Longing for the good ole days...

[Merlin the Elder]

Well, hells bells, Bonny! Every time I come to Texas, y'all are busy! 

We may have to think about it for 2013.  I'm kind of mapping out some possibilities for next year. Kansas City is already on the list, and Scarby & Sherwood, of course.

We're heading east this October for RenDezvous, so Plantersville is kinda out of the question for this year.

[SirRichardBear]

I like the biggest of TRF but also enjoy the openess of Sherwood and hope they keep the forest feel of the faire.  I enjoy the cast interaction at Scarby, but do miss when the crown meadow was really a meadow with sheep and dogs.   Each has things I enjoy and no one could fit all my wants in a faire.

[Merlin the Elder]

...  Each has things I enjoy and no one could fit all my wants in a faire.

There is that, Sir Richard.

[Bonny Pearl]

LOL MtE!  It has been an off year for us to say the least.  There is a slim chance we will make closing weekend of Scarby.  BUT... we would love to see y'all at TRF one year!  Hope y'all can make it next season.

[DancingDogDairy]

I was actually participating at TRF the very first year. It was magical. It still is, but very, very different.

There is no way that something as alive as the festival can stay static.

It can change and grow, or it can die. I'm committed to doing my part to help it grow in a direction of cooperation, mutual trust and a shared vision. It is edifying to sees many others committed as well.

[Rowan MacD]

. 7-in-10 shops there are selling products mass-produced by someone else, whereas at least half of Sherwood's shops are retailing wares made by the owners/staff. It is an artisan's faire. I am keeping my word to Terre and giving TRF another shot this year, but my home faire has been Sherwood for a couple of years now.

I don't know when hubby and I will get to Texas for fair, but I love reading the comments on this thread, the last few years; our road trip time has been split 50/50 between Ren fairs (for fun) and Celtic festivals (Clan reps). Perhaps one day we will be able to get down there.
   The comment by Breandan touches on something near to my heart-the overabundance of 'trash' vendors at renfaires.  Personally, I think vending at faire should be about handicrafts, not cheap souvenirs.
   The economy has spawned a bumper crop of folks trying to make a living selling this stuff.  A decade ago, you only saw them at flea markets, state fairs and carnivals, selling plastic princess crowns and pirate pistols, but they are really becoming far too common at Renaissance faires of all sizes.
    It's rapidly getting to the point that if faire management seriously wants to maintain a certain ambiance, there has to be a limit to how many of these guys they allow on site, no matter how much money can be made off booth and spot fees.  
    There is a big profit margin in reselling cheap Chinese toys and trinkets, and most can, and are, sold at faire for 50%-100+% markup.  Even so, they are way cheaper than artisan made gifts and toys, and anyone who says they don't hurt business for the craftspeople are fooling themselves.

[Merlin the Elder]

I could have missed it if it's there, but I haven't seen any trash at Scarborough, and I have seen and bought some pretty awesome stuff there.  I didn't run across any junk at Sherwood either.  I'm not saying I was in every shop, so I'm not saying it doesn't exist, but I am saying that I have not seen any.

[lys1022]

I could have missed it if it's there, but I haven't seen any trash at Scarborough, and I have seen and bought some pretty awesome stuff there.  I didn't run across any junk at Sherwood either.  I'm not saying I was in every shop, so I'm not saying it doesn't exist, but I am saying that I have not seen any.

I don't know about Sherwood, but Scarby is a juried show and has rules about what can be sold in the booths.  I believe that also includes what percentage of the product can be made by outside resources, but I'm not sure on that as I've not really done the Craft side of things before.  I do know that each vendor has to stick to a pretty stringent set of guidelines as to what they can and cannot sell, though.