Central Texas Renaissance Faire June 20-21

[Lishy]

So Mammerus and I plan on making it out for this weekend affair, and more than likely camping.  Is anyone else going/camping/etc?  Be nice to get a group together around the campfire, and if we have some notice we can pool together to do hot dogs and smores, maybe?

We are most likely driving in Friday and leaving Sunday afternoon.  Anyone else?

[MysticXSab]

I have a few people that want to go. I really don't know too much about it, but I'm 99% sure I'll make it out for both the faire and camping. Anyone been before?

[Blackbead]

Ahoy, shipmates!

I have been and I heartily recommend this growing faire!  It is far, far from the maddening crowd but it is well worth the trip it takes to get there!  If you went to Hawkwood and liked it (or loved it!) then you will simply adore Central Texas Renaissance Faire!  They have an incredible assortment of food vendors for a smaller faire and the craft folk are plentiful, varied, and extraordinarily skilled!  They have a "barbarian" raffle that rivals the pirate raffle at TRF!  The fighting exhibition, even though on foot rather than horseback, is second to none and I have been to faires all the way from Maryland to Texas.  DEFINITELY give this one a try!  The ONLY reason that I will not be there is that I am already committed to another venue.  CTRF is one of those faires that I want to include in my schedule whenever I can!  You should, too!

Blackbead

[Dracconia]

I am going and working at Sherrwood Archery come and see me!

Can't wait to see the new faire and be with all of my friends again!

[Lady Kett]

Does anyone have any recommendations on nearby hotels, or nearby cities/towns to look for one? Hubby and I plan on driving down from DFW. Not yet sure if we will leave Friday night or early Saturday though.

[Queen Bonnie]

 I think Lockheart or Bastrop are the closest places with motels. I only live 40 minutes away- so don't  stay over.

[MysticXSab]

Issues are arising with a conflicting friends birthday. However, we will still be making it out. I'll try to give more specifics when I have them so we can coordinate at least communing for a little bit with all of you.

[eloquentXI]

Wish I could be there but it just won't happen, not with my trip at the end of the month.
I'll be there in spirit with everyone!

[Lady Kett]

Wheee! We are leaving Friday and driving to Austin. Staying closer to the airport as I found a better deal on hotels than in Bastrop or Lockheart and it will be about a 1 hour drive - which is our normal jaunt to Scarby.

I've given the hubby the first official "HUZZAH!" 

Hope to see you there!

[Dracconia]

Sad day....

Car issues...

Must work...

Can't come....

[Lady Kett]

/comfort to Dracconia!

[tastypasty]

I'll be there!  A legion of kids in tow!  Can't wait!  Must locate clean garb.....

Sherry

[MysticXSab]

My crew (smaller than expected unfortunately) quite enjoyed ourselves this weekend. Camping area left a bit to be wanted, but once in the correct spirits I don't think anyone cared too much. Not too many people stayed overnight, and honestly not too many even attended the fair, but those who did seemed a friendly lot.

At one point we went out searching for some large stones to use to raise a cooking surface over our fire pit, and distraught of our failed quest were saved by some of the owners. They showed us back to their private staying areas and directed us to a creek where we could find the stones we sought. On the way back, we were stopped by yet more of the owners whom engaged us in conversation. They all seemed really friendly and passionate about what they're doing.

We were also invited to attend a fire spinning/spitting demonstration later that night. Cooky and Darkon were quite entertaining and talented. There was also a guest performance by another firespinner named Patrick, who my group actually got to hang out with later that night.

Also of note is that some of the jousting company for Four Winds was in attendance and put on a pretty cool jousting performance.

Overall, the weekend was quite enjoyable. I know there seems to be some bad karma here from previous issues, which might explain the faire's current state. However, the passion of the people that still attend seems to be in high spirits and the good nature of the vendors/performers is admirable. If you've never been, I highly recommend going sometime. If you've been before and were scared off for some reason, I urge you to reconsider and to try to lend a small local faire your support. I doubt you'll regret it. That being said, if someone would like to try to organize a bigger attendance for next year, feel free to contact me to arrange it.

P.S. Did anyone else make it out? I'd love to hear about other peoples experiences.

[Bonny Pearl]

Mystic,

Would you please give a little detail of what the camping area is like? Primative? Fire pits allowed?  Enough camping for a large group?

It sounds like a nice little faire and we might venture out there next season.

Thanks!

[Lady Kett]

Hubby and I drove down Friday night and were there bright and early on Saturday. I think we were the first 2 patrons in the gate! We visited a bit with the guy at the front (where they sold tshirts, koozies and had the first aid station). I can't recall his name but he shared with us that they have about 50 acres total and were using about 10 of them this year. They had to move the camping because of one of the bridges having issues where the camping used to be. He also said that most of the vendors fell into place quite recently and they were excited to be having a faire at all - they'd been a little worried. We aren't camper types so we stayed at a hotel close-ish to the Austin Airport but we saw a couple of tents when we came in.

There were about a dozen-ish vendors and 2 food/drink vendors. We visited all the shops, talked with the vendors and performers as best we could. If I had the funds available I would have tried to buy something from everyone just to show them some support, but sadly we had this thing called a budget we had to work with!

We watched the belly dancers, the magic show and the fighters with the foam weapons. We stuck around for the parade and cheered and clapped and waved. But we left shortly after that and missed the Joust and Rat Pucking. Heard some patrons talking about how much fun they were having and the magician really played with the kids. So that's all great!

Unfortunately we had to leave Austin Sunday AM to head back to Dallas since the Prodigal Daughter was at home watching the pets and was having doggy-health issues so we had to get home. We'd planned on coming back Sunday later in the day to catch the afternoon activities.

We spent dinner on Saturday night pondering ideas to help CTRF. I sure wish we were more local so I could be motherly and help more, but since we don't camp, even offering to come visit for a weekend to try to do something would involve a hotel, which equals expensive after awhile. But since we all pretty much love faires here, I will share our two cents worth.

- I'm a pub person so not having a pub vendor on site was disappointing. You could bring in coolers but unless you dragged it around with you all day what would you do with it? We did see one couple with one sitting on a log but that didn't seem like something we'd do. I had a flask to keep me personally pubbed, but pubs to me bring adults together who generally like to be silly and have fun and cheer and say Huzzah! for no apparent reason. We did sort of think that in lieu of a pub a "Cooler Check" sort of like a "Coat Check" at fancy restaurants would have served a nice purpose if it was nearish the 2 food vendors. Rent a safe spot for your cooler for $1 was my idea. Not a huge influx of cash but how hard is it to keep track of coolers? (Please note I could be completely oblivious to how difficult it might be!) They said the pub vendor pulled out at the last minute - I have no idea how one goes about becoming a pub vendor at a Faire but by golly I'd be willing to try! (business license?, tax id?, liquor license?, insurance probably?, the silly Texas Unicard/Club Membership thing? sales tax? - if you know, SHARE the info! I could totally be a bar wench and be deliriously happy!)

- Lack of seating, and what seating there was, was generally out in the sun. It was quite toasty Saturday - hence our reason for leaving after a little over 3 hours. If there had been someplace with a bunch of picnic tables in the shade where people could sit, have a drink, munch on a pasty or beer bread and chit chat, it would have been nice to socialize a bit and we may have stayed for the afternoon.

- Weeds & Ground Keeping. This may just be me, I admit I have my quirks that Mr. K must deal with constantly. There was a lot of tallish grass and ivy/weeds. when I wear my capri pants or shorts and scrunch my socks down (we were not garbed) and have weeds whacking me in the ankles it makes me itchy and scratchy. A good tour with a weedeater would have made my day. We were not bothered by bugs, so that's wonderful - it's just my personal issue with wild flora whacking my ankles.

- Not a ton of kids games to keep the wee ones entertained. With just a little shopping and a few shows, I'd imagine keeping kids occupied is a parent's #1 concern. There was a little ring toss and home-made looking duck pond but no one was really "running" a game. The swing-thingamabob had no one to man it. I nearly volunteered until hubby pointed out it was in the full sun and if I drank from my flask doing that I'd hit the ground pretty hard rather fast! More of that would help people stay longer I think, although my favorite kids games involve giving them goldfish as prizes and that just isn't realistic in 100 degree temps! The poor fishies would be boiled by the end of the day!

- At $6 per adult and $2 (per person I think) to camp, CTRF can't be making any money for general faire improvement. We made sure to buy a tshirt and koozie figuring those would give some faire-profit to help. Had there been a jug for donations at that front first aid area, we'd have gladly tossed some money into it.

- It's a very rural area, so if you don't have directions you probably won't find it by accident and we saw no advertising nor heard any on the various radio stations we listened to. I know nothing about advertising or marketing really, but getting some flyers in local hotels in Austin, which is only 30 mins away, would surely help. And anywhere you can put up a flyer for sure, like grocery stores and such. We drove through Lockhart to get there and didn't see anything posted, like a flyer on a phone pole?. Of course for all I know that's illegal but it seemed odd to drive through 1 of the 2 nearby towns and see nothing. If there was anything, I also freely admit I could easily have missed it!

- We heard some folks talking about signs being stolen (BOO!) but that just generated an idea to have as many signs printed as possible with those wire doo-dads to stick in the ground like I always see new housing developments use. Get the pretty part with the CTRF look and info and leave a nice big box to write in dates - that would cover a few faires probably, get more of a bulk discount on the sign printing cost and just need to scribble in the date and maybe an arrow to get you down the right road. There's a cost to this, but more readily available signage should help get people there, which is the point. I have a great printer I work with for my real job and I'd glady talk to him about pricing and throw in a donation to cover at least part of the cost.

- We also thought that even though this was summer and not school-season, inviting the local high school(s) bands and choirs to come perform period-appropriate pieces then that would draw the locals in to see their kids and their neighbor kids, etc. Let them come in shorts & tees or whatever - costuming the whole group would probably not be reasonable. That would help spread the word. Plus this year there was one in February, so that would be during the school year (if done in 2010) and not nearly so hot - and any attendance at any time should help!

- Beg/borrow/plead for funding or donations for some radio ads. Again, no idea what that stuff costs, but a few well placed radio ads during the week or two before could only help!

- The structures need some love and attention. Looking at what Rengypsy & Co are doing with Sherwood could give CTRF some great ideas. There might be away to get some Rennie community lovin' to repair/build the structures to spruce it up a bit. Like I started off saying - I wish we were closer so I could go all motherly with them on a regular basis.

We did have a lot of fun and I hope CTRF keeps on going! If any of my half-baked ideas further develop themselves - in my mind or within the boards here - I think I will contact the Faire via their website and offer up whatever I can to help. Faires are not so plentiful that I want to let them slip through my (and our) fingers!

That is my rather long-winded 2-cents worth! Anyone else? (sorry for the LONG post!)