I posted about this topic in the another thread, but maybe it needs it's own discussion...
I guess I shouldn't complain about the success of my home faire, but I recall Highland Saturday last year, shouldering through like 34,000 people by lunch time; I'm not Agoraphobic at all, but I just wanted out of there.
Those crazy big attendance numbers, and the packed lanes in the faire and roads trying to get out are why I show up before cannon and leave by 3 o'clock or so lately, or only come up on Sundays. But last Sunday's (11/21) numbers were like a busy Saturday anyway. I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels this way, and I wonder if it could affect attendance in the future?
5 or 6 years ago a "busy" Saturday was 19-20,000 folks and the faire had like 260,000 total over the 7 weekends. Based on that, the powers that be thought the faire could support an extra weekend.
The second year after the 8th weekend was added, 2006, totals were over 300,000 and have risen steadily every year, to almosr 450,000 in 2009.
And if 8th weekend 2010 is like last year, I think it's safe to say we're looking at total of over 470,000 +/- folks this year.
I wonder if a 9th weekend is in the cards soon? Discuss...
It is safe to say that TRF is now without a doubt not on my list of fairs to go to no disrespect intended. I think it is great that TRF is doing so well but I am not a fan of Huge Fairs. It has been my experience that at some point the fair reaches the point of an amusement park and the guest are nothing more then rubes at a carnival. I like smaller fairs where the vendors and cast are able to spend time with each other and the paying guest. I would be happy to see 2000 guest in one weekend at our fest but think even then there might be much lost in the crowd. My opinion here would be to find a way to break off and form another fair it is apparent that the attendance indicates that it would support the cause. Even if it was the owners of TRF that did so. I wish nothing but the best for TRF and hope their success continues but I have much empathy for you in dealing with the crowds.
I was there, on the Saturday in question, last year.... and it was a mad house. I've NEVER seen a crowd quite like that before at TRF... :o
Honestly I do not really like big crowds and have been wondering the same thing Zardoz. Well that and it would be easier to remember that TRF runs every weekend in Oct and Nov than to remember that it's 8 weekends with the final weekend on Thanksgiving. I thought that they would have done that after the first Thansgiving weekend.
But, I really don't know how the vendors would take having to be there another weekend.
According to the Beefeater's site, Sunday's gate was 28,063 which put it about on par with most Saturdays this year. The other thing is that people stayed late, we stuck around and finished a project after cannon, closed down the forge and had an extended bull session and there was still a mob of patrons working their way out of the gate when we walked to participants camp and a massive backup heading towards Magnolia.
I'm not complaining of course, but it was certainly a weird Sunday.
I don't think adding another weekend will thin the ranks out at all, the attendance numbers at http://trfbeefeaters.com/records.php don't really show a dip when the transition was made from 7 to 8 weekends, there is no real reason to believe that there would be one from 8 to 9. I kind of like the big crowds but since I get there Friday night and leave well after cannon on Sunday I'm not really affected by the traffic, I can easily see where it is a problem for some.
As a non-paid person who "works" there (it can't be work, I enjoy it too much). I'm already pushing things at 8 weekends, paying for gas, food, and dog sitting, being gone every weekend, etc. I am lucky in that I'm somewhat local (50 miles), I'm not sure how many people in my position could easily handle a 9th weekend.
By week 8, we are absolutely spent, behind on a lot of mundane tasks that we would normally do on weekends, and generally ready for TRF to wrap up for the year. Of course we are usually missing our friends, making plans, looking forward to next season and watching the countdown by mid-December or early January.
I'm not sure that running another weekend after Thanksgiving would necessarily be a smart thing to do, as generally the following weekend is Dickens on The Strand down in Galveston, which draws a fair amount of Faire Folk, or so it seems to me, anyway, I always see more people that I at least recognize from Scarby and/or TRF.
That being said, I know that the crowds are part of the reason I don't make time and find funds to go to TRF more often. It's just too many people, many of whom are too drunk to be even reasonably courteous, and simply want to act like idiots.
When I first saw one of the Ren mags, it was showing TRF with an annual of 750,000 (this was quite some time back). From what I've seen on the Beefeaters site, that may very well have been very wishful thinking. But that same mag also showed Scarborough at 250k, and thinking back, I'm not sure I can even come close to believing that. Does anyone know the current Scarby annuals?
It's been a very long time since I went to TRF, maybe 20 years or so. Admittedly, we were only there for part of a day, but it was way too much to see and do for a one-day excursion back then. Scarborough, on the other hand, can almost be done in a day, if you push it. But either one needs at least two days for a comfortable experience. Until I've been here on R/F, I haven't had that much interest in branching out, but I need to meet some of you lunatics. ;) But I do realize now that to do one of the larger faires, you almost have to do two days to do it justice.
I'm one of those that prefers quality to quantity. If you can maintain the quality of the experience in a faire the size of TRF, then it isn't too big. If the quality is suffering—the ratio of mundanes to cast or good playtrons is too small—then the faire is too big. In the long run, it would probably ruin the faire.
So—you regulars—how is the quality holding up?
I made Halloween and Highland Fling weekends this year. Something I have done since 2005. Yes their were massive crowds and with the exception of only 2 extremely drunk patrons , which neither were being obnoxious, I did not witness anyone being out of line, which I have witnessed in the past. I dont really see a 9th weekend being needed and I know that after 8 weeks all the cast and crew are ready for a break. This years TRF was a good one.
This was probably the funniest time i've had IN TRF. The Dane's seemed to be more interactive with the playtrons and the only obnoxious ones were to be found out in camp... even those weren't all THAT bad. I never have a schedule to follow, so my brother & I wandered to our hearts content and ran across some of the most interesting types....
Well, at least from you two, Angus and Fraser, it hasn't gotten too big yet!
My opinion? Well, if you have enough room and a big enough cast then this size isn't bad. If you don't have enough room or a small cast then I can see a problem. Too small of a space and people get squeezed in and you are running into each other or stepping on someone so on and so forth. Tempers become short and it is no longer fun. If the cast is not large enough then they can't interact efficiently with the patrons and the patrons start to feel, well not ignored but not as welcomed. You start to see it on the cast face as well as they become wore out. Yes you can have an event that is too big. It sounds like TRF has got there and I don't know if I would want to go. I'm sure they do a wonderful job but I am not one for really big crowds. I don't have an answer as far as what can be done, because if you start to limit the number of people allowed in you kill your faire and you don't want that.
I have been going to TRF since '99. Yes there have been some changes through the years that I haven't been pleased with, but there are far more good things about the fair. I have been to six different fairs since I started going and TRF is by far my favorite!! TRF is not to big and if you have never been it is defiantly worth trying at least once, it is wonder to behold.
I agree that even with the large crowds i've witnessed very few "crazies" this season. Living so close the large size is nice as each weekend we can see something we missed the previous time out.
I use to go 3 or 4 times a season in high school but now, being away for college, I am lucky to go once during the Thanksgiving break. I went last sunday (11/21) and it took us an hour to get from our parking space to the light in Plantersville. I'm not very good with directions, but its the light right by the train tracks. Then it's another hour to get home, so gah, traffic was crazy.
Thankfully, I'm going again this Saturday before flying back to school, exciting! I love how big TRF is, though I get agitated when I don't get there at cannon with friends because I hate to miss anything. I almost went crazy when my family and I left the house at 11 to make the hour drive to faire. I don't see as many shows as I'd like to, but I love going to see all the vendors. I've never had a bad experience with any patrons, though this last trip something bad went down with a merchant, but that didn't damper my time there at all. The big size is also great because there is always something new to discover every time, though I know that's true with any size faire as well. Forever, Ill always compare every faire I go to back to TRF, it's my most favorite place on earth
I was at TRF this past weekend, camping for the first time. I did notice that on sunday it was really packed--more so than I've seen it before, I believe. I had a lot of fun both days--nobody bothered me inside the gate. A couple of obnoxious drunks in the campground (who would yell at our empty tents and insist the tents didn't belong to us... ??? ) but there were also a lot of very friendly drunks hanging around--yelling "free soup" is a great way to make friends :D
I am not a fan of big crowds either but I will suffer through it for the performers and vendors sake. The more people in attendance then the more tips for performers and the better chance of vendors selling more wares.
I am probably one of the rare breeds that like crowds. I am a people watcher and TRF is a fantastic place for that.
Seeing a mundane get sucking into a shop by a hawker... hilarious!
Seeing a playtron interact with cast without missing a beat... fantastic!
Seeing a child playing with a fairy... wonderful!
The more people there are the more things there are for me to see and enjoy as the day goes by.
And more people for me to meet. I am just a little bit of a ham so having 30,000 new friends to meet works out well for me.
*and more people means more rum to share around!*
Quote from: *Teach* on November 23, 2010, 08:22:38 AM
*and more people means more rum to share around!*
Aha! I couldn't agree more :)
On the topic note...this is a random thought I had this year while fighting the crazy traffic and crowds:
There should be a "Rennie Lane" that takes us directly there and allows us to bypass all the 'Danes and their lack of knowing where to go, how to drive, etc. :)
And a "Rennie Line" at the gate :)
Sort of like FOF for Scarby, but also on the road! lol.
Obviously this won't ever happen..but it helps me cope to think of great ideas like that while i'm stuck in traffic enroute to Faire and are so crazy excited to be going, but frustrated to no end that i'm not able to "beam me up scotty" and just "poof!" and be there!
On the "rennie line" idea:
Well, there IS a separate line for season pass holders at MDRF (as opposed to the part of the gate reserved for all other ticket holders) so it can be done. :)
Our group loves all sizes of Faires. The way we see it there were large crowded towns and smaller villages. We love to visit all but TRF is great because the size allows you to get lost in time.
Quote from: The Bruce of Springstein on November 23, 2010, 10:35:04 AM
Our group loves all sizes of Faires. The way we see it there were large crowded towns and smaller villages. We love to visit all but TRF is great because the size allows you to get lost in time.
You know, that's a great point and a refreshing way to look at it :) Never would have thought about that!
You know, I love TRF but I completely understand the OP. It's not all the "extra bodies" that bother me, it's the fact that it becomes harder and harder to find my rennie bretheren whilst among the masses. And when they are found, it is virtually impossible to carry on a conversation..
I won't stop going to TRF, but I am very happy Sherwood is up and running and doing so well. It gives you the faire experience, but it is a much more intimate experience where you're always running into your friends.
Quote from: *Teach* on November 23, 2010, 08:22:38 AM
I am probably one of the rare breeds that like crowds. I am a people watcher and TRF is a fantastic place for that.
Seeing a mundane get sucking into a shop by a hawker... hilarious!
Seeing a playtron interact with cast without missing a beat... fantastic!
Seeing a child playing with a fairy... wonderful!
The more people there are the more things there are for me to see and enjoy as the day goes by.
And more people for me to meet. I am just a little bit of a ham so having 30,000 new friends to meet works out well for me.
Ditto on all of the above!
I usually hate crowds- but I have had a ball at TRF this year. Many muggles attending- just is that many more to play with! Faire- big or small- I love them all! I keep a smile on my face and my wits about me!
I'm with Teach. There is something about just people watching. The shows I want to see we plan ahead and just mosey our way there. We see things as we go, and dont' have to run from place to place.
To be honest just finding a nice bench with a tankard is nice to do. I swear the pink pirate had more fun just sitting and interacting with people on his park bench while myself and friend got fitted for a new bodice than just walking all over the place.
I'm not going to say the crowds going out are not a pain. (The Pirate and I got side swiped by another rennie last year, but we were in line so long we got all their info by being behind them in traffic, it made doing the report so much easier.) If you are going to stay late, plan to stay late be it in your car or just hanging out outside the gate, or chatting with friends.
To be honest I far prefer TRF to another we went to. It was maybe as big , but it had no way the atmosphere that TRF does. I would take the crowds over the vibe I got at that other faire.
As for will they add another weekend? Don't know because to scedule of how bookings work out. The faire management will have to take into effect how this will effect acts, performers and other things. I just remember the griping that I heard from some vendors because they had to be away from family for thanksgiving. They couldn't have a "normal" thanksgiving because of the added weekend. Granted they were getting more buisness but at the cost of family.
Other than a couple of acts I always see, I enjoy the people watching more than anything, but I really feel like even it's getting harder to do because of all the bodies.
I mentioned last years' Highland Saturday in my original post, but I forgot last year's Black Friday! Almost 38,000 folks! I think anyone who was in the middle of that mess would tell you that's too many people to do damn near anything!
I'm not sure that TRF adding a weekend (which I would assume would be at the front, not after Celtic X-Mas) is the "fix" for the overcrowding. Since the numbers continue to grow, it would really just be another crowded weekend after the first year anyway.
Another option would be to enlarge the faire grounds by a few acres, but that won't make the lanes any wider. I'd favor relocating the pinch points in the current set-up, like stages in the middle of lanes like Dove Meadow, Mockingbird, Warfside, etc.. either to the 'new' acreage, or into the rows of shops like the new Polish stage.
I too am happy that Sherwood is up and running, we felt a much more intimate faire experience there.
I prefer it on the scant side, but I understand the more people in the gate the better for everyone. This past weekend was right on the cusp of being to crowded for me, but I just found a nice bench and people watched. I do think some more investment from the mgmt would be nice to help reduce some of the bottlenecks and thin out the concentration of people in some areas.
I am not sure if another weekend would level out the crowds or not.
I am looking forward to heading to Sherwood for the first time, and maybe actually meeting people from the boards. While I did meet a couple nice folks around my camp, I didnt meet anyone from the boards.
I'm being curious, since we've never been to TRF. Someday, hopefully, but not in the immediate plans.
With that many people, are there enough locations to buy food/drinks, or are the lines horrendous?
At Bristol, when it's really crowded (sounds like the same scenario that you experience where you can just about move through the lanes), the lines at the food booths and drinks booths are awful. Sometimes, we grab something when we first get there to tide us over past the mid-day crunch when we don't want to waste our precious time there waiting to buy something. There, they definitely need more food/drink vendors (they don't have both in 1 booth), and I was wondering about how long the wait for food/drink is at TRF.
QuoteWith that many people, are there enough locations to buy food/drinks, or are the lines horrendous?
There are plenty, there are lines of course but nothing I would term even approaching horrendous. Food and drink booths are spread out all over the site and each of booths is very limited in scope, having only a few items, so folks who want a turkey leg go to one booth, steak on a stick go to another booth. I'm there nearly every day it is open and rarely have to wait for more than a few people to be served before me.
The worst is probably the hamburgers back in the German section, they are actually VERY good and do draw a crowd, but generally the waits are pretty minimal.
The only thing I really dislike is having to go to one booth for food and a second booth for a beer.
Funny I never really noticed the large crowd at TRF, I know their there. But for I treat it as if it's a small village and everybody has come out. But if it is as over crowed as many think it is, then they could expand the place, or add a whole nother day on, and make it 3 days. But I don't see that happening. Before long attendance will drop and it will go back to the numbers that it was. It's some thing to do that's close to home, unlike driving across the state to see or do. And when the new wears off and it's become the same thing as the last year we might see a few less danes.
I like to go to TRF very early. I am usually there about an hour or so before cannon. When you get inside the gates and leave the front area, there are very few people around. Mostly hardcores like myself and a few danes. It is later in the day when the crowds become thick. And by then I am so at ease being "home" they don't bother me, except at the Sea Devil where you almost need a shoehorn to get in. Luckily most people are understanding and try to get out of my way before I run them over (Can you say "Ramming Speed!"). I do tend to leave earlier than I would like because StudMuffin starts pooing out. So, no, I don't think TRF is too big and I have not missed a year since 1991.
Almost comes down to a Small Town/Big City debate. They each have their pros & cons. Some people thrive better at one than the other.
This years total was total was 449,786. Black Friday had half the crowd as last year, 15,000 vs. 38,000. If it had not been cold and rainy in Houston (didn't rain much at the faire) on that Friday morning, there might have been another 15,000 folks in that total. There were 2 Saturdays with over 30,000, and 2 Sundays with over 25,000.
I went this past Saturday, my friend and I left early and didn't have a problem with traffic, but my cousin came an hour later and had 2 hours of traffic going there! It was her first time there and I hope the crowd/traffic didn't put her off. We also sat still for an hour after fireworks when they finally let us out through the camping entrance/exit. One woman told us she had been there for an hour and a half as we were walking to our car to leave. Kinda glad we stayed for fireworks :P
Speaking of fireworks does anyone know why they made us all wait so long to start them? Seems the last few years they started as soon as it was dark enough.
We had no traffic issues on Saturday after fireworks, but we were headed towards 105 which is usually less crowded.
Quote from: Fenster on November 29, 2010, 12:31:57 PM
Speaking of fireworks does anyone know why they made us all wait so long to start them? Seems the last few years they started as soon as it was dark enough.
We had no traffic issues on Saturday after fireworks, but we were headed towards 105 which is usually less crowded.
The start time of fireworks is determined largely by the gate count. More people in the gate = later start time. This is because the primary function of the fireworks is to slow down and spread out the exodus at the end of the day, which helps to mitigate the fustercluck in the parking lot. It doesn't eliminate the problem completely, but believe me, it DOES help.
Quote from: Morrigan on November 29, 2010, 12:39:49 PM
The start time of fireworks is determined largely by the gate count. More people in the gate = later start time. This is because the primary function of the fireworks is to slow down and spread out the exodus at the end of the day, which helps to mitigate the fustercluck in the parking lot. It doesn't eliminate the problem completely, but believe me, it DOES help.
Thank you, that was very interesting. We were wondering why Fireworks on friday were 6:30 pm or so, but not until after 7pm on Saturday.
*ding* The More You Know
Quote from: Morrigan on November 29, 2010, 12:39:49 PM
The start time of fireworks is determined largely by the gate count. More people in the gate = later start time. This is because the primary function of the fireworks is to slow down and spread out the exodus at the end of the day, which helps to mitigate the fustercluck in the parking lot. It doesn't eliminate the problem completely, but believe me, it DOES help.
Thanks, good to know for the future. I wonder if there's way to let everyone know this though. There are a lot of people out there wondering about the wait when the program says dusk.
Quote from: Fenster on November 29, 2010, 01:04:41 PM
Thanks, good to know for the future. I wonder if there's way to let everyone know this though. There are a lot of people out there wondering about the wait when the program says dusk.
Why the need to "let everyone know this"? It's not a big secret, but it's not exactly vital info, either. Sure, they could list on the schedule some complicated explanation of why the start times can vary and what things factor into the determination... but that would have to be some awfully tiny writing to fit in that little space. Or, they can use the term "dusk", which most people understand to mean "sometime around sunset". (Please, no pointless debates to the exact definition of dusk.) Personally, I think they've made the right choice in using the second option, as a little wondering and/or waiting never killed anybody! ;)
Just a random comment from someone who is behind the scenes a bit:
TRF has been 8 weekends longer than TRF has been going over Thanksgiving weekend. A few years. I think TRF went from 7 to 8 weekends in... 2005. I could be mistaken, though.
TRF's 8 weekends were moved back because Minnesota (our sister faire) moved their faire back a week. Had TRF not moved back to encompass the last weekend in November (convenient that it was Thanksgiving and includes Black Friday) they would have lost a great deal of their cast and vendors due to overlap for the first weekend in October . Many, many folks do both MNRF and TRF and that one week overlap would force them to choose. Considering both are huge, money-making festivals, this would have been a tremendous problem. Solution? Move TRF back a week! Ta-da!
Adding a weekend to TRF would NOT reduce the crowds on other weekends. It would just mean another weekend of big crowds. However, it's unlikely they would add another weekend. If they add it in the front, they overlap with MNRF. If they add it at the end, they overlap with Dickens on the Strand. Neither is a winning situation for anyone involved.
HOWEVER, please take everything I say with a grain of salt. I am no expert and I don't know George. The only thing I know about George is that he likes to change things :P
Oh, and Black Friday was really low this year. According to the Beefeaters, it was only 14,491. No big screen TVs at TRF! Ha!
Thanks!
I think the weather on Friday had more to do with the crowds than any other factors. My casual and completely unscientific observations made Friday out as a crowd mostly composed of those who are more than casual attendees, rennies, playtrons, peoplewho enjoy the experience, whatever words you wish to use to describe those who are more "in" to faire than the average guy on the street. It looked like a higher percentage of people in garb, or attempting to be in garb, or at least doing something interesting / funny, than a normal day, it also seemed laid back and friendly. I enjoyed Friday.
Saucywench,
TRF did not go to 8 weekends until the Thanksgiving move. 2007 i.e. the frozen hell. He made the Thanksgiving decision as a marketing move. Seems to have paid off for him.
The only relation between MNRF & TRF is the fact that George started both of them. He sold MNRF to free up the capital for TRF.
George could give a rat's weed puller about how his schedule affects vendors. There may be many mutual vendors with MNRF but it's not necessarily the same physical crews. Lots of absentee landlords at TRF.
Many of the vendors complain about the 8th weekend because it denies them holiday time with their families, denies them time to make or receive inventory, trashes their travel time to other faires & events forcing them to cancel portions of their circuit.
I caught the last joust of the day at 5 and after that was over, they announced a direct time for the fireworks, 7:15. I was really surprised because it was getting dark around 5:30 and we still had almost 2 hours before the fireworks! But now I know why it was later than 'dusk' and I'm glad I stayed because while the wait for traffic was bad, at least I caught fireworks and avoided another hour in the car :P
Quote from: SaucyWench on November 29, 2010, 02:36:21 PM
Adding a weekend to TRF would NOT reduce the crowds on other weekends. It would just mean another weekend of big crowds.
I agree with that, so the question sort of comes down to how to deal with the crowds that are there. If things keep going the way they have, next year might see a total close to 500,000 people.
I think the weather Friday morning affected Black Friday attendance more than anything else. I spoke to several people on Saturday who said they didn't come out Friday because the forecast called for heavy rain. We did not have any rain on site after 8:00am however.
But in aswer to the original question, I would say that TRF is almost too big. As it is, we can manage to see it in two days if just the two of us are there. Bringing family or friends does throw us off a little. But as Houston gets bigger and bigger, I expect attendance to go up. If the physical site was smaller, the density of the crowds could become downright painful.
I love TRF there is not another faire I've been to, that quite has the atmosphere of TRF. I do have to admit though that I seldom ever make it to the Sherwood or garden section. Simply due to the size. Those areas do have merit but it's just one of those things for me. I do notice when it gets busy particularly at the Sea Devil. I've seen it spill from the French section all the way up with a wall of people. I still go to the Sea Devil to see friends, just know I will more than likely have to stand....
Just putting in my two cents now as a visitor who was at your lovely faire this past weekend (Saturday and Sunday).
On Saturday, we got there around 10 or so and left after the fireworks (which were worth the wait!). I remember being shocked to hear that the gate that day was somewhere around 32,000 as I don't believe it's ever been that high at Maryland and yet you really feel crowds when it's up around 20,000. I never felt truly crowded to the point of thinking, "I'm going to bump into someone no matter which way I walk" the way I've gotten a few times at Maryland. Except right around the joust field at one of the jousts and the later while waiting for the fireworks (though many people filtered out while waiting, especially when the fire whip guy said the fireworks would still be another fifteen minutes or so after his show. Didn't bother us at all, we figured that was just less people we'd have to fight with in the parking lot! ;) ).
Leaving...well, it was definitely a wait, but your parking lot seems better organized than the one at MD (I suspect all those rows of trees have something to do with it!).
Sunday we got there between 9 and 10 and ended up leaving around fourish (had to drive back to Austin). Never really felt crowded at all then either (actually, it seemed oddly un-crowded to me for the last day of faire. Were there significantly less folks than on Saturday?). It didn't take very long at all to get out of the parking lot but my friend and I both commented that it seemed like it took us a lot longer to get back down the road to that intersection in Magnolia than it had the day before.
The attendance for Saturday was something around 38K I believe, and Sundays are usually in the 20K range maybe. 4 is a time that a lot of people start to head out on Sundays, due to work and school on Monday. I wish I could have seen you again, Analise.
I like TRF as it is. Sure it gets crowded but that is part of the fun of it all. I love to people watch.
Quote from: Yrose on November 30, 2010, 01:07:17 PM
... I still go to the Sea Devil to see friends, just know I will more than likely have to stand....
??? People actually
sit at the Sea Devil? :o
... I kid... ;)
Quote from: Molden on December 01, 2010, 01:30:16 PM
Quote from: Yrose on November 30, 2010, 01:07:17 PM
... I still go to the Sea Devil to see friends, just know I will more than likely have to stand....
??? People actually sit at the Sea Devil? :o
... I kid... ;)
:D I know enough of the people sitting on the outer ring of people that are at the outermost benches that I find someone who'll take pity on me/share some space to let me perch there.
The joke goes, if you can't find anyone out and about, go the Sea Devil, you'll find everyone else!
Quote from: eloquentXI on December 01, 2010, 04:32:20 PM
The joke goes, if you can't find anyone out and about, go the Sea Devil, you'll find everyone else!
Aye! I was told when I started at TRF:
If you're looking for someone - go to the Sea Devil, they'll show up.
If someone's looking for you - go to the Sea Devil - chances are, they're there looking for you...or they'll show up!
It's a true-ism if there ever was one! :D
My family and close friends know to find me at the Meet & Greet or the Sea Devil. (It helps that a good friend of mine has been working there for the last 20something years). And I always have a place to sit there. Riding StudMuffin has some benefits.
But all in all, I wish I was young and agile enought to walk New Market still.
Another benefit...I get more hugs when on StudMuffin & Snugglebunny.
I started working at TRF in 1990, and I have to say that while the crowds have gotten bigger, they've not increased so much that I've really noticed. There have been many, many subtle (and not-so-subtle) changes in TRF since then that have changed the "feel" of it, but the crowds don't seem all that much thicker than they did 20 years ago. I can only speak for myself, but the loss of the magic and actions by some of the folks out there that I trusted over the years have left me burned out on it. It could well be that some subtler version of this is what's going on, and some folks are locking onto the crowds as the primary cause of their malcontent. Not saying crowds don't play into it, just saying there is likely a much larger issue going on that is harder to pinpoint.
I remember the days of ol' when I could walk around without having to wait for someone else to move out of my way. I compare TRF to high school hallways now were you just have to keep your head down and push on in hopes that some drunk doesn't try to start something just because you didn't feel like waiting for his wife to move out of the way after five minutes.
Thought I'd throw my .02 in,
When we started going to faire, it
was to TRF, and we went for the
spectacle, and pageantry. After
having gone for a while(a mere drop
compared to most of you) we go to
see and visit with friends. In fact we
rarely get into more than one or two
areas anymore.
I don't think that would change if
it got bigger unless you guys stopped
going.
The ego boost of looking good in garb
and being asked to pose with kids and
families will still be there. I wonder if
more places like The Sea Devil, would
help with crowding?
anyway my .02
-harb