A letter to the ren community

[theChuck]

So I just saw this post on Facebook. I'm not condoning or condemning it either way, but I thought it was interesting. At the very least, it's true that faires are dwindling popularity, and that's pretty sad.

Thoughts?

[Ferret]

Link doesn't work.

Ferret

[theChuck]

Fixed; the forum script chewed up the URL. If you still can't hit it, it should be at https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154468327130626.

[Ferret]

Thank you.

A powerful message.

Ferret

[PollyPoPo]

Thanks for fixing the link.

I took a look at the site, as well as the author's main FB page.  He seems to be based in California and most of the comments to his letter seem to be from people in California.

As one experiencing faire in Texas, the letter does not quite ring true for us here.  The big three keep growing, in size and attendance. 

There are all types of faire throughout the country (and the world); each with their own flavor and viability.  The bigger, more commercial ones seem to be thriving; the smaller, soft-site ones are on a much more precarious road, for a myriad of reasons.

Here's hoping the letter author finds contentment in his faire experience.

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

The writer has evidently never been to Bristol.  The lanes are so crowded, at times it's hard to get through.  They have even closed both parking lots because they were completely full.  I'm sorry his experience is so dismal.  Ours is magical and "our" faire continues to thrive.

[Norfolk]

This past season, the Colorado Renaissance Festival saw record attendance.  The Duchess and I found the crowds not only enormous -- at times we were unable to keep to our schedule because the lanes were so crowded -- but exceptionally receptive and genuinely interested in our characters.  I agree with the poster who opined that the hard sites and more historically accurate faires are on the wax, while the soft "fantasy" faires are on the wane.

[isabelladangelo]

I know MDRF is always crazy crowded - to the point that it will be moving in a few years to a bigger location.  VARF isn't as much but that's because of it's location - it's between Richmond, VA and Washington, DC rather than near any single large city.  Traffic getting down to VARF from DC is always impossible and going from Richmond to Ladysmith (where VARF is) isn't all that great either.  Basically, they suffer from a poor location choice. 

[Butch]

I know MDRF is always crazy crowded - to the point that it will be moving in a few years to a bigger location.  VARF isn't as much but that's because of it's location - it's between Richmond, VA and Washington, DC rather than near any single large city.  Traffic getting down to VARF from DC is always impossible and going from Richmond to Ladysmith (where VARF is) isn't all that great either.  Basically, they suffer from a poor location choice.

When we lived in Woodbridge, VA, we always went to the MD renfaire vice the VA renfaire.  The weekend traffic anywhere in that 95 corridor is horrid (THE MAIN reason we live in KC now!).

[BLAKDUKE]

There was one passage in there that I found interesting.  I do not know how true it is at other faires that I have not been to but I have seen it at the ones that I have been to.  A number of you know me and/or have seen me at several faires.  I have never missed an opportunity to play with Patrons also with Playtrons.  Unfortunatley, whether by order or by sheer inexperience I have found some Playtrons and cast members be at a total loss for words when approached and spoken to even in the simplest conversation.  That can be improved upon.  What saddened me most was one faire(un-named) that prohibits interaction between Playtons not on cast and Patrons.  These are some things that need to be changed. The OP is right WE are the ones that need to change it.  See you at faire.

[gypsylakat]

My home faire is MDRF, I visited Sterling last month while visiting some of my fiance's family... I was so confused- Moresca's wasn't crowded, no food lines, very very few patrons dressed in garb. Funny how your perspective changes based on what you're used to !

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

My home faire is MDRF, I visited Sterling last month while visiting some of my fiance's family... I was so confused- Moresca's wasn't crowded, no food lines, very very few patrons dressed in garb. Funny how your perspective changes based on what you're used to !

I want to share a similar story that I found amusing -  and odd.  A few coworkers went to Boston to attend a wedding (I live in the Midwest and work in IA).  They had ever been east before and so made a vacation out of it.  One day they were there, they went to King Richard's Faire.  My friend told me they loved it.  When they came back, she asked me if I wanted to see her faire pictures.  Of course I was interested, so she showed them to me.   

All she had was multiple pictures of different family members holding and eating turkey legs.  Nothing else!  Not a show, no cast members, no buildings, after being at faire a whole day and loving it, nothing but pictures of people eating turkey legs.

[PollyPoPo]

Lady Renee,

Just wondering, had your friends been to any other ren/medieval themed faires before?  Or was this a first-time experience for them?

[isabelladangelo]

I want to share a similar story that I found amusing -  and odd.  A few coworkers went to Boston to attend a wedding (I live in the Midwest and work in IA).  They had ever been east before and so made a vacation out of it.  One day they were there, they went to King Richard's Faire.  My friend told me they loved it.  When they came back, she asked me if I wanted to see her faire pictures.  Of course I was interested, so she showed them to me.   

All she had was multiple pictures of different family members holding and eating turkey legs.  Nothing else!  Not a show, no cast members, no buildings, after being at faire a whole day and loving it, nothing but pictures of people eating turkey legs.

Just like the 1928 movie on Henry VIII.  (Because, if anyone bothered to think about it for a second, they'd realize that the turkey was an American bird.  )

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

Lady Renee,

Just wondering, had your friends been to any other ren/medieval themed faires before?  Or was this a first-time experience for them?

First time ever to a faire.  And they loved the joust, the shows, the shopping.  Just..........pictures of turkey legs!