Re: Rennaissance Fest site availability -question

[rmhowe <magnusm@ncsu.edu>]

Poster: rmhowe <magnusm@ncsu.edu>

Robert J Welenc wrote:
> 
> Poster: Robert J Welenc <rjwelenc@erols.com>
> 
> >>      We're talking about a site that is ~200+ acres, that is all of 15
> >>      minutes off I-77 AND I-85; this place is practically begging to be
> >>      used for a war.  Possibly other stuff as well.
> >
> >been there a couple times, and had thought every time i went, that the
> >site NEEDED to be used for an SCA event.. there are permanent booths for
> >merchanting,
>    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> 
> Double and triple check this before going any further, folks!  I don't know
> about this particular Renfaire, but the merchant booths/cottages/pavilions
> at the Maryland one are PRIVATE PROPERTY, owned by the merchants who sell from them.  
> 
> Alanna
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Having talked to a merchants at that site I know that this is probably 
largely true of that site and most of the rest of them. The merchants
told us
that they are responsible for submitting the designs of the buildings,
which like
their wares must be juried and approved, and the personal cost of
construction
and upkeep. Of course, by state law, anything built on a property
owner's 
site may not be removed without prior agreement with the owner. Barring
any
other agreement, I believe that the improvements become essentially
under the
owner's control (or permanent property). It is a cheap and easy way for
the
owners to build the site with the buildings being largely the merchant's 
expense. Think of the merchants who have to maintain a string of these
in 
order to sell at each site. No wonder they aren't cheap! Sell on the
first
floor, sleep on the second without AC, screens, or indoor plumbing, Move 
every two months and do it again. Wow.

Alanna is right here. However, I am not sure of what arrangement the
property 
owner has concerning use of the buildings during off season. I am also
not a 
lawyer, but have observed the above to be true in some life experiences
in 
NC.

Still, you have good parking, an arena, and a charming site. I would bet
that 
many of the buildings are going to be locked however, and that the
portajohns
are rented for the event, they do have to be serviced anyway. I would
invest
in some wasp spray in season. I think there was an excellent article a
little
while back in T.I. about someone who was doing just the above running a
similar
event in another kingdom. Texas Renaissance Fair site? Anyone consider
whether
any power is going to be available?

There is an alternate site without the buildings that was used for the
NC
Medieval Faire in 1989 and 1990 at McCulloch Castle in Jamestown that
also
has/had a parking area, an arena (jousting site), and a small restaurant
that looks like a Castle (it was a stampmill for processing ore I
believe).
Jamestown is just west of Greensboro. It is about 3 stories high, of
stone,
and looks sorta like a castle with a drawbridge and towerlike
appearance.
Not a large feasthall, however, but might seat a hundred upstairs, with
a
tavern downstairs if I remember. It is built on rock with a stream
running
around it. Parking might be largely some distance away. Just a thought.
The merchants set up in tents surrounding the list field. It kinda died
when they had trouble getting money/entertainment lined up right before
Desert Storm. I called and asked them about it.

Magnus Malleus, Elvegast
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