Good site

[EoganmacL@aol.com]

Greetings unto all assembled!

I have never autocratted an event, and so far, have no immediate plans to.
 But I _have_ had fun at many events!  And I think that makes me qualified to
give my opinion on a good site.
The site that I have liked the most, that I have been to recently, has been
the King's Mountain State Park site.  (I think it's actually Camp Cherokee,
or something, but it's part of or near the State Park).  I asked myself, what
was it that made this site so much fun.  It's the ambiance, I believe.
It's outdoors.  While this may not be a plus if it is raining or cold, it is
a BIG bonus if the weather is nice.  I've been to many good events where I
spent the whole time indoors, but it was not the same.
The layout of the cabins with a central dining hall is nice.  This gives it
that small village feel that lends itself to an SCA event so nicely.  The
buildings are wooden, and all have porches that can be decorated and sat on
for leisure.  All the tables in the feast hall are wooden as well.  While
it's a minor point, it lends itself to the atmosphere a lot better than fold
out tables do.
It's in a rural setting.  All aroud you is forest or a lake.  This also lends
itself to the feel of a midieval village more than, say, a highway or an
office complex.
Like I mentioned earlier, the layout is nice.  The parking lot is near the
cabins (unless you want one by the lake) and the feast hall.  And the feast
hall is near the list feild, so you can see the tourney from the porch.  And
there is ample shade for merchants to set up in.
Most of these things are purely aesthetical, and things like bathroom and
kitchen facilities, cost, and drinkable water should surely be considered
beforehand.  But it's the little things that add to the atmosphere that make
the difference betwen a good and a great site.

Aye,
Eogan