What type of Faire

[Merlin the Elder]

There was a soft faire in Little Rock a few years back, right on the river. It could have been a beautiful setting. It wasn't so much that there were no permanent structures that turned us off...there just wasn't much of anything. It was ill-conceived and provided very little entertainment at all. We spent less than an hour there and got bored and left.

I don't know that Arkansas can support a faire in much of any fashion. There's only a handful of us Arkies on this board that I've identified, a few people I know have shown any real interest at all in faires. "Let us know next time," they say, then when next time rolls around, it's "I'm washing my hair that weekend."

[Dinobabe]

I'm not in AR but close (Memphis, TN).  I would LOVE to have more Faire opportunities!!!

[Jay Byrd]

Love the permanent buildings and the way NYRF is set in the woods.  The cast is great, entertainment is ...entertaining, and the people are friendly.  For me although I guess NYRF is considered a big faire it has a great feel to it also.

And as for being able to support a faire with not much interest on these boards, NYRF is an example that it can happen.  I'll make a post, faire is opening in two weeks, who is going? and 4 people respond.  But when I get there, there is always more than that inside.

[kcdcchef]

Love the permanent buildings and the way NYRF is set in the woods.  The cast is great, entertainment is ...entertaining, and the people are friendly.  For me although I guess NYRF is considered a big faire it has a great feel to it also.

And as for being able to support a faire with not much interest on these boards, NYRF is an example that it can happen.  I'll make a post, faire is opening in two weeks, who is going? and 4 people respond.  But when I get there, there is always more than that inside.

Just found an old brochure from NYRF where you can see the twin towers in the distance. Very whimsical.

[DonaCatalina]

I prefer permanent structures. The tents are fine for a start-up Faire, but it takes buildings to really pull you out of the mundane world.

Though you do expect those structures to be maintained. If you go back the third year or so, it is disappointing to see the booths or stages looking like my aunt's old chicken shed.

[kcdcchef]

See I disagree and like seeing the old booths look like your aunt's old chicken shed, or as I would perceive it to look. If you went back in time half a milleniium to the renaissance era in an old English village of some kind, I do not think the structures would be all that maintained looking.

Me personally I cannot do the tent type of faire. Unless the entertainment and shows are knock you off your feet awesome best I've ever seen, I will have a hard time seeing past the fact that I am watching it on a hay bail looking at a tent. It's why I haven't been back to VARF since they moved. I think the structures, signage, and landscaping make a faire, as much as the entertainment.

[DonaCatalina]

I have become of the opinion that shade, mowed down weeds and lack of debris (glass, broken boards, fire ants, fallen branches) is more important tents or buildings.