My impressions of Scarby

[mpullen]

Okay, my points of reference are TRF and Excalibur, so I may have slanted opinions.

Point 1 - Camping

The owners really need to consider Playtron camping. After adding up the motel and food bills from this weekend, I figured it cost me more than $200 more than if I had camped. With the closest camping at Lake Bardwell (20-30 minute drive), why don't the owners want campers?

Point 2 - Layout

With most vendor booths smaller than TRF, there are many more and packed in a smaller area. The overall layout makes an interesting session. I enjoyed making a new turn and finding an area that I hadn't seen before. I thought I had seen everything and then found another path with other booths.

Point 3 - Covered food/entertainment areas

Much better than TRF. Kings Pavilion for entertainment, Rose & Crown for an enclosed dining area, and many more enclosed pubs.

Point 4 - Friends of Faire

Why doesn't TRF have this offering? The close parking has a very dear value, along with the free beverage stations, and the 10% discount at the souviner stands. From what I saw of the parking for the non-FOF and knowing that I make frequent exits/entries to change garb and rest up, I'm glad for the shorter walk.

Point 5 - Camping

Did I mention this?

Point 6 - Food

Okay, this is my critique. Much as everyone has an weed kicker, everyone has an opinion.

Since only one booth serves the food, you will know what vendor this identifies.

Steak-on-a-stake: Raw (underdone) and far too tough (boot leather comes to mind)

Reuben: I didn't notice the sauerkraut (it looked and tasted more like onions), where was the Swiss cheese?, the russian dressing was weak, suggest 1000 island better.

Fish and chips: this was very disappointing. I would think a F&C shop in a Renfaire would have the classic frying method. Folks, blackened cod really sucks.

My best fare of Faire food was the Shepard Pie at the Rose and Crown Inn. At $9 it was a bit pricey, but the enclosed dining area and a goodly portion made this my choice of the weekend. Perhaps I'll try their meat pie on a future visit.

Point 7 - Camping

Hmmm, did I mention this before?

Point 8 - Local Motels

The faire needs to build a list of local motels that offer a discount for Faire attendees and their location relative to the Faire. There is a motel that looks like it almost finished construction right at the Highway 35 exit to the Faire. My group stayed at the Super 8 motel north of the Faire exit. $ 200 for the weekend was a bit pricey.

Point 9 - Camping

Okay, I repeat myself. Just give us a space in the parking area to plop our campers or tents down. We need our drumming/fire circle area. Seems the local motels don't appreciate drummers much and fire circles far less.

Okay, opinion now turned off. Going back to mundane mode.

[LadyElizabeth]

So the camping issue is why I don't attend Scarby more... last year we went more than ever cause our friends had a camper for us to stay in.  This year, they aren't going really at all, so we're back to square one and having the same issues as Mike here...  I don't have boat loads of extra cash hanging around and I don't know anyone who lives close to Waxahachie since it's kind of in the middle of no where... so this year, sadly, we're only going once to Scarby!!!  And to me, that is super sad cause I have friends who's home fair is Scarby and it's the only times I see them...

For this up coming weekend for instance, we had a choice between Scarby and Fourwinds.  Since we'd have to pay for a hotel room at scarby or lug all our camping gear and drive a million miles in the morning, we chose Fourwinds!!   You'd think the Scarby owners would see the benefit and extra money involved in adding camping, from what I've heard, these owners are really into money!!

[angusmacinnes]

Even though I live relatively close I agree that the camping thing is something that should be concidered by the owners.  Maybe someone here that is affiliated with the owners might lend some words on this subject. 

[cowgrrl]

Re Food:

Try Victors Pasta Palace near the stage where Iris & Rose perform.  My kids asked this weekend if we could go to the place with the 'roses' (pasta roses).  It isn't as varied as what you'd get at TRF but the pasta place is awesome IMO.

Agree with you that the close parking is awesome.  For various reasons I wasn't able to get to Scarby until after 1pm.  I saw some people getting out of their cars in the non FOF area as I drove up.  I drove in, parked, rummaged around in the car for a few minutes & then started to get out & arrived at the front gate about the same time they did.  Well worth it!

[CassandraR]

mpullen- I don't think you covered the camping...could you fill us in on that?  Hehe- I am just kidding..really...so don't take it any other way than that- please! 

I think you had some good pointers, though. Perhaps someone will pass that info on to the owners- who knows maybe one year it will be part of the new additions.  Or I wonder if it would be an insurance issue as to why they don't...who knows *shrugs*

[mpullen]

mpullen- I don't think you covered the camping...could you fill us in on that?  Hehe- I am just kidding..really...so don't take it any other way than that- please! 

I think you had some good pointers, though. Perhaps someone will pass that info on to the owners- who knows maybe one year it will be part of the new additions.  Or I wonder if it would be an insurance issue as to why they don't...who knows *shrugs*

I was told that the Faire owners were lawyers, so they were sensitive to any liability issues as far as camping was concerned. I would be happy to drive back up and meet with the Scarby owners to suggest a Playtron campgrounds layout. We don't need power or showers (but those would be really nice). I'll look at the Participant camping layout as soon as I can see the Google Earth map.

[CassandraR]

Good luck with the map- if you have no luck with the owners, maybe you can find somebody who lives nearby with lots of land who would be willing to make some money.

[Sonata]

I know I'm in the minority, but it doesn't bother me that there's no camping at Scarby. So far it's the only faire or faire related activity I go to that doesn't involve sleeping on a slowly deflating camp bed or a sofa for at least part of the weekend.

I also don't mind missing TRF's 'magical' experience of waking up first thing in the morning and trying to figure out how I managed to take a shower before I went to bed and yet somehow woke up dirty.

Camping is great and camping is fun and camping is cheaper and I enjoy it a lot, but I really like hoteling it just for Scarby!

[Savol Stormshadow]

I also don't mind missing TRF's 'magical' experience of waking up first thing in the morning and trying to figure out how I managed to take a shower before I went to bed and yet somehow woke up dirty.

*snort*

I do like hoteling it every now and then, and I especially enjoy plumbing. It's a treat!

[Love Good Wood]

there must be some kind of city ordinance because you can't find a camp area ANYWHERE around Waxahachie... i agree there should be camping available... (the faire would make an additional $10 or so per car... like TRF)... everyone knows there IS camping there because the vendors/performers camp thereand there IS plenty of room... i live in Waxahachie about 10 minutes from Scarby and i would camp there... it's a great experience

PLUS in this time of economic decline it is hard for people to come up with $200 a weekend (on top of Faire costs... i mean $6.50 for a Turkey leg) to pay for a hotel... it would be a shame to see a loss in patrons/playtrons due to rising costs

[raevyncait]

Point 8 - Local Motels

The faire needs to build a list of local motels that offer a discount for Faire attendees and their location relative to the Faire. There is a motel that looks like it almost finished construction right at the Highway 35 exit to the Faire. My group stayed at the Super 8 motel north of the Faire exit. $ 200 for the weekend was a bit pricey.

The motel at the Scarby exit is the Texas Inn, which was damaged last March in a storm. You do NOT want to stay there. Trust me on this.  The damage was a HUGE improvement. We stayed there the first year we spent a whole weekend at faire.  All of the rooms are 2nd or 3rd floor, no elevator or escalator.  All of the rooms face west. A/C unit was similar to a window unit that was built into the wall of the bathroom at the back of the room (east side of building).  We left A/C on low when we left so that we might return to a relatively comfortable room temperature-wise. Housekeeping apparently turned it off, because when we got back to the room it was about 103 degrees because they'd also left the drapes partially open.
From what I saw as I was going to/from faire this weekend, it looks like it's being remodeled, as opposed to rebuilt and the situation will be the same.

[Your Grace]

This is the nearest camping to SCARBY it is about at most 10 min for the gates.  I hope this helps.

Dallas Hi Ho Campground
200 W. Bear Creek
Glenn Heights, TX 75154
Toll Free: (877)619-3900
Phone: 972-223-4834
E-Mail: hihorvpark@yahoo.com

[RenRobin]

So the camping issue is why I don't attend Scarby more... last year we went more than ever cause our friends had a camper for us to stay in.  This year, they aren't going really at all, so we're back to square one and having the same issues as Mike here...  I don't have boat loads of extra cash hanging around and I don't know anyone who lives close to Waxahachie since it's kind of in the middle of no where... so this year, sadly, we're only going once to Scarby!!!  And to me, that is super sad cause I have friends who's home fair is Scarby and it's the only times I see them...

For this up coming weekend for instance, we had a choice between Scarby and Fourwinds.  Since we'd have to pay for a hotel room at scarby or lug all our camping gear and drive a million miles in the morning, we chose Fourwinds!!   You'd think the Scarby owners would see the benefit and extra money involved in adding camping, from what I've heard, these owners are really into money!!

Lady E,
Does this mean we will be seeing you at Fourwinds come this Easter weekend?

[captmarga]

Most of the people camp at Lake Bardwell, which is about 15-20 minutes away.

Camping as such, for the performers, is allocated and limited.  Since the parking lots quite fill up, there isn't really room to put in camping as well, that I understand.  Camping does come with an entire new set of issues and liabilities.

You might look in Duncanville, Red Oak, Ovilla, and Midlothian as possible search keys.

Personally, with court garb and hubby on CPAP, camping is no longer an option.  We live about 45 minutes from Faire, and make the back and forth trip each night.  Besides, the critters at home (dog, cats) insist on being fed, and we usually have people from further afield staying with us.

Capt. Marga