Patron's camping - new thread

[mpullen]

I was just informed that this past Saturday after Faire, Scarby management indicated they are very open to building a Patron's campgrounds and they were just waiting on my business plan to present to their insurance company.

Here lies the problem(s):

My discussion with Scarby participants also working at Sherwood indicated that Scarby management failed on a few points, such as showers that were fungus factories at best, very expensive Participant camping fees, minimal toilets, etc. To me, that indicated that management was not interested in spending the money to support their participants, let alone spend the money to establish a Patron's campgrounds.

Now I am at a loss. In order to form a business plan, I need to see the available land, to determine the land clearing costs (bulldozers, road building, stabilization, etc.). Plus need the local costs for trash dumpsters, port-a-potties, and security. Who are the contractors presently used by the Faire? What are the rules the Faire management desires to enforce? I can send them the rules we have established at Sherwood, but many may not apply (as no reserved clan camping). It has taken me 4 years at Sherwood to get things fairly stable, so Scarby is a new challenge.

Anyone have the Scarby general manager contact info? I had it once, but it's rolled off my email history. I realize that he is busy during the Faire season, but I would be willing to come up in the next few weeks (just not April 20 weekend as I have submarine veterans meeting), provided I can get a motel reservation.

Building a business plan is 90% guessing and 10% hoping, with a lot of "what if's" tossed in. My plan for Sherwood was a 5 year return on investment (ROI) and it looks like we will make it.

Now, head count. On a rough estimate, how many Patron campers would we have? It has taken Sherwood 4 years to add from a rennie camping attendance to a general public camping attendance.

Any input is appreciated. Already have input from Participants - Keep the Patron's campgrounds as far away from the Participants campgrounds as possible. Noted.  Just need to see the land layout.

I can provide my home phone number via private mail for anyone interested in discussing.

[Lady Alecia]

We have not attended Scarborough, even though we have heard wonderful things about it, because of the lack of camping.  If the campground was added, I know my dear husband and I would attend.

[Oswyn Fenecote]

I would LOVE to camp for Scarby! Yes please! I know several people who would want this also... Sherwood saw 1k+ people camping on any given weekend, so you can assume it will be at least that, potentially way more, as it is a larger faire. It may sound cheesy, but maybe a kickstarter fund or something to help offset the massive shower/toilet cost? I dunno. I'd donate to that cause if it was certain to come through.

[Trigger]

I would definitely camp, as would a few of my friends who aren't on this board. That being said, while there are a fair few of us on here, there are probably a lot more who aren't so it would be hard to get a realistic headcount on here. it is, however, a good place to start.

[Bonny Pearl]

Count McLot in on that since I think it wouldn't be an issue with travel trailers getting stuck in sand there.

[scarletnyx]

Alex and I would definitely camp at Scarby!

[VIII]

Oh, my God! If there WERE Patron Camping, I'd NEVER get back to my trailer at night! 

[Zaubon]

Oh, my God! If there WERE Patron Camping, I'd NEVER get back to my trailer at night! 

But you'd have so much fun not getting there.

[Otwell Throckmorton]

Oh, my God! If there WERE Patron Camping, I'd NEVER get back to my trailer at night! 

But you'd have so much fun not getting there.

HUZZAH!

[PollyPoPo]

Mike P

Sent you a new PM - just FYI on somebody else looking at a campgrounds near Scarby.

[Love Good Wood]

I'd pay to camp there!... and I live in Waxahachie!!!

[Don_Juan_deCordoba]

Early in the season we might, if not for the dog.

[prothos]

we camp at trf several times a season and are starting to  look at attending other area fairs. if camping was added we would  attend

[Tink]

Any new information on this?

[FreyBjorn]

Definitely would camp there multiple weekends each season if it was available!!  Would be willing to KickStarter it too.

[Ryk Rakham]

Count us in. We are forming a Ren Faire society up along the Red River and we've talked about travelling and camping at various faires. T'would be a large group and would likely camp at Scarby 4 or 5 times a year.

[Alerrick Afon Adou]

Me and my Airstream are waiting on this to happen.I live only 30 min from scarby, and I would camp out if you guys put this together. See all of you soon.......Huzzah

[ladybriony]

I would LOVE camping at Scarborough! I went for the first time last year and it really takes away from the experience to have to return to a Motel 6 off the Highway 20 minutes away.  Also, I personally found that the atmosphere was less welcoming to playtrons as other faires in Texas and I feel that camping is a big contributor to that.  PLEASE add camping!  My friends and I would come more than twice from Houston if you added camping.  I don't see why they don't make use of that giant field next to the faire.  Buy it and turn it into a campground!

[Merlin the Elder]

"...less welcoming..." Really?!? You must have been in the wrong place. Tremendous camaraderie there!

[ladybriony]

"...less welcoming..." Really?!? You must have been in the wrong place. Tremendous camaraderie there!

We went twice: once in April and once in May.  The second weekend of the season was fine, but the weekend we went that was later in the season was a weirder experience.  Mundanes far outnumbered playtrons, which is normal for TRF, but the mundanes sort of gawked at people in costume.  At one point, a mundane went up to a friend of mine who was dressed as a barbarian and told her she looked like a slut.  She wasn't even wearing something that revealing!  I think the lack of camping breeds this atmosphere where more mundanes come to the faire than playtrons and they treat us like sideshow people, which I've noticed doesn't happen at TRF.  That's just my experience, though.

[Merlin the Elder]

I've never been treated poorly by any patron at Scarborough. One incident shouldn't cloud your judgment.

I'm not sure what to say about there being too many mundanes. Without them, there is no faire, because there isn't enough money to keep it going.  ...and camping has nothing to do with how someone is going to treat you on the inside of the faire.  There will be jerks everywhere, including in the camps.

[ladybriony]

I'm not saying there shouldn't be mundanes.  I went to the faire as a mundane for years when I was a kid, and look where I am now!  I'm just saying that I felt it had a less welcoming atmosphere than TRF or Sherwood, like I was being gawked enough to make me uncomfortable.  It just seemed like more people from Dallas came down with their kids to have a fun day and look at all the "weird people" than people who genuinely love faires coming together to have a great weekend.  Again, it's just my experience, but I think opening a camping ground would bring in way more playtrons and make the overall atmosphere more fun and welcoming. 

[DonaCatalina]

I am indeed sorry that you did not feel welcome at Scarborough.
It has always seemed to me that there were quite a few people in garb.
I have been stepped on, shoved, bumped and elbowed by mundanes over the years; but those have been isolated incidents. Don't let one mundane troll ruin your perception of the entire fair.
You will hardly find a friendlier group than the FOF breakfast tailgaters on Rows 12-10.
Yes,
we have expanded.