The third Saturday at Bristol has typically been the Friends of Faire Feast, so it is most likely that it will take place again the weekend of the proposed Rendezvous.

For the $5 membership - that's for the weekend, don't forget - on the Saturday, you can either bring a dish to share, or else pay $5 (in addition to the weekend memberhsip fee) and join in the feast.  And what a feast it is!!  The food starts coming our at around 11 a.m. and goes all day until around 5 or 5:30 p.m.

For the last feast, they prepared and served over 500 lbs. of meat - steak, burgers, ribs, chicken, sausages, you name it. Plus people bring varieties of salads, desserts, grilled veggies.  Honestly, you can eat all day and never leave the garden!  We usually can only go to the Sunday feast in August, because of Steve working on Saturday, but people drop in and out all day and graze.

So, besides the great faire, this is a wonderful event to attend.  And I am pretty sure that it will again take place the third weekend on Saturday, July 21st.
A real Surf Diva
Landshark who loves water
Chieftesse Surf'n Penny of Clan O'Siodhachain,
Irish Penny Brigade
Giver of Big Hugs 
Member since the beginning of RF
All will be well. St. Julian of Norwich

Once Debauched

Lady Renee,  How long was the drive for you down here to St Louis?  Mapquest is showing about 6 hours+, but I don't always trust the mapping sites. 

I was originally hoping I'd not have the kiddo this weekend, but since looking at their website I'd feel guilty if I didn't bring her.  Guess I'd have to cover her ears when we go see Christophe!  lol
IWG  #3527 Local 29
IFRP #1228 Loblolly Lass, HMS Lying Bastard
FOKTOP
ROoL #29
Tequila:  The interactive shot

Lady Renee Buchanan

Quote from: Once Debauched on August 31, 2011, 08:14:20 AM
Lady Renee,  How long was the drive for you down here to St Louis?  Mapquest is showing about 6 hours+, but I don't always trust the mapping sites. 

I was originally hoping I'd not have the kiddo this weekend, but since looking at their website I'd feel guilty if I didn't bring her.  Guess I'd have to cover her ears when we go see Christophe!  lol

We live in Galena, IL.  It took 5 1/2 hours to get to the parking lot of the St. Louis faire.  However, we live 3 hours west (and a little southwest) of Bristol.  We go a different way than you would, so that time isn't accurate for you.

To get my son to school in Carbondale, IL, from Galena, it took 8 1/2 hours.  It was quicker for him to go into Chicago and catch the train or ride down with friends rather than for us to drive him.  Because there are probably more direct routes from St. Louis to the Chicago area.  Kenosha, the city where Bristol is held, is about an hour or so north of Chicago.
A real Surf Diva
Landshark who loves water
Chieftesse Surf'n Penny of Clan O'Siodhachain,
Irish Penny Brigade
Giver of Big Hugs 
Member since the beginning of RF
All will be well. St. Julian of Norwich

Once Debauched

Quote from: Lady Renee Buchanan on August 31, 2011, 08:47:25 PM
Quote from: Once Debauched on August 31, 2011, 08:14:20 AM
Lady Renee,  How long was the drive for you down here to St Louis?  Mapquest is showing about 6 hours+, but I don't always trust the mapping sites. 

I was originally hoping I'd not have the kiddo this weekend, but since looking at their website I'd feel guilty if I didn't bring her.  Guess I'd have to cover her ears when we go see Christophe!  lol

We live in Galena, IL.  It took 5 1/2 hours to get to the parking lot of the St. Louis faire.  However, we live 3 hours west (and a little southwest) of Bristol.  We go a different way than you would, so that time isn't accurate for you.

To get my son to school in Carbondale, IL, from Galena, it took 8 1/2 hours.  It was quicker for him to go into Chicago and catch the train or ride down with friends rather than for us to drive him.  Because there are probably more direct routes from St. Louis to the Chicago area.  Kenosha, the city where Bristol is held, is about an hour or so north of Chicago.

I'm already trying to plot things out in case Bristol is chosen.  lol  The BFF and I will attend faire, most likely with the kidlette in tow, while the non-faire friendly boyfriend visits one of his oldest friends in Chicago.

Everybody wins! 
IWG  #3527 Local 29
IFRP #1228 Loblolly Lass, HMS Lying Bastard
FOKTOP
ROoL #29
Tequila:  The interactive shot

Lady Renee Buchanan

More news!

Yesterday on the last day of Bristol, I met with the owner of the faire to discuss July 20-21, 2012, which is the M'Crack Family Gathering.  I also told her that there is a possibility that the Rendezvous could also be held there, if it is picked.

She has heard of the forum, and was very thrilled for the M'Cracks to visit, and also the possible Rendezvous.  They are very excited to have the group come, whether it be 30 people or 100 people, and she has advised me that Bristol will play it's part to ensure a wonderful time.  She already suggested a possible pub for the group to congregate, and we discussed other things that will be very welcoming to the group.

So come to see us, everyone!  Here's hoping to the Rendezvous in 2012!   ;D
A real Surf Diva
Landshark who loves water
Chieftesse Surf'n Penny of Clan O'Siodhachain,
Irish Penny Brigade
Giver of Big Hugs 
Member since the beginning of RF
All will be well. St. Julian of Norwich