Masters' Dinner

[groomporter]

Some of the major points I got from Peterson's talk at the Master crafters' dinner Saturday

Excavations next year will probably be expanding into the main parking lot -possibly wrapping around the Legend/ship stage.

MAF is hoping this will not require moving or replacing the Legend/ship stage. (I'm sure it's being rattled pretty hard by the occasional blasting happening so close to it)

In the near future, some patrons will probably have to park in some part of pit, or in the field below the horse ranch that serves as parking for the Halloween show -with shuttles to bring patrons to the front gate.

They have started bulldozing the woods behind the Witchwood Stage and the campground in hopes of gaining a couple hundred more parking spaces. (Unofficial word is that this area would probably require a lot of work so it does not become a quagmire when it rains)

Management is looking into the possibility of having a second general admission gate for the public, and that it seems to work well for a couple big Renfairs. (Speculation is it would be in the "games" area between the fencing booth and the BLT since there are no craft or food booths there. Could have and interesting effect on the flow of traffic for some crafters)

Someone brought up the problems with Festival Friday, (Patron's frustrated by only having some food booths being open, just a skeleton crew for a cast, no real business after the kids leave by 3pm, Crafters seem to be making less and less on Friday each year.) But it sounded like there would not be any changes and that JP thinks the outreach to the local community and schools is an important PR point and that changes like closing at 3pm, or 5pm would be too confusing.

Still no news on when the Hall of Master's might be rebuilt.

[Jon Hanslow]

thanks for sharing this information with us. Will definitely be interesting to see how things play out over the next few months.

[groomporter]

No problem, there were a few other things, but these seemed to be the most concrete things that management said as opposed to the normal pablum we get in response to other various concerns that get raised.

JP also said that they said they took out 75 building permits in the last year to do things like gut and bring back up to code the Feast kitchen. I have to admit that it makes sense for them to rebuild kitchens and food booths that directly make them money before they invest in rebuilding the Hall of Masters which is a source of advertising for us crafters but not a direct revenue source for MAF.

[Marietta Graziella]

I overheard a crafter this weekend discussing the number of booths up for sale...  Was there any mention or discussion about unhappy vendors or people just being unable to sustain their booths because of falling attendance, etc?

[groomporter]

No, at least not before I left. There was some mention that everyone's sales seem to be down. After a certain point in the evening it ends up people asking the same old questions and Peterson giving the same old non-answers.

So far there are fewer booths for sale than last year as listed in the Privie Counselor, the weekly participants' newsletter. Last year there were at least 18 for sale by last weekend. I think there was only a dozen or so from what I remember seeing this week, a couple of them were also up for sale last year, and I'm aware of four that were still available for sale 6 weeks before the show opened.

There's also often a few crafters who are just looking for a different locations. (Heck we've toyed with moving if we could get a deal on a slightly larger space that would let me display my bigger pieces) Wouldn't surprise me if we see more however with the way the economy is my sales have been up for the last 3 weekends, but was way down for the first three, so I'm expecting to be below last year's sales.

[Marietta Graziella]

There's also often a few crafters who are just looking for a different locations. (Heck we've toyed with moving if we could get a deal on a slightly larger space that would let me display my bigger pieces)

*snerk*

I just couldn't help but quote this and ask...  are you bragging?

[groomporter]

Just sayin' some of my "bigger pieces"* don't get displayed... 







*Fortunately one of my Celtic Art coffee tables in being displayed at the Celtic Junction this year.

[William_MacKean]

... my sales have been up for the last 3 weekends, but was way down for the first three, so I'm expecting to be below last year's sales.

I am hoping that this weekend's weather brings out the masses.  I hope our crafters do well.

The first 3 weekends were scary for us.  (1500 sales down from last year thru Labor Day)  We have managed to finally get back even with last year's numbers.  It was largely thanks to Sunday's beautiful weather.  With this weekend's weather, we might just surpass last year.  With the awesome core of help this year, I think I'll be OK.  Next year? Depends on who comes back.

[Charlotte Rowan]

Hmmm, a second "Main Gate" would be really interesting... especially in that location, might help get more traffic back in that area!!

Sounds like parking will be interesting next year. But we'll manage, we always do....

[groomporter]

Wouldn't expect the second gate too soon, sounded like they were still just toying with that idea. Although JP did make a comment that the site would become more "linear" which I assume means the pit excavations will expand south into the parking lot in the same direction they have been going, but not effect the fence line of the site itself.

[Jon Hanslow]

Wouldn't expect the second gate too soon, sounded like they were still just toying with that idea. Although JP did make a comment that the site would become more "linear" which I assume means the pit excavations will expand south into the parking lot in the same direction they have been going, but not effect the fence line of the site itself.

See, the thing that always gets me...ALWAYS...is when talking to other patrons or just people who are there once a year...I usually try and ask them what they think of the festival, of the new additions, new acts, etc...This year, people have been complaining more often than not about how cheap it looks now. And that makes me sad. We have so many great things to offer, yet people stay away or are turned off by the lack of matinence I suppose.

Is there any way we could make suggestions to JP about this? I know I've tried myself for years, and so has my family to obviously no avail. but perhaps if we all band together or something?

I dont know.

[groomporter]

Admittedly, part of the problem (beyond lower attendance and reduced revenues due to the economy) is that in the last couple years Scott County forced MAF to bring a lot of the food booths up to current code, so they've had to prioritize their spending on things behind the scenes.

[Jon Hanslow]

Aye, that I knew. But I know nothing of funding or things like that...hell, Id be willing to put up something small in terms of a donation to get the place shining again.

[groomporter]

One of the exciting things Carr, the Artistic director mentioned was the idea of offering the opportunity to redesign some of the old worn out stages to local theaters I assume as a project for theater arts students. Some of the original stages back in the day were designed that way..

[Jon Hanslow]

One of the exciting things Carr, the Artistic director mentioned was the idea of offering the opportunity to redesign some of the old worn out stages to local theaters I assume as a project for theater arts students. Some of the original stages back in the day were designed that way..

See, now THAT idea I like. (considering I am a Theater Major.....heh /shamless plug)