Well Scarby is my home Faire and they open at 10:00. It could be a bit earlier, but I don't mind 10:00.
TRF opens at 9:00 and I'm quite happy with that also.
But Middlefaire opens at 11:00 and for some reason that sounds so late.
Why it's nearly lunchtime.
Cannon for BARF is 10, which is FINE by me. After arriving in late (i.e. 3-4 AM) to the hotel the night before, ANY extra sleep is extremely appreciated! ::) Yawn.
I've never made cannon at TRF so it's probably too early for me. On the other hand, if it was later then everybody would want to eat later, so I still wouldn't make cannon. Anybody want to wash dishes so I can make cannon? No? I didn't think so. ;D
Cannon for GLMF is 10:00 AM, which I only make opening weekend. I'm there for the whole run, and it's an hour and fifteen minute dive, so I don't bother getting up super early to make cannon every day. I'm not a morning person anyway, and would rather get the extra sleep.
MIRF and Des Moines both open at 10:00. They could open at 9:00 and I'd be ok with it.
PRF cannon is at 10:30. I think it's perfect.
Gina
Four Winds is 10:00 but have never made it 2 hour plus drive. Funny is that I always make Scarby cannon even driving but only made TRF once disbite or maybe because camping.
Silver Leaf's cannon sounds at 10, which is just about perfect. I found that if you're trying to camp on-site and not die from lack of sleep, a 10:00 cannon is the way to go :)
Our cannon go off when the Faire or Festival owners tell us they should go off. Most often it is right at opening time.
Here is a related question. We have picked up quite a large following of folks who have thier own cannon or flintlock small arms. Last year, we amassed 15 small arms and 3 cannon, all to go off at opening. The owners of this particular faire had a problem , in that it sounded like a small battle was being waged on the hill.
So, should opening cannon be confined to a single gun, or, properly supervised and checked out, should capable folks be allowed to fire?
I've only ever made cannon once or twice. Usually I am with the slow moving late crowd. That doesnt know how to leave on time and drive speed limit or a lil above on the way there ;D
At MDRF as faire is slated to open at 10, we have opening cannon at about that time (we do an opening gate show which starts between 9:45-9:50). As faire is slated to close at 7, closing canon is about that time too. We only have the faire cannon which is pretty loud. The guys are always trying to see how many car alarms they can activate ;) As for opening, I think the time is just right and as people do tailgate before opening :o. In terms of closing, that is a toss-up. Since I am on cast, it is just right for me, as if I had to work until much later Saturday, it would be a bit harder to be there as early and stay that late again on Sunday ::)...
MnRF is 9:00 - it is always fun at faires to get there earlier to partake of the opening.
There are also those additional canon shots (at Mn and Scarby) on Sunday to 'announce' when one can drink (like we didn't do that before faire started :) )
I think 10:00 is a good time, esp if there are a number of people that are coming from out of town. Would be a killer if it were at say 9am cannon with 8am cast meeting, and you have an hour drive, on day 3. JMO
I like having TRF's cannon at 9. I always make it even though it means getting up 6 ish. Even the year I camped next to Zaubon. And no, I did not wash his dishes. I wish Scarby was earlier.
Scarby has three cannon opening, parade, and closing.
Quote from: Brianna on September 25, 2009, 12:18:52 PM
I think 10:00 is a good time, esp if there are a number of people that are coming from out of town. Would be a killer if it were at say 9am cannon with 8am cast meeting, and you have an hour drive, on day 3. JMO
As one of those people: EXACTLY! ;D Only we have a 4 hour drive.
Bristol doesn't have a cannon, we have a series of bells and gongs that begin at the front gate and resonate through the site once the gates open. I much prefer that, as it wakes the village gently and happily rather than scaring us all to death! Bells begin to ring at 10 a.m., morning meeting is at 9 a.m., hench call is 8:30 a.m.
Dayna
I like TRF's 9:00 cannon, and I always try to make it in time for it. Normally on Saturdays I do, but Sundays I normally make it right after. I have no clue how I manage that though, considering the fact that I camp and normally sleep at around 5 or 6 am... >>; haha
I like the fact that it opens at 9. I think it's perfect, because that's early enough in the morning that you're still enjoying that nice morning weather out at faire but not SO early that you're wishing you were back at the camp asleep.
Let's put it this way:
BARF's 10:00 cannon is perfect due to our commute.
TRF's 9:00 cannon was perfect because we were camping in Participant's and didn't have to get up insanely early to get ready, drive, find a parking space, walk in, finish prepping, etc. We were right there, so it was wake up, get dressed, grab breakfast inside, and we were...there! Ah, the wonder of camping onsite!
ORF cannon is at 10:30.
What I'd like to see, even as a vendor, is for a fair like ours which runs for eight weekends to take one or two of those weekends and start much later, say 1 or 2PM, then stay open into the evening until 9 or 10PM. A renfair at night would be simply awesome.
I'm glad for the title change of this thread- we don't have cannon!
Most of the faires I attend open around 10. This makes getting there for a 9 o'clock call time not terribly painful. One faire, however, opens at 11. An hour later, but it seems so LATE!
Quote from: Synikul on September 28, 2009, 11:43:39 PM
ORF cannon is at 10:30.
What I'd like to see, even as a vendor, is for a fair like ours which runs for eight weekends to take one or two of those weekends and start much later, say 1 or 2PM, then stay open into the evening until 9 or 10PM. A renfair at night would be simply awesome.
I don't see that ever happening- The lighting required by Insurance would put the fair out of business as an expense.
Garf is 10 and i'm ok with it being at 10 if it were earlier i would be ok with it being then too i just might not show up until 10
Quote from: Synikul on September 28, 2009, 11:43:39 PM
ORF cannon is at 10:30.
What I'd like to see, even as a vendor, is for a fair like ours which runs for eight weekends to take one or two of those weekends and start much later, say 1 or 2PM, then stay open into the evening until 9 or 10PM. A renfair at night would be simply awesome.
There are a lot of logistics involved in having a night faire. As DonaCatalina pointed out, lighting for safety would be an issue. As participants, we signed a "hold harmless" type clause but the patrons are a different story all together. Which also brings up another matter. How do you keep the area lit? Non-period portable lights or kerosine laterns. Depending on where the faire is located, dangers of a fire are an issue along with burns to patrons. Openning late in the afternoon, IMHO, is faire suicide even if you were to have a night event.
The fact that it may look very period and nice for the participants from a business stand point, the profits aren't there to make it work since the customer base will be significantly less.
Several faires in Ontario do night shows- usually a feast, music, dancing, and some of the stage acts do short performances.
As many people have said TRF opens the gate at 9 am, but I can't confirm this since I have never made it there by that time (not a morning person!) ;)
Our gang usually tries to make it by 10 (either camping or taking the 45 minute drive) but somehow it always ends up being more like 10:30 no matter what we do.
Quote from: GirlChris on September 29, 2009, 08:40:52 PM
Several faires in Ontario do night shows- usually a feast, music, dancing, and some of the stage acts do short performances.
This is different from having the entire faire open at night. You can keep the crowd contained in a relatively small area and funnel them easily toward the exit when it's done. The only faire that I know that is open after dark is TRF. There may be others, I'm not sure, but I'm just as glad that Scarby closes at 7. Considering that the performing company starts their "workday" at 8 a.m. or so (depending on whether we have to be there for a fight call), going til 9 or 10 at night would make me pretty grumpy. :)
In all honesty, when I was just a guest to faires, I always wished they opened earlier. NYRF opens at 10 and so does CTRF and that really bugged me cause I wanted as much faire as I could get.
Then this year I joined the cast of CTRF and I must say I almost wish it could open later than 10. Though I realize that would probably bug patrons and guests coming in who like me wanted as much as they could. But when I have to be there at 7:30 every morning to make sure that I am in costume, ready, and went to all my morning rehearsals and meetings I now have a much greater appreciation of a 10 am opening time.
Lady Claira, That is what I was going to say. As a paytron I wish it would open earlier and stay later. But for those who work the faire, even though it is faire it is still work and the days are long. 10am to 7pm is*9 hours with few breaks in the hot sun, usually. But if they want to open it earlier I'm all for it.
Jay Byrd
CRF has hours of 10 - 5, the opening is fyne but the closing is WAY to early IMHO! More please! ;)
I was also going to say what Lady Claira said. For performers, 10 is perfect. Our first year, we were open until 7pm, and that last hour was god-awful. Most patrons had already left, it was getting dark, and the energy levels were low (due to very few breaks, and near CONSTANT RAIN). Luckily, the management agreed that 7 was too late, and we have closed at 6 the last three years. The last hour is now fun!
Once it gets to be May and much warmer, I sometimes wish that Scarborough would open earlier than 10:00am.
I can hear the cast groaning from where I sit.
Like Bristol, RPFS doesn't have an opening cannon. We do have an opening show at main gate that should normally complete for the 10:00 opening. The conclusion of the Opening Show is the Cuthberts opening parade which goes through the gate and parades throughout the site singing the opening song (Awake. Awake. The day doth break. Good craftsmen open your stalls. Come greet the light. Shake off the night. The Faire is open to all).
The opening show changes from year to year, but the Cuthbert opening parade is a custom of decades.
Quote from: DonaCatalina on April 19, 2010, 11:53:21 AM
Once it gets to be May and much warmer, I sometimes wish that Scarborough would open earlier than 10:00am.
I can hear the cast groaning from where I sit.
GROAN. Yes. You did. I get up at 6am, leave not a tick later than 7 am to drive 48 miles to site. I need to be on-site by 8 am to get my parking spot. Then have to be dressed, at meeting and garbed for 9am call. We must be in place for gate by 930 am, the "pregate" show starts by 945, canon at 10 am.
I have bags under the circles under the suitcases under my eyes as it is... I haven't the inclination to camp and do full costume, either. I am sure others who drive in feel that 10 is just about right...
I call Gypsy Naptime...
Capt Marga/Jofranka (Gypsy Elder)