If you could choose would you work at a fair / or just go to one

[beeboy]

well i work faire.  what i love is being able to wander the faire if you have a substantial amount of free time, while having the knowledge of the faire you gain as a worker

[Lady L]

I do both. I enjoy both. Since I have had my shop at MNRF, I look at other shops, at other faires, with a different perspective.

[Scarlett]

The answer is simple for me.  Cast & employees are not permitted to  drink.  No pub = No way.
I'd never work at faire!  LOL 

[Dirtfarmer]

I, for the most part, prefer working as part of cast.  It is nice to have a faire to go to as a paytron, in my case MDRF is my faire to go and drink and do have a good time because I know 200 odd people there on any given day.    I have been on the cast of Virginia, NCRF for 10 years now and have able to come in as guest cast at Bristol, PARF, and TNRF and for whatever reason, enjoy working the streets more than drinking in the streets.  While it is nice to be able to eat off of a paper plate and not worry about it at the other faires that I paytron, I like to interact and play a character much more.

[Dayna]

I agree with GirlChris, being part of cast means you can actually do your street interactions (and also in my case join another musician and sing along (with their permission of course)).

As for Dirtfarmer, eating off paper plates is highly over-rated, and I don't do it anyway since I'm always in garb, even visiting, and so follow the cast rules of using my own bowl, plate, etc.  I understand though, two years ago I went to a faire in mundanes for one day, That Was TOO WEIRD!!!!

Dayna

[Synikul]

I work ORF, sort of, and I like it on these terms. My wife and I, her daughter, and three of her daughter's friends sell fairy wings. We all have regular jobs, and we aren't trying to make a lot of money on the wings. Being a vendor gets us in every weekend, and we can stay on the grounds after hours. With 6 people it's easy to keep two in the shop and let the other four do whatever they want.

[robert of armstrong]

At this point, I am only a visiter to various Shires and Towns.  But I keep playing the lottery - I get those numbers, and I am going to create another Faire in Southern Ontario.  That would be awesome.

[Yrose]

I love going to faire! But might be willing to work one sometimes, maybe to help a friend in a booth or if I got time off during the day to enjoy it. Not if I had to be stuck in a booth all day though.

[Lady Christina de Pond]

now i wouldn't mind working at faire if i didn't have to drive two hours to work i know all my money would be spent at faire

[*Teach*]

I've wondered about that many times, for me though one of the great allures of faire is not having a schedule. I love wandering about meeting up randomly with people and then moving on to the next random destination. About the only time I ever look at a schedule is when I want to see a particular show (train wreck).
I also just don't think I want to have the curtain pulled back... it just wouldn't feel right.

*and no rum on the job? forget it*

[Al-Nimer]

This year was my first year to be "on cast" at Scarby.  It wasn't an official position, just performing with the  Drums of Isis for the bellydancers that show off costumes for the shoppe.  I did this 4 out of 13 days I went to Scarby, and thoroughly enjoyed all of them!  I liked being able to do both, that is "work" for the 4 days, and just go the other 9 days.  On the working days, we do have to adhere to cast rules, but our performing times are short enough that we can catch a couple of other shows and do a little shopping during the day.

[DT_Masters]

Go to one.

I go to take pictures; hence, my hobby is photography first, ren fests second.

Plus, my life would have to be probably 180 different to work even a month long faire. I never, for example, do a faire on a Sunday because it takes me 3 hours to get there ...... and I start work at 0000 Monday morning.

[Var Greyshadow]

I can't really see myself working faire.  I'm definitely not the boothie/hawker type, and I'm not enough of an actress to be comfortable on cast (I stink at the improv games at Royal Guard workshop).  I enjoy being able to come and go as I like, dress as I want, and have my fantasy-based persona. 

Scarby offers up the ideal crossover though.  As a Royal Guard, I get to participate a bit more than just as a paytron.  The only required bit is three parades a season and the garb requirements are not so strict as for cast.  I enjoy escorting Their Majesties to and from their various appearances, guarding the King's Luncheon, escorting the horses in (and after) the parade, and helping to carry "dead" knights off the jousting field.  However, if I want to catch a show, shop or just play, I can go off and do that.

[BLAKDUKE]

This one is easy.....   I get to do both twice a year.  As King at both of the Gulf Coast Faires I get to perform as a job of work there and get to roam around.  The only restriction is I have to be at all of the jousts.  It's a difficult, mindless job
but hell, someone has to do it eh?? 

[Queen Maggie]

Okay, THIS one, I've gotta reply to.... I'd always rather work.
Weird, huh? But as an actor, I'm never as happy as when I'm performing... and even when I go and visit other faires, I'm participating (always remembering never to act in any way to upstage  another or to distract or anything, and ale=ways to mention that I am a visitor) but I still end up saying hello to every one I pass, pointing out the privies, and atms, and suggesting shows to folks who don't know what's good.
I end up bored, otherwise....