TRF, How big is too big?

[DonaCatalina]

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.

[Yrose]

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....

[analise]

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.

[Blue66669]

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.

[Bonny Pearl]

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.

[Molden]

... 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? 

... I kid... 

[eloquentXI]

... 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? 

... I kid... 

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!

[Molden]

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! 

[KeeperoftheBar]

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.

[Breandan]

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.

[Deadknight]

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.

[Harbinger]

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