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The Old Wisconsin Renaissance Faire News

Started by Lord Clisto of York, March 16, 2009, 04:22:52 PM

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Lord Clisto of York

Yepper I got it. I left you another message on it.
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Crooked Creek

We are vender's that own a building at the current Wisconsin Renaissance Faire site. All we have heard are rumors, and no one has made any type of contact with us in regards to possible changes of ownership or location. Can you explain this?

Lord Clisto of York

If you write me off the board I can give you more information. I will give you my cell number on a private message and you may call me any time from noon to 4 pm daily mon to fri. Which shop do you have again? Send me that all on a PM too. I will be happy to let you know what I know for now. But, you should have someone getting in touch with you soon.

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Lord Clisto of York

Hello my friends,

  I have some news about the Upper Wisconsin Renaissance Faire.  I know people have been asking questions and waiting to hear if there is any new news about it, so I will try and shed some light on this situation.  As many of you are aware, the Upper Wisconsin Renaissance Faire came into some troubled times and ended up having to file for bankruptcy this year. This was due to having a bad year in 2008 and not being able to meet the cost of what the main land owner wanted.  So, this land in the meantime was put up for farm auction just this month to anyone wanting to purchase it. Before this time, vendors and others were told to remove any buildings or property they had on the site before the auction date.  It was not known if there even would be a faire from any new owner of the land. This is where things have been.

   Well, the auction has now completed and the new owners of the land are supposedly going to try and keep a faire going on the current property. This consists of some people who were involved before, but not any of the main core owners except for the main land owners. Many of the people you have all come to know are not in it. See the article on the sale and plans for the old area below –

http://www.chippewa.com/articles/2009/07/30/news/doc4a71f0f76eb14722441556.txt

At this point I want to interject, that during all of this, WE, of the main core of owners from before have been looking for a new location to have our original faire. We have looked at several locations and have found one which we like very much and suites everyone well.  Therefore, I want to make it clear, that although these new owners of the Chippewa land are saying they are going ahead with the faire, it WILL NOT be the faire that everyone knew.  It will be a different entity all together and possibly wont even be Medieval, but are unsure until it happens.  And, they may try and make it similar. Also, the name Wisconsin Renaissance Faire is still owned by the originals and will carry forward to the original rebirth faire to happen as well in 2010, but the same as everyone knew it to be. So, there will be the possibility of TWO faires, but only one will be like it was, and that one will be at a new location, owned by rennies, performers and vendors.

    The land which we have seen and have at our disposal is a great area with way easier access. It is between Glennwood City and Downing, Wisconsin, closer to the Minnesota border.  We have already established that the two individuals who have the land are willing to run some of the faire as one is the rennie that owns the land and they have shown heavy involvement now.  Thus, we ARE looking at having the REAL Original Wisconsin Renaissance Faire in 2010, for three weekends from the last weekend in July and the first two weekends in August. This has been moving along at a good pace for now. It will start out smaller as it should have done, and we will go from there.  Yes, we are aware it will run when Bristol is on and it will also end the weekend before Minnesota Faire opens.  There are reasons for this which I will not go in to at this time. Anyway, this is the information I have at this point. I hope this will clear up some things and the uncertainty. In the meantime, if anyone has any questions, please e-mail me and I will try and answer what I can.  Below is a link to a map of Glennwood City, Wisconsin.

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&rlz=1T4SUNA_enUS221US221&ei=30dySvXyC5SCNoeAlbEM&resnum=0&q=glenwood+city+wisconsin&um=1&ie=UTF-8&split=0&gl=us&ei=6EdySo-PPJX8Me77lLEM&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1

Sir Clisto
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DarkMoor Camping

Salutations!

Is this fix permanent? If so I am sadeneded..ede.ended

=)

My wife and I are living in California. We just had a baby and have decided to move back home...

Home = the midwest in general but for me its Pepin, Nelson, Euclaire even Racine...

Our plan was to purchase land or an existing campground, and develop it with a main purpose of supporting camping and a Renfaire.

I just recently decided to find a way to "meet" a faire organizer, and lo I find you who live so close to my home...in need of that which I wish so eagerly to provide.

I am saddeneded.

If there is any room for collaboration, I would love to be contacted. Please e-mail me at Shane.Beegle@gmail.com

I am not sure how "involved" I will be with this particular forums while trying to sleep every minute our baby lets us, but I will be sure to check my e-mail at least once a day.

HUZZAH

-Shane

Prospective owner/manager and wifeslave of the soon to be realized DarkMoor camping

Lord Clisto of York

#20
Another Update....

Very interesting..... Just another update on the issue with the new faire owners who took over the land in Chippewa and are trying to make the faire still a go for next year. First, I want to state again, that WE, of the original Wisconsin Renaissance Faire that was there, are not affiliated with A1 Excavating who has purchased the land and are trying to make it a go for 2010. Our new faire will be located elsewhere as stated before.

Now, having said this and making it clear, for those of you who do not know, A1 Excavating, the new owners of the land which want to try and make it a go with their own faire, has just lost a large lawsuit for a discrimination totaling over $700,000.00. Yes, these are the people that want to own and run this venture. They have also not to long ago been cited for many OSHA violations also totaling $700,000.00. Below is the recent article on the matter above which verdict came down I believe just a week ago around August 7th. Just follow the link to read it -

http://www.wqow.com/Global/story.asp?S=10868176

Just felt I needed to put this out there for everyone so the two partys do not get lumped into the same kettle. The McVeys, and others of us who were original investor/owners as well as performers of the original faire management in Chippewa for the first three years it was running are in no way associated with this new group, thus us starting over elsewhere.

Clisto
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Lord Clisto of York

#21
One More Update...

One More Article about A1 Excavating who bought the faire/land in Chippewa Falls. This one goes into more detail about the big discrimination lawsuit and settlement. This is from the Leader Telegram online from the Chippewa area. It is just unreal. And they want to own/run a faire. Follow the link below -

http://www.leadertelegram.com/story-news_local.asp?id=BKQEAIUT06J

Clisto
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Crooked Creek

I feel I need to add a comment to this page.

To all situations there are always more sides to every issue than the one being shared. I want to encourage everyone with questions, interest or concerns regarding the continued Faire in Chippewa to look at all sides of the picture, and make their own determination as to what they personally want to do. One sided information can be very misleading. Contact the current owners. Hear what they want to do. Consider your options and decide for yourself.

Crooked Creek has done that and is staying in Chippewa. We feel this is the best decision for us based on past and present experiences.

It seems in today's society that everyone has an agenda. My agenda in writing this entry is simply to ask you to make sure you are well informed before you make any decision regarding your involvement in either Faire. Do what's best for you.

Lord Clisto of York

Quote from: Crooked Creek on August 30, 2009, 09:44:21 AM
I feel I need to add a comment to this page.

To all situations there are always more sides to every issue than the one being shared. I want to encourage everyone with questions, interest or concerns regarding the continued Faire in Chippewa to look at all sides of the picture, and make their own determination as to what they personally want to do. One sided information can be very misleading. Contact the current owners. Hear what they want to do. Consider your options and decide for yourself.

Crooked Creek has done that and is staying in Chippewa. We feel this is the best decision for us based on past and present experiences.

It seems in today's society that everyone has an agenda. My agenda in writing this entry is simply to ask you to make sure you are well informed before you make any decision regarding your involvement in either Faire. Do what's best for you.

I totally agree and in no way am discouraging people from performing, or vending or whatever there. I just do not want people to go into anything blind either. And I feel, with all do respect, your statement is trying to get others to look the other way from any real facts. They need to decide and see what is, is. I am merely letting everyone know of the situation as it unfolds since it has been brought up by others in the past. I do not, and repeat do not deal in any rumor mill and it is one of my big pet peeves. And I am not saying you or anyone else has said so, so I want to make that clear before my next statement.

The FACTS which I have posted are just that without a side either way. These things happened, from the sale to the criminal charges, to what people are planning on doing. It is as, as you stated, up to any individual to look into things further and take what steps they want to do whatever they feel they would like to do. But, it isn't a "More Sides" issue since fact is fact. There may be underlying circumstances in things, but it is what it is, let us not forget that and whatever outcome came from the issues presented no matter what anyone says. To assume otherwise would be to disregard the truth or facts. And then decisions are going to be based on things other then that. I am merely the messenger of said facts. And, as more information comes to light, if it does, I will gladly post it either way to let people know. I spend a lot of time in my faire season thwarting rumor from faires and other venues which people hear from a friend of a friend etc or from this place etc... I go to the source and as you stated as well everyone should do on any future questions or issue. I just say do not look past any real facts. They are a matter of record and are what they are and do not change. I am glad you have decided to do what you find best for you with this. I hope it works out for you.

Respectfully
Lord Clisto, Duke of York

PS - anyone has any private questions or comments for me please e-mail them to me at - sirclisto1@sbcglobal.net 
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Crooked Creek

I want to thank you for sharing with us your hopes that this works out for us. It's appreciated.

Trust me, if you can, when I say I agree; there are concerns. There is a lot of information out there and as you rightly pointed out, there are some major issues. Anyone considering involvement with either Faire needs to be aware that these things have occurred. I am in no way saying that all past events should be overlooked. They are there and need acknowledgment. I too have difficulty with rumors, and can only speak to what we have dealt with this past year.

We are in a unique situation as we purchased our building at the end of the Faire in 2008, based on the positive information we received regarding the financial status of the Faire from the previous management. Less than 6 months later we received a call from friends that live in the Eau Claire area asking us what was up. We had no idea. We attempted to contact members of the management team. We tried calling  and emailing. Unfortunately, we did not get one return call or email until April when we heard there was going to be a meeting in May to discuss what had happened and the possibility of finding a way to continue the Faire.  We attended that meeting and began considering our options. We attended the sale of the property and then went to check out the grounds. It's a year since the last Faire and we have not been able to use the building for the reasons we purchased it. It would be untrue if I said it wasn't aggravating.

2010 seems a long time from now, but at least it means we will have the chance to continue on with this new endeavor we started last year.
Perfect... No.
Problem free... No.
A risk... Yes.
A chance to actually use what we invested in .. without a doubt.

We met some amazing people, our first year as merchants, and wanted to continue the 5 week "working vacation". The people and the potential were what lead us to buy the building. We hope to meet more amazing people and work towards making a Faire there a success.

So wrapping this up, as I said the first time, not matter which Faire people consider, Do what's right for you.

Lord Clisto of York

Well said then. And true investments were made especially by vendors. The projected financial situation at that time was probably correct if it were not for 1) the bad weather all Wisconsin had which really took its toll on our faire as well as others. Bristol didnt even open on a Saturday due to flooding and lost a ton of money, and 2) one other incident which we were shocked to find which hurt us financially and could have kept us going for at least this season if it had not. It was unfortunate about the MGT issue since they are all good honest people. It just got to a point they had other issues which took the forefront of everything at the time to work on keeping the faire going after what had happened and they could not get back to everyone then. It was not intentional. And, there still is a lot more that happened I will not get in to here and is still ongoing, so I only want to move forward at this point letting things happen as they happen.

I can see your aggravation and understand. You are just one of many that got caught up in a lot of unfortunate circumstances. If you are able to recoup and once again use your building I am happy. I am also glad you enjoyed all the people there. It is always good to have that where one works. I wish you luck in your future. Personally I lost the acting gig there, but as life has its unexpected turns, I have been fortunate to perform since then with some fantastic people in Iowa which I am leaving this coming weekend do once again at the Des Moines Ren Faire. Now, to find something in the earlier time of year again.

Respectfully
Lord Clisto, Duke of York
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Dayna

Correction, Bristol did not open One Sunday in 2007 (weekend 7, Aug 19) due to flooding.  What that has to do with the WI faire between 2008 and 2009 is a mystery to me.  MNRF closed early on Saturday the 18th but was open the 19th and did good business both days.

Dayna Thomas
Dayna Thomas
Nixie's Mom
Bristol FoF Hench
Education Goddess...yeah, right
FoF Merchant Liason/Merchandizing Maven

Lord Clisto of York

#27
Thank you Unilady for the correction. The years go by so fast. I have been so involved with all the other stuff going on it went right by. It seemed all the same time since it was the weather. But the main issue was flooding like Bristol had prior. That's the connection. I-94 was closed for a week then and people had to go a long way to get through. There was also other areas of the freeway down and it killed us up there the first 2 weekends. This had nothing to do with 2009 at all except the final outcome from 2008. Everything started in 2008 season and then fell through after we didnt do well from weather and didnt have the funds enough to pay what the land owner wanted. Thus the land being sold this year. Does that make more sense. Sorry for the confusion.

Clisto 
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Lord Clisto of York

#28
Here is the latest on the OSHA fines and settlement for A1-excavating just issued.

http://www.leadertelegram.com/local_news/story/article_74f44c1f-850e-5b1e-83ed-b0d770e1fd7c.html

Now everyone is up to date on all the older news of the Old Chippewa Faire, formally known as the Wisconsin Renaissance Faire. I have heard they changed their name but to what I am not sure.
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Robert Phoenix

Clistro-long time no see (from the former Lord Michael Thwack).  I was down there for the first year and wasn't able to make it back again even though we wanted too.  I was bummed out when I heard it was canceled for the year but I'm glad to see things are movong forward rather than moving nowhere at all.