Anyone else from the boards here going to make it to the Castle this season? I plan to make the trip at least once, and hopefully more, during May, although I'm not yet sure of the dates. I have to see what I can afford after we get back from RenDezvous. I will have my renlet with me, and most likely a friend or two, and we will all be garbed, although I'm the only one who will have an R/F pin. We would love to meet anyone from the forums who will be there!
I wish we could make it up there this year but won't be able to. I went a few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed this faire. ;D
Maybe if we get lucky we can go next year. ;D
This will actually be my first time getting to go to the Castle! I've been here in OK for almost 9 years now... I'm such a slacker. Tsk, tsk... Oh well, I'm going this season, and I've actually heard some really good things about this Faire, so I'm looking forward to it! I wish we had more R/Fer's up here, though! Well, maybe I can recruit some while I'm there!!! :D
that sounds worse than me.
Two hours away has alot to do with it. I'll be there the weekend of the 22nd and 23rd.
I had not planned to attend this year. However, last weekend, I met Ezra & Dilly at the Spirit of Magic Faire. They told me that they will be performing at the castle. They are the main attraction for me now in Muskogee. They helped breathe life into the rainy faire last weekend. They play great music & have lots of passion. I believe that they will be performing inside the castle. If you get a chance, they are well worth experiencing.
This faire is reasonably close to us, but their website totally blows... little or no good information. Anyone handy that can give me some decent information about it??
I know... the site was supposed to be totally revamped, or so I have heard, but so far the little that's there is all they've put up since they took the old site down, and it's bare minimum at best. Even on the facebook friend/fan site I haven't been able to get any info about the campgrounds nearest the Faire, the show line-up, vendor list or much of anything, really. The only thing you can really do on the website is buy tickets, but there is a toll free phone number, so I'm going to give them a call.
Unfortunately, it looks like I may not get to attend this year, after all. Several extra expenses this month (tags, insurance and moving deposit) have left me with little to nothing to spend on anything other than survival level necessities, so unless I can get a few people to go in on gas and camping, then it probably won't happen. I have 5 extra seats in my van, and a luggage rack on top for garb bins, if anyone from the OKC area wants to carpool!
Ezra & Dilly sure delivered on Saturday! I had a blast watching them. They are really good w/ children & other musicians in the crowd. Siege Work Creations surprised me by being there. They're the group that made my longbow. They are located next to the gypsy camp & have VERY good prices on their bows, quivers & arrows.
Other entertainers included: Tulstin Troubadors, Willy's Wenches, Musical Blades, Bob the Juggler, Mark Logdson - Escapeologist, the Brothers Dimm, Lord Kerridwyn & Scotty Fox, the Lord Mayor's Co., the same wild birds of prey group, a bellydance troupe, a pirate group, a bagpiper & a few other singing groups that are always playing in the Castle pub.
Of course, the trebuchets still weren't being used. :-(
Hard to take into account a variable like the Oklahoma wind in trajectory calculations... :-\
Craigmeister, do you have any info about the camping available in the area?
I went for my traditional 1-day per season on Sunday, May 9th to support my friends and family that still must or who want to work this festival. We arrived LATE - around 4pm or so and stayed until well after close chatting with everyone. Then we went out to supper with family and I got to play with my 10 week old nephew! It was a sad day - the parking lot was over half empty and we could hear the intercom announcements from the prison in the parking lot well over the sounds of the festival. I can't believe that attendance was down so much - overcast and misting weather didn't use to make a difference in the attendance. I wonder what's happened.
We had a large crowd Friday and fairly large Saturday. I think it was a combo of weather and being mothers day on sunday. The weather was great for me as I was standing at the forge most of the day. Camping at the fair is for venders and cast only but I believe there are camping areas at a lake about 30 minutes away.
Oh, my... I was told there were public campgrounds within about 15 minutes of the site, but I'm not sure I would be up for having to drive that far away, and not even be able to find out if there were any other rennies using the campgrounds. An extra 50-60 mile round trip each day on top of the initial drive might just be the deciding factor... That's adding to the gas expense in a bigger way than I can really justify, and hotel accommodations are out of the budget entirely...
It would be nice if there were more information readily available. I'm convinced that attendance would be much higher if people could more easily find out what they want to know!
Looking forward to being there either the 22nd or 23rd. Leaving it up in the air just in case the weather is not nice on the 22nd.
There probably is camping closer to the castle but I don't know where it is my group camps out on the fair camp ground.
I don't know anything about camping around the castle other than for performers & vendors. I've always had less than an hour's drive to Muskogee. Maybe the local Chamber of Commerce would be able to provide some info...
It seemed that attendance was down last Saturday as well. The parking lot seemed kinda' full but the thick crowds were not present. There were 3 festivals going on around Tulsa that day. Maybe they were pulling people away.
I still haven't seen much info on this faire. Is it worth a 3.5 hour drive? We love Scarby and it's 5.5 hours from home. I realize that the two faires are going to be different, but would we be disappointed in the quality of the experience at the Castle? (Am I being too picky?)
I liked it, and my home faire's Bristol.
It appears that they have posted some additional information on their site (or I missed it every time I went looking!) It looks alike a nice facility. It's too late for this year, but I'll certainly put it on the list for next year!
Quote from: Lionforgesmithy on May 12, 2010, 09:22:17 PM
We had a large crowd Friday and fairly large Saturday. I think it was a combo of weather and being mothers day on sunday. The weather was great for me as I was standing at the forge most of the day. Camping at the fair is for venders and cast only but I believe there are camping areas at a lake about 30 minutes away.
My last year working this festival, opening weekend was RAINY (as in off and on deluges) and temps in the 40's. It didn't stop a alot of folks from coming out nor did it keep Mother Superior or I from "puddle jumping" through ever puddle we could find. It was freezing cold water but also a ton of fun.
Mother's Day at OKRF used to be jam packed, standing room only at opening gate with crowds that were thick the entire day. Sadly, as I came in - I only saw 2-3 ladies walking out with the traditional carnations in hand. And from what a performer told me, the rain had held off the entire faire day. So I'm still not sure what caused the lack of crowds on Mother's Day. Unless it is just the lousy economy.
At any rate, I got to see Auld Sage, King Henry, Will Somers, Lady Grace Parker, Lord Vinterhawk, A pirate who looks ALOT like the Lady Deborah Bold and a Cabin Boy who could be Lady Bold's husband's doppleganger! It was good to see so many of the faces that populated the grounds when I worked this festival; there aren't that many left at this festival these days.
I was just comparing numbers since my group has been doing this fair. This was our 3rd year. We had some days where it was pretty well packed with patrons but more where there were not all that many. I am not sure at this moment if I will work this fair next year or not.
We didn't manage to attend at all this season, but we're hoping for next year, again.
It was a good time in 2009 and 2010. Lots of smiles on faces there.
Quote from: Merlin the Elder on May 11, 2010, 03:59:37 PM
This faire is reasonably close to us, but their website totally blows... little or no good information. Anyone handy that can give me some decent information about it??
Hey Merlin, this link is up that provides a good taste of Castleton's faire. Pictures worth a bunch of words.
http://www.okcastle.com/Flickr.html (http://www.okcastle.com/Flickr.html)
Most appreciated, Archer. This faire could possibly be done as a (long) day trip from our location near Little Rock. We may try this next season.
Try to make it two if you can Merlin. Costume changes from Saturday to Sunday are interesting to see. Seems like more "men of iron" on Saturdays and the finer nobility garb on Sundays. Not entirely, but enough to notice. You can see the structures all in one day but perhaps not all the stage performances, jousting, falconry, crafts and vendor shops. The dance instructors do a good job if you pick them, or they pick you.
We live in Ardmore now and are planning at least one weekend to OKRF in 2011. Looking forward to meeting some new faire folke and making new friends.
OKRF is not the only Renfaire in the state. Check out www.meistersrealm.com to see the other faires in and around Oklahoma. Godspeed to your next faire!
Quote from: Craigmeister on November 18, 2010, 07:25:15 AM
OKRF is not the only Renfaire in the state. Check out www.meistersrealm.com to see the other faires in and around Oklahoma. Godspeed to your next faire!
Thanks. Living down in Texas, we have always attended Scaroborough R/F. But, they have steadily been increasing ticket prices (actually in big chunks) and we are looking at attending other Faires instead. We went to Norman for the first time last year, but the weather ended up being terrible. We will try again this year.
Norman was held a week earlier than usual this year, but the reason was never made completely clear. Some said scheduling conflicts, others said vendor request, but yes, the weather was pretty miserable (although it was perfect cloak weather... :D ). This year it's supposed to be the first week of April again, so who knows what it will be like. We'll be there again, I'm sure, since it's our home Faire, but we're also going to try and get to OKRF, as well, and we're hoping to find other R/Fer's who would like to all camp together, just to make the experience a bit more ren community centered. I haven't really been able to find much info on places other rennies camp around there, although there are campgrounds in the general area, but I'm still asking around.
\
It would be fun to try and have an R/F invasion, though!!!
Quote from: Rani Zemirah on November 18, 2010, 03:00:23 PM
Norman was held a week earlier than usual this year, but the reason was never made completely clear. Some said scheduling conflicts, others said vendor request, but yes, the weather was pretty miserable (although it was perfect cloak weather... :D ). This year it's supposed to be the first week of April again, so who knows what it will be like.
That was the very first RenFest I had ever been to last year. Weather was awful the day I went, but going once hooked me for life. Now some buddies and I are headed to TRF on closing weekend can't wait. And I am from Edmond, so we will be attending the Norman next year as well. We will look for you to say hello.
Oh, how cool! We're also in Edmond, and it's nice to have a fellow R/Fer so close! I'm excited to say hello at the meet-n-greet at TRF closing weekend, since my daughter and I will be down there, also! Make sure you get to the Prince of Wales pub right after the parade, and you will meet lots of us from all over!!! Also, feel free to ask any questions you might have, of me, or anyone else here on R/F, since we're all a pretty friendly bunch and really enjoy enabling new Faire obsessions! :D heheh
Thanks. Living down in Texas, we have always attended Scaroborough R/F. But, they have steadily been increasing ticket prices (actually in big chunks) and we are looking at attending other Faires instead. We went to Norman for the first time last year, but the weather ended up being terrible. We will try again this year.
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I have enjoyed the Four Winds Faire the last 2 springs. It's just southeast of Tyler, TX. It has a very family-friendly atmosphere and is quite a bit cheaper than Scarby. I hope I can make it back in '11.
I've heard a bit about Four Winds, also. Enough to make me want to visit... I believe they have patron camping, also, unless I'm mistaken?
Yes they do. It's very near the faire site. I'm told that the accommodations are very nice.
Quote from: Craigmeister on November 18, 2010, 07:25:15 AM
OKRF is not the only Renfaire in the state. Check out www.meistersrealm.com to see the other faires in and around Oklahoma. Godspeed to your next faire!
Nice work Craigmeister. The pics of the King's Champion Tulsa event were good to see. It was a nice event with the location in the trees at Chandler. Much nicer. You are on the board for that event still ? http://www.meistersrealm.com/
Thank you. It's a passion of mine.
Aye, I'm still on the board. We have meetings at 6:30 on the last Wednesday of each month at Chandler Park's new community center if you're interested. They are open to anyone & we're always looking for more participants.
Quote from: Craigmeister on February 27, 2011, 01:27:12 AM
Thank you. It's a passion of mine.
Aye, I'm still on the board. We have meetings at 6:30 on the last Wednesday of each month at Chandler Park's new community center if you're interested. They are open to anyone & we're always looking for more participants.
Wish there was time for that. The drive time to get there for meetings would be a problem. I'll be in attendance at that event again this year. It was a good event and fun/nice location. Keep us posted on things with that event ? Will also check your link/site for updates.
We were told that they had it a week early last year due to the day easter fell on. It was a cold windy weekend most everybody wanted to come stand next to the forge that weekend. I'm looking forward to The Norman fair and the castle this year their almost here ( I need to get to work :-\)
Just barely over 4 weeks to go until Norman! Can't wait to get a little Faire in this year... finally! I'm hoping that there will be a few southern border dwellers coming up for at least a day this year, so we can have a bit of a meet-n-greet and tailgate in the parking lot! Everyone is welcome, so hope to see lots of folks there! There's a thread for it in the Southern Smaller Faires (http://www.renaissancefestival.com/forums/index.php?topic=14486.new#new) forum, if any of you are interested!
Quote from: Merlin the Elder on May 17, 2010, 03:33:45 PM
I still haven't seen much info on this faire. Is it worth a 3.5 hour drive? We love Scarby and it's 5.5 hours from home. I realize that the two faires are going to be different, but would we be disappointed in the quality of the experience at the Castle? (Am I being too picky?)
The OKRF at Castleton won some type of award as "best tourist attraction in Oklahoma" for last year, 2010, so I read somewhere. I posted some video in one of the other threads that will connect you to a "day" example of the Castleon faire at Muskogee from 2009. Its presented well but taken on Memorial Day of 2009 which drew away from the event population/attendance as special holidays sometimes do.
Since I wrote that, Archer, I've seen and heard much, all good, about your faire. It is our intention to make it there this year, though the date has not been decided.
Looking at your caption to the photo a couple posts above, you say "Pay no attention to what the left hand is doing. A license to practice is a good thing." Where can I get one of those licenses? ;)
Excellent that you have decided to attend.
As for the license, it is self issued and any who attempt to lay hand upon it would face the Archer's wrath. You'll find many a willing wench in attendance who would also permit you to take such license. The Ladys of the Scarlet Pillow come well recommended.
Care for a very small advance sample of menu ? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeSyq1iYlbA
Something in fairness/equality for the female forum visitors ? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpQqMJznxVM (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpQqMJznxVM)
The females in attendance can often be heard speaking the words "check out that codpiece". It is mentioned so one might consider attire selections of popularity in the population. ;D
It's been some time since any wench was checking out my codpiece, which is probably all for the better as m'Lady Nimue has picked up a few spells in the many years she has spent with me. And with respect to the license, I would be much safer just keeping my learner's permit which is only valid with her... :)
I remember reading somewhere that Merlin was "wise". It pays to be wise my friend, in all things but especially the exercise of limited license to practice. ;D
See you in Muskogee . . . with a promise of a Killian's Red on me, to celebrate your successful journey.
Most kind of you, good Archer! I look forward to that.
We are planning to make a weekend to OKRF on the weekend of May 14, dont guess I will have a perfect record at Scarby this year. LMAO
Well, looks like I'll be missing a full scale invasion... :-\
Ummmm... I'm not sure it's even legal to knock at that door in THIS state! :o ROFL
Quote from: angusmacinnes on March 24, 2011, 03:17:35 PM
We are planning to make a weekend to OKRF on the weekend of May 14, dont guess I will have a perfect record at Scarby this year. LMAO
This is also good news. The more the merrier.
Perhaps the planet will settle down enough we can have a month of fun for a change.
Maybe some unified good vibrations will offset some of the negative.
(http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lijxusO90H1qfnxdqo1_500.jpg)