Re: Regional event planning

[Denise McMahon <denise@access.digex.net>]

Poster: Denise McMahon <denise@access.digex.net>

Neil Maclay wrote:
> 
> Poster: Neil Maclay <nmaclay@psi.prc.com>
> 
> I was looking at the calender of events in
> the April Acorn and the need for some regeonal
> organization. For example on the last weekend
> in may both Storvik and Stierbach have tourneys
> scheduled. Both groups draw from the same pool
> of fighters and this schedule will hurt both
> events. 

Johanna and I have talked- both being seneschales of our group and
have worked this out. Storvik has tried valiently to get their tourney
scheduled on several different dates. My Shire decided on that weekend
months and months ago, however, we couldn't find a site. 

Stierbach's Birthday Bullfight will be taking place about 15 miles
outside of Winchester and is about a stone's throw from the WVA border
right near 81. Storvik's is in Maryland- we had to laugh because it
seems we are within a few miles of the 150 mile "rule"... 

By way of explanation let me say that it was more important for us,
Stierbach, to have an event, a *camping* event, that went off well, no
matter how small, than to have a huge attendance.

Yes, with Storvik being a more well established group, and a barony,
Storvik will probably draw the majority of attendees for that weekend. 
However, it is more important to our Shire, especially with all the
newbies we have acquired in the past few months, to hold an event, even
if only 30 folks show up. If we all have a good time, and the event
turns out well, then I would call that a success and the Shire gets to
have this terrific experience of being able to say- Gee, look at what we
did! Not bad! 

> We used to have a regional seneshals meeting
> to work on creating a coherent event schedule
> for the region. Is this still taking place? If
> so why is the schedule so messed up? If not maybe
> we should start doing it again.

I've never heard of this, however I've only been in this society for 4
years. However, I don't agree with you that the schedule is "so messed
up." We have gone to great lengths (Stierbach specifically researched
areas as far from Storvik as possible, yet still in the Shire) to
provide both of our groups a fair chance at having a good event. 
 
> One of the arguments for a Principality was to
> better organize and plan events in the Northern
> region. I don't know if a Pricipality is needed
> but some kind of organization and coordination
> for the Northern region is definately needed.

This is merely one person's opinion, however, I think that we have a 
*lot* of groups in this area- the "northern" portion of Fair Atlantia-
and that it's the number of groups competing for the same 52 or less
weekends that makes it difficult to avoid conflicts. You don't *have* to
have 700 people attend your event to call it a success. I think we might
have to adjust our parameters for what we seem to think a Good Event(tm)
is in the light of how many new groups are being formed who will be
looking at the same calendar that already seems overcrowded. 

For my money, it's worth putting an event on for your own group's sake
so that folks get to exercise that creativity that so many of us bring
to this Society. True, it's hard for smaller groups to get a shot at
some dates on the calendar because older more established groups tend to
have their events on the same weekends every year.  There are only so
many dates. You roll your dice and you take your pick! I really do
believe that with some foresight and planning, and a willingness to
negotiate, each group can have the opportunity to have a decent event
when they want to. 

I can't see giving up and cancelling an event just because someone else
already "has" that weekend. Where does this leave your group? When do
they get to stretch themselves and try their hand at putting on an
event? 

Stierbach is all the way out here and extends to one of the westernmost
part of Atlantia's borders. Our immediate neighbors are Aethelmearc,
more specifically, Sylvan Glenn. They are less than an hour away from
where I live. Hopefully, we'll get to play with some of them that
weekend. We also share borders with Black Diamond and Caer Mear. It
would be great to see folks from there also. All in all, the Birthday
Bullfight has the potential to be interesting and fun. I'm looking
forward to it. No matter who shows up. 

In service to Fair Atlantia and
the Shire of Stierbach, I remain,

Rowan Berran McDowell
Seneschale and Chief Cat Herder

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