Let The Countdown Begin!

[Rani Zemirah]

Our Castleton is fairly small, also... although not a soft site... but it also has plenty to recommend it.  And it's NOT dry...    lol 

Circa Paleo will be performing here for our 4th weekend, and of course the Bedlam Bards have been regulars for years, along with Cast in Bronze and Black Oak Shillelagh.  And more... it may be smaller than most of the Faires you're all used to down there, but we do know how to pack a lot into a small space up here!  You might even find yourself wanting to come back again...   

[Laird Fraser of Lovatt]

Our Castleton is fairly small, also... although not a soft site... but it also has plenty to recommend it.  And it's NOT dry...    lol 

Circa Paleo will be performing here for our 4th weekend, and of course the Bedlam Bards have been regulars for years, along with Cast in Bronze and Black Oak Shillelagh.  And more... it may be smaller than most of the Faires you're all used to down there, but we do know how to pack a lot into a small space up here!  You might even find yourself wanting to come back again... 

Nasty likes  going out to the Castle...in his words, "small but nice, with the owner on site and mingling with people..."

In Nasty's defense, he'd never been to any faire that wasn't a permanent fixture.

[Hospitaller]

Fraser... just because they don't SELL any booze doesn't mean you can't bring it with you.  It's a FREE Faire (and has been since 1977)... there aren't even any gates or fences, and no one stopping anyone anywhere to ask what's in their tankard or flask!  No one would even say anything at all if you walked around dragging a cooler behind you in your little red wagon!  You just have to be low key about it, and not carry cans or bottles in plain sight.  No one would dream of stopping anyone and asking what's in the cooler, because it's not against the rules to bring your own food and drink for the day. 

It IS fairly small... but it's a soft site, so tents only, and it completely disappears at the end of the third day, and turns back into a city park.  It's got some of the best shopping in the country, though, and there are vendors that skip 8 week venues to vend at this one weekend event, because it gets roughly 400,000 visitors through the grounds over the 3 day weekend, and everyone makes money there.  Some really great prices on just about everything, also.  This year there were over 200 vendors, and their wares have to be handcrafted items, with nothing manufactured allowed unless it fits the European Medieval theme, and all vending is juried in, so it's not just a bunch of cheap junk from China. 

It has a small budget, so it also has a small cast.  Most of the money it brings in goes to pay the entertainment, with continuous performances on 7 stages, and roving performers, as well.  They also allow local buskers to come out and perform, and pass the hat, as long as they don't interrupt anyone else's show.  Unfortunately, there aren't as many people up here who are willing to dress in garb, so there are always way more 'danes around than rennies, but that just means that it's easier to find each other.  They do have one of the largest single SCA encampments in the country, though, and a light armor joust and human combat chess match, as well. 

I'm not sure if it was just the lack of alcohol that put Nasty off, but there is plenty to recommend the Norman Medieval Fair if someone is willing to give it a chance, and doesn't insist on comparing it to huge businesses like TRF.  It's not a profit generating business in itself... but it IS an event that generates a LOT of profit for local business owners as well as local and traveling vendors... although it's only made possible through help from the Norman Arts Council Hotel Tax Grant Program and the City of Norman, as well as several other local sponsors.

Have to agree. For a small faire, it isn't a bad place to visit. Being a Medieval Fair worked well for me, as I won the historical kit contest in 2007 when we last visited. Judged by history professors from the college who were looking for historical accuracy as well as how much of the kit was hand-made.

Also found it had some nice vendors and everyone we ran into treated us well. Of course, 8 years may have changed it a bit....

[Laird Fraser of Lovatt]

*Hoping that buying tickets, Saturday, won't be an all day affair...*

[Laird Fraser of Lovatt]

*chirp*

[LadyJessica]

I just got word on my full Physical Inventory for this year...



It's the weekend BEFORE AHE!  YEAH BABY!! 

YEA!!! We won't have a grumpy Frasier this year!

[Laird Fraser of Lovatt]

You'll have a very DRUNK Fraser this year.  Lol 

[RenStarr]

Got my tickets first thing!  Good luck to everyone getting yours.

[Laird Fraser of Lovatt]

Got mine!  I was #503 @ 8:01am.  I had to wait a couple of minutes but it was a quick strike...in and out.

*At least I know i'll be there for the Big Three...everything else is still up in the air*

[KeeperoftheBar]

Got mine!  I was #503 @ 8:01am.  I had to wait a couple of minutes but it was a quick strike...in and out.

*At least I know i'll be there for the Big Three...everything else is still up in the air*

Me too.  I hope I see you there, my friend.

[Laird Fraser of Lovatt]

Of course, my friend!  I'll be having a bottle of joy with me!

*Time to start thinking about Loki flavors.*

Teach!  If yer out there, drop me a PM...

[Rani Zemirah]

I wasn't able to get tickets for us during the sale.    I was hoping to at least buy 4, just in case we are able to make it this year (by some miracle), and if not then I could at least sell them later to someone for the discount price, and make someone's day.  But we were on the road to the Castle (our Faire), and the website just didn't want to let me sign in on my phone at all.  I did try several times throughout the day, but I was never able to get through.  Very sad, because even if we were able to get down there I still wouldn't be able to afford $116 for 2 days of Faire (at this year's Gate price).   

[Laird Fraser of Lovatt]

That sucks, Rani...how was your faire?

[Merlin the Elder]

She got to see me, so, at least THAT part was good.... 

[Yrose]

Fraser, have you gotten a pm from me since the purple party?