How much money do you spend on faire?

[maeven]

This year alone... Let's see, we went to Sherwood and we plan on heading to TRF for a few weekends... Let me try to crunch the numbers...

Sherwood was about 300 with hotel, yummies, stuff we brought home, garb that we got at the last minute, if I am not mistaken.

TRF is going to be a little more expensive this time around with once again, a new garb purchase (this is my last one for this year, I PROMISE!) and that's going to run me about 300, I think. We got some really good prices on our tickets, thanks to "deal" sites and that was about 100 in all, really. We plan on camping one weekend and that's going to cost 30, if I am not mistaken-I could be wrong. Plus, with all the stuff we got for camping, that's about 300, maybe 400...

And that's all I cam remember for now.


Yeah, it's a lot.

LOL

[Bobaganush]

Tickets + mead + turkey leg + one new piece for the costume = happy pirate!

[MrHyde]

I would estimate at 10,000.00 for this year but we have 5 kids so that is a large expense.

[DT_Masters]

I think I use about $600 for one weekend at Carolina.  That's meals, room, car, and some spending money.  For performer tip money I put all my coin change in a jar through the year.  A week or two before faire I take the jar to the bank and get gold dollar coins.  Carolina performers, I'm up to forty bucks so far.

DARN.....I was thinking of doing that next time, as oppose to having a bag of ones....but someone got there first! Not to say that I still won't do it, though. This last time, I tipped everyone I visited, that I saw they had a tip jar, on the $1 scale. They are part of what makes faire work and they do depend a lot on the tips.

As to the question, faire isn't cheap. A metal goblet here, $60, a coyote hide there, $400, a hat today, $100, a bullwhip yesterday, $120, and it goes on and on. It's probably fair to say that over a year, it's around $1000 for keepsake purchases, 50-75 each for food, tips, instant presents plus the cost of a ticket, with two-three visits to TRF and Scarborough, 2 or 3 to Sherwood, and 1 to Middlefaire, and then the cost of gas, wear&tear on the car, and the readjustment back to the work week.

Still, there are trade offs. Back in the 35mm days, one day could produce 18-27 rolls to then be processed at $4-5 a roll and whatever it cost to buy the roll in the first place. Those funds are now transferred to something else now that I shoot digital.

[Merlin the Elder]

Well, I won't say that I bought Homer, the Odyssey, just for going to faire(s), but we have put 6,000 miles on him since February on faire travel alone, plus another 11,000 miles for other travel...

By the time we drive to the faire area (closest faire this year-225 miles), camp at the local hotels, pay for chow, tickets, drinks, it's about $500 minimum. Average is probably closer to $1000 taking into account the jewelry, art, and miscellaneous stuff we waddle out with.

[Laird Fraser of Lovatt]

I spent MAYBE $100 this past weekend... Well, the rain cut down on the expenses a bit...

[mrsmccunn]

Free pass to TRF
Picnic with the Barbarian hubby, who is a slave to Queen Vendela
Dinner at the Borgias.
camping gear and garb already established
so in TRF opening weekend only spent less than $20
shush, don't tell King George!

Now the real expense was the gas for 2 vehicles to get there!

[Zardoz]

Saturday was a big day for me I spent about 70 bucks!

Ticket  - $12
TRF Pin - $5
The new Circa Paleo CDs- $30  
2 Cokes - $5
Pierogis - $7
Kettle Crack - $6
Assorted tips - $5

Next time, back to about 30 - 40 bucks a day!

[Grouser]

When I took guests (sister and her kids) to GLMF, between admission, food/drink, garb/souvenirs/merch, and tips for the acts I spent a bit over $200 on each of the two trips we made out there this year. Travel overhead was only about $30 in gas each time as GLMF is a day trip for me.

When I went solo to Ohio Ren this past weekend, between parking/admission, food/drink, souvenirs and tips I spent about $75 while actually at faire and about $55 in travel overhead for camping and gas (I was on my motorcycle - gas would have jacked that up substantially in my truck).

[Sir Ironhead]

With only one exception, too much 

of course it has always been worth it 

[Merlin the Elder]

That's the way we look at it, Sir Ironhead. It's the most fun we can have with our clothes on.

[Valiss]

Well the season is about to start and it looks like I need new pants this year, so I'm already on the hook for $40-50. I also need a new hat. I'm already afriad for my bank account this season!

[Norfolk]

Thus far this season (since January):

Trip to the Arizona festival:  Approx $1500
New court gown for the Duchess:  $1800
New matching doublet and slops for yours truly:  $1300
Enjoyment and Anticipation:  Priceless

[Valiss]

Thus far this season (since January):

Trip to the Arizona festival:  Approx $1500
New court gown for the Duchess:  $1800
New matching doublet and slops for yours truly:  $1300
Enjoyment and Anticipation:  Priceless

Wow, you win!  lol

I wish I had your budget. So many things I *need*.

[Norfolk]

Thus far this season (since January):

Trip to the Arizona festival:  Approx $1500
New court gown for the Duchess:  $1800
New matching doublet and slops for yours truly:  $1300
Enjoyment and Anticipation:  Priceless

Wow, you win!  lol

I wish I had your budget. So many things I *need*.

Actually the Duchess will readily admit that she doesn't "need" new court garb.  However, she is quite mystified as to why that should foreclose spending large quantities of cash upon same.   

(Actually, having been on court for four years, our "best" garb is becoming a bit sun-bleached and thin in spots.  So we are plowing our salaries back in to the enterprise, so to speak.)