I haven't seen any postings about the Medieval Faire in Norman, OK. I thought we might go up there this year, as my husband wants to visit some faires we haven't attended yet. Anyone here going? Any advice on what to see, where to stay, etc? Does anyone know who will be performing there this year?
Lady Morna
Ifn my lady can escape from work we will be going that way on Saturday. As for where to stay or anything else I too am clueless. Be ye looking for other small fairs You would be made welcome at The Spirit of Magic as well.
If we can, we will try to visit Spirit of Magic. Thank you for the invite!
Lady Morna
My friend & I will be heading up there on Thursday night. Other than The Rogues, I've no idea who is performing. We haven't decided where we are staying yet. Last year we were, I want to say at a Holiday Inn, but I might be wrong.
Last year was our first trip, and we were impressed with the variety of new and familiar vendors (Scarby is home for us), as well as a decent food selection.
Scally and I will be there every day, as always, from open to close, so I hope to have the chance to see all of you!
Here is the link for Norman Medieval Fair (http://www.medievalfair.org/visitor.html) and here's a google maps link to hotels near Reaves Park (http://maps.google.com/maps?um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=hotels+in+norman+ok&fb=1&gl=us&hq=hotels&hnear=Norman,+OK&ei=JfteTeeVKI6msQO5t4HeCA&sa=X&oi=local_group&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CA8QtgMwAA) in Norman.
Since this is our home Faire, Scally and I would love to offer to put together a pre-"cannon" (we don't even have a gate, much less a cannon) tailgate so we can all have a bite and a nip of something before starting the day, if anyone would be interested. Everything starts at 10am, so if anyone is interested in visiting a bit beforehand, just let me know and we'll throw something together. We're just about 40 minutes away, so we can get there by around 8am and set up a table and some goodies...
If Tullamore is there, go see them. They are just the best Celtic band on the circuit. I never miss them at a Renfaire. You can see them on YouTube if you type in "Tullamore Kansas City". They are amazing!
Rats! I have training at the NCED center but sadly will be arriving late Sunday, probably an hour before they close. Last year I was up for training and had a great time at the Norman fair. The NCED training center now rents rooms to anyone if they are not full up for Postal training or conventions and is a couple miles away from the Norman fair. You have to add a couple minutes to park the first time as its gated, but otherwise not too bad. I think it comes up now in a normal hotel search but if not here is a link http://cc.nced.com/html/oklahoma-city-lodging.asp#norman-oklahoma-hotel-room (http://cc.nced.com/html/oklahoma-city-lodging.asp#norman-oklahoma-hotel-room).
Doubt I'll get there before 6pm or so, but if I do, I'll try to get over to the last bit on Sunday. Hey, free parking, free admission, hard to beat that. Not sure of the entertainment, but loved the bird show last year though it was windy (welcome to Oklahoma) and one of the birds almost blew away.
Does everyone have ideas on which days they might be able to get here for NMF? I will be there all 3 days, but if everyone will be here for Saturday then it might be a good idea to have a meet-n-greet tailgate that morning, if there is any interest at all, anyway. If there is, then I can start making plans pretty soon, and get the table and things ready. It's in just over 4 weeks, now!!!
Greetings everyone, we will be there in our new Gypsy Wagon so remember you can bring your dogs. You can't miss the Rogues, they are always awesome.
Less than 2 weeks away!! This was my first ever faire to go to last year(ended up going to 3). I am now hooked and this will kick off my plan to attend 7 ren faires this year. Huzzah!!
Oh, awesome! Hope to see you there! I'll be there every day, so perhaps we'll meet in the lanes!
Since I haven't gotten any feedback on a morning tailgate, I guess I should just assume no one is interested in getting together for mimosas and pastries beforehand?
I will be there Friday and Sunday. Unfortunately I will be arriving around noon on both days.
I discovered last year that mornings are a bit tough for me, between finding where I was going and then getting everything ready that I need to in order to sell, etc. Don't know where all I will end up on walkabout between shows, but I will absolutely be near the stage where The Rogues are (sorry, I've no idea right now which stage) at least 15 minutes before, and usually about that much after each show, and would love to meet any of ya'll who are around!
Just confirmed with the fiance we will be there on Sat. Not sure about being in garb as both are in reconstruction phase have my fingers crossed though.
Well, I'll at least be wearing my R/F pin, so if anyone spots one painted green and bronze, that's me... and it's usually worn near one shoulder or the other. I'll keep an eye out for all of you, but since many of you don't have close-ups you may not be easy for me to find!
Would love to do the tailgate but will be arriving late as well. Look for the longhaired hippie with a dragon on his left shoulder it will be me. Still not sure about garb being ready.
Actually... that description could fit more people than you know! LOL I'll keep my eyes open, though!
My husband Mark (Laird Marcus MacLaren) will have on his R/F pin, but alas, the pin on the back of mine fell off last year and I am not sure where it is. (I need to order another one!) We will be the two rather (how should I put it?) "healthy-looking" Scottish redheads. He wears a kilt (I make sure he's got shorts under it, though!)
Lady Morna
I've got my pin in my jewelry box, I just have to remember to put it on! Rogues shows at the Gryphon Stage, 10:45, 1, 3:15 & 5:30 every day, the first 2 shows Friday and the last probably 2 shows on Sunday I'll be the only one selling CD's, so you can't miss me if you're at those for sure...
I'll have my pin on, as well, so we'll at least recognize each other as long as we're close enough to see them! Raevyncait, I'll be sure to introduce myself and my daughter after one of the performances! Maybe we can all manage to make it to the same performance!
I'm confident that all the shows will be great, but the first two on Friday and the last one or two on Sunday will be without Nelson (on drums mostly, but also some keyboards & accordion) or Corey (on fiddle) because of the flight schedules to get them here & back to Canada...
I'll certainly keep that in mind, then! Thanks for the info!
Unless finances go "POOF!" between now and then, it looks as though myself, my other half, the 2 wee urchins, and my best friend (and partner-in-crime) will be in attendance on Saturday only. I doubt I'll bust out the garb (but one never knows) and then it would be a decision of WHICH garb to wear (Cap'n Emerald's garb or my wench garb ... hmmm...). If 'Danes win out, look for a tall, Ruben-esque redhead sporting a Kelly green Missouri Renaissance Festival t-shirt. That'd be me.
Out of curiosity, did the Noble Center do away with the $5.00 per vehicle charge they levied last year? It would be WONDERFUL if Med Faire went back to the free parking we had all enjoyed for years.
Emerald
I didn't know they were charging... but then I usually just bypass the big lot and head straight for the north lot that's attached to the park, itself. It's small, but I can always find a space open, because everyone else just assumes you have to park in the big lot. It's more convenient for tailgating, or if we need to drop off/pick up cloaks or anything. I'm still planning to bring mimosas and pastries at least Saturday morning, and if anyone would like to pop out to the lot for a quick sip during the day that is also an option!
I'd hate to miss anyone, so please PM me here and I'll give you my cell number so you can text me once you're there and we can meet up somewhere! Much easier than trying to spot R/F pins in that crowd! ;)
We're coming up on Saturday, and I think we are going to bring a friend who has never been to a Faire. Mark and I have planned to be in garb, but I don't know about our friend yet. He has some health problems, and may not be up to doing a whole lot of walking, so I plan on taking in a lot of shows!
Lady Morna
We're hoping to see more shows this year, as well, because usually we're so busy running around with friends... and shopping... that we miss most of the entertainment! It's not like the site is so huge that you can't get from one end to the other in just a few minutes... it's just that there are so very many distractions packed into that small space along the way! :D
well, and I don't know ANYONE who suffers from AD-ooooh SHINEY. nope, not a soul....
I'll be there on Saturday. I'll be taking pix for my website so if you see me (aka Robin Hood), stop me & I'll capture your image.
BossWench and I decided to forgo Sherwood's closing weekend and make the (shorter) drive northward.
Do they sell mead here or must I bring a seperate trailer? ;D
No meade, unfortunately... or any other alcohol. :( Best rootbeer and cream soda in the world, but no booze...
I'll have mimosas in the parking lot, however... ;)
It's FAIRE!!!!!!!!! ;D
Butterflies in the stomach...I'm like a kid on Christmas Eve!
You have to remember that Oklahoma was one of the last states to repeal Prohibition (1959). The last was Missouri in 1966, which is strange, since Anheuser-Busch is in St Louis...
It was soooo hot today... and there is so little shade that it was very difficult for me to stay. We left a couple of hours before closing (unheard of for me!), and tomorrow I won't be wearing a bodice, because it's supposed to get even hotter. I'm not sure what the official was today, but my phone said it was 90* at one point... and it was only predicted to be 70*.
Still, it was Faire... and tomorrow I will simply wear a bit less, and drink a great deal more water!
OY! I think it's going to be hot at Scarby preview as well, but I'm thinking of going as a Hawaiian Wizard....
As much as I love Faire, when it's really hot, we don't stay but maybe 3 hours. Both hubby and I are on medications that don't go well with heat. We still enjoy what time we can, though!
Lady Morna
(who will be sporting more of a pirate look tomorrow; it's too hot to be noble!)
Sadly, I didn't manage to see anyone today :( hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to walkabout a little more, and see more folks. Instead of walking around, I'll be spending much of the day at the sales table for The Rogues, back behind the audience at the Gryphon stage!
300,000 people visit the Norman Medfaire over the period of a weekend. Isn't that amazing for a "dry" event in Oklahoma? HUZZAH!
We were barely able to make it through half of the SCA area today, and part of the middle, because of the heat. I'll be less garbed tomorrow, and more "eclectic Gypsy", because I would rather attend and see everyone and everything in at least a bit more comfort than have to leave early again because of heat exhaustion.
Last year the weather was much more historically accurate!!! :D
Quote from: Craigmeister on April 02, 2011, 12:07:03 AM
300,000 people visit the Norman Medfaire over the period of a weekend. Isn't that amazing for a "dry" event in Oklahoma? HUZZAH!
All due respect, Craigmeister, I think you might want to check the decimal point. That's 3 times the population of Norman. If they came 4 to a car, there would be a string of cars 192 miles long. I believe a lot of strange stuff, but I'll have to pass on this one!
Actually, Merlin... that's been the "official" count on the Faire's website for the last few years, although I'd say it's probably closer to 3/4 of that. Since it's a free event a lot of local people come for an hour or two and then leave, and only about 3-4% come in garb and stay for 4 hours or more, but the sports stadium right next door has 4707 paved parking spaces, and about that in paved and unpaved spaces in the open lots all around the park where the festival is held, and they're almost always at capacity, even though the traffic is constantly in motion. People come from all over the state for it, also, and a lot of people come in from out of state just to shop for accessories, since the prices for most things are pretty reasonable. It's the season kick off Faire for a lot of vendors, and many of them choose to miss, or delay, 8 week runs just so they don't miss the sales at our Faire. Friday is also School Day, and middle and high schools from all over the state bring buses full of kids. They usually stay an average of 2.5 hours, and the paved parking lot is at least half full of buses all day, so 4000 buses with 44 students each is 176,000 students, all in one day... And that's just Friday. Oklahomans do love their festivals... even if they don't really want to dress up for them, or stay all day. ;)
Jeez! If that's the case, why just a soft faire? That's bigger than Scarby, population-wise. Call me a doubting Thomas. I still have a hard time with those numbers, but glad that it goes so well for everyone.
Today was our first visit to the Medieval Faire of Norman. I was NOT expecting it to be so big! It felt more crowded than Scarby for sure! Because it's under "Smaller Southern Faires", I was expecting something rather small. We couldn't stay very long because our friend who came with us wasn't feeling well; however, it was dazzling!
I would like to say I was a bit overwhelmed at Sat. crowds but did enjoy myself even though I forgot to put a number in my cell and missed a chance to meet Rani (SO SOORY) as I was looking forward to the oppurtunity. I did bring Magic my shoulder dragon and was able to make several wee ones smile(Now thats true magic) not to mention Magic was a big hit with adults as well. Experianced several rude vendors which kept money in my pocket but my hats off to the good people of Norman as for such a large crowd I was TOTALY impressed with the common courtesy of both the playtrons and mundanes HUZZAH for both. Did anyone else parking at the Loyd Noble Center conceptionalize the concept of Medieval Gymnastics?
This morning I discovered that I'd gotten my first sunburn of the year, or should I say, "ren-burn", as one can plainly see where my bodice's neckline was! My husband got the top of his head burned. We just didn't think about getting sunburned so early in the year. :D
The sun is brutal here, no matter what time of year, and shade at our Faire is almost non-existent! My bodice burn is nice and crispy this morning, and I wore sunscreen AND carried a parasol... and I'm headed out again today! Not wearing much in the way of garb today, though, because I just can't take the heat. I'm going "eclectic Gypsy" today, just because I can... ;) Might even wrap a sari around my head and shoulders to protect them from any more damage...
'Tisn't easy living in this climate when you're a blue-eyed, ivory-skinned redhead. I used SPF 50 sunscreen and still burned. It was worth it, though.
Quote from: Merlin the Elder on April 02, 2011, 03:39:27 PM
Jeez! If that's the case, why just a soft faire? That's bigger than Scarby, population-wise. Call me a doubting Thomas. I still have a hard time with those numbers, but glad that it goes so well for everyone.
It's a soft site because the Faire itself started as something the English dept of OU hosted in 1977 as a one day event on the campus, and it's grown from that to what it is now. I believe it might now be administered by the City of Norman, or perhaps in conjunction with the college (that part is unclear on the website), and sponsored by the City of Norman Parks and Rec Dept, as well as many local businesses and organizations. So, since there is no private ownership of the Faire, it's simply held in the biggest park in Norman. No year-round site maintenance, no admission fee, no extended season, easy clean up and massive 3 day attendance. The tax and vendor fee revenue for the City is pretty enormous, also... Besides, there's already a hard site Faire in Muskogee, and they don't draw anywhere near the attendance that Norman does, but it's precisely because it IS only 3 days that makes people want to attend. If they could go just any ol' time within an 8 week run, and have to PAY to get in, as well, it would probably lose a lot of it's appeal pretty quickly.
Lady Morna, I'm not ivory-skinned, have very dark hair, and used good strong sunscreen, and I'm pretty crispy, myself! Ouch!!!
And what a sof site it is The logistics of this event must truly be a nightmare at times. Huzzah to all those who actively participate in creating this mobile city. I still have yet to see a show in my last 5 Fest one of which is mine. Personally this was way to big for me but in spite of my own anxieties I still enjoyed myself would have liked to have met a few of you good folks but alas tis my loss. Folks I dont like big fairs but would recomend this one in a heartbeat.
Rabbi, I believe Scally and I stopped to talk to a gentleman who had a friend upon his shoulder, and another in/on his hand. Could that have been you, by chance? We were so overwhelmed by the crowds that I forgot I was supposed to be looking for a shoulder dragon, and it wasn't until I was reading here yesterday that the encounter replayed in my mind. If it was Saturday then I wasn't in my regular garb, but was wearing a deep red patchwork velvet peasant top, and layered thin silk skirts in shades of light orangy pink and light green, and carrying a basket. Not easy to remember a single swift encounter amongst that mad swirl of color and faces, I know!!!
Per Chance while I didnt have a second friend I was holding a second dragon thinking about buying it until vendor got rude. I understand about the being overwhelmed part so no worries there. I do hope you are still planning on being here in May and if so well You wont have no choice but to meet me lol.
We'll still be here then... LOL
Tell me, have you spoken to a group called Silverwolf Productions (http://www.silverwolfproductions.net/) about bringing their pirate ship, by any chance? I'm not sure if they will be booked that weekend, but you might at least open a dialog with them, because they are a wonderfully unique attraction, and fascinate adults and children, alike!
My pics from the fair.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ronald_the_bald/sets/72157626317022335
Wonderful shots, Sir Ronald! I see you have a particular fondness for our joust! Love the HDR work, btw, and the raptor shots are absolutely breathtaking... I wish we were able to catch more shows, but the lack of shade usually keeps me out of the audiences, I'm afraid.
I have a few shots of the crowds I remembered to take on Sunday so I could show Merlin what it's like out there, but the dirt and grass laden wind cut the attendance by at least 1/3, so it's not really representative of what it was like Friday and Saturday. I'll see about loading them here, since Merlin isn't on facebook...
My NMF 2011 album (//http://://www.facebook.com/album.php?fbid=1793358206127&id=1604843044&aid=2097760¬if_t=like)...
It's not the whole joust I have a fondness for. Just one of the squires.
;D
The Medfaire's Facebook page posted its attendance figures for this year's faire. It is around 400,000 people now. It's amazing to see how popular this faire is.
If you want smaller crowds, come to Tulsa's King's Champion Medfaire this September. This will be our 4th year, so there will be much more room. We have no entry fee or parking fee. (I had forgotten that I had to pay for parking last year at Norman.)
www.kingschampion.net
Bad bad weather with at least one confirmed tornado confirmed in your neck of the woods.
Just checking in to make sure that everyone is ok.
Scally and I are ok, and things are starting to clear up here, a bit. Still no power, though, but Edmond seldom loses it for very long, so... woops! It just came back on!!! Lol
Hope everyone else is ok, also!