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grnvixen1990: Sept 1 – Oct 14. Attendance: 160,000. King & Queen: Stamberger & Atkins as Martin Godwin & Queen Verity. Improved children’s realm. Knighting Ceremony. Crows’ Nest. Martin English now ED. First year for the soup kitchen. First year for Bob the Incredible Juggler (?). Tortuga Twins.
1991: Aug 31 – Oct 13th. Attendance: 178,000. K&Q: ditto. Wharf stage, Canterbury Square, Jolly Rogers (first year?).
1992: Sept 5 – Oct 18. Attendance: 176,000. King & Queen: Stamberger & Atkins as Martin Godwin & Queen Verity. Special Events Pavillion (now the Chapel) built for Crown Jewels display. First year w/ Flush Privies! Rowangolightly was the poster child!
1993: Sept 4 – Oct 17. Attendance 149,796. (rainout on Sept 19, closed at 2:30 pm). King & Queen: Walter Ferguson & Karen Ellery as King William Windgold & Queen Valentine. Living History got started (?). Fikklebiches. Cindy Bryne General Manager.
Apologies to rougewench for doing 4 years at once but I have my reasons: 1990-93 were the four years that both D and I participated at faire with the SCA. We were the local Baron and Baroness during those years so it was, naturally, our priority. Cut for length
For those who do not remember; the current ‘Royal Glade’ used to be the SCA Dell. This was where the SCA held their fighting, A&S demos, and archery, and generally just hung out. I don’t remember if SCA was there the first year of faire but I know they were definately there by the second. The area has changed quite a bit over the years. The fighting had always pretty much been in the same place but gradually it was built up to the well-drained surface it is now (or at least was until a few years ago). I think the last significant work was done during our tenure with several loads of different sized gravel layered into the field, with some railroad ties to define it. At one time there had been a very nice tourney box at the back of the field but it had to be torn down because the infamous gas pipeline ran right under it. Later, an arrangement was made to allow the demo booths to be so close to the pipeline. If you look close, there are no posts sunk into the ground for these so, technically, if you had big enough equipment, they could just be picked up and moved. The celtic designs on the fences were also painted during our time there. I have to admit, I always liked them :).
SCA and Rennfaire have always had an interesting relationship. The greater majority of the local, KC area members of the SCA originally found the group through renfaire. Several Kings credited 5-6 weekends of fighting demos with preparing them for Crown Tourney. At one time very few events were held opposite KCRF as attendance would be to low. That being said, there have been problems over the years with the two groups getting along. I guess it didn’t help that some of the street performers liked to hang out in the dell and so it became unpopular with the ED office :). And, to be fair, we/SCA had our share of problem characters too that did not always blend so well with the renfolk. D and I actually became more aware of the problems after ’93, when he first started as a performer. We ended up teaching an academy class on SCA 101 to try and help. Talking with some folks on both sides we decided it boiled down to this: both groups enjoyed history, both groups tended to dress up and be known by another name but Renpreformers did what they did to entertain others, SCA to entertain themselves. I think things improved a bit after that, or at least until SCA stopped participating fulltime, but that’s another story.
Our term as Baron & Baroness was, interesting. We had both just stepped down from Kingdom offices (think regional) so we looked at the ‘job’ of B&B as a little more democratic than some do. We saw ourselves as the CEO of the group; it wasn’t our job to get everything done, but it was our responsibility to see that it got done, and in a way that was the most fun for the most people. So at faire D was usually out fighting (which he had also done while I had the shop) or heralding and I was in the demo booth with embroidery and costume. Boy, was that another side of the patrons to see! Picture a table laid out with a wide assortment of hand embroidered pieces, or calligraphy & illumination pieces.. Then picture a patron who comes through as if it was a Blue Light Special at K-Mart! Picking up and tossing everything aside, no care for dirt on her hands, or the kids. Sigh. I learned a lot about dealing with the public during these years.
But the Dell could be a lot of fun in those days. They still had the big firepit in the back which was a godsend on cold and/or wet days. Everyone came to have fun and a day demoing at faire was more laid back than at an event; plenty of time to sit and visit, watch some good fighting, learn a new skill one-on-one while sitting around the demo booth. Sometimes we would have a big potluck and on at least one Saturday evening a potluck feast for Michaelmas. On one weekend each year I sponsored a contest during the fighting demos for the Best Death. Which was defined as the most dramatic, fun, and safe ‘death’ during a demo. It couldn’t be to long and Safe had to be specifically added after one over-enthusiastic fighter managed to injury his shoulder trying to do a gymnastic fall (when you are dead, can you really throw yourself up in the air for more hang-time :)?).
It was also fun to have more variety in my costume. I still wore some bodices (although these were the years I had a separate corset & bodice) but could also wear tunics and layer with lots of lovely plaid wool when it was cold. We didn’t know as many of the newer performers so I’m afraid we did cause some confusion whenever D and I wandered out of the Dell in our brass hats (ie; Baronial coronets/crowns) and confused some newbies (“are they court? Do we bow/grovel?”).
I don’t have very many distinct memories of faire per se for these years as they are all tied into the whole tenure as B&B. Time at faire was usually pretty relaxing however. This was the last few years of our most active period with the SCA. We both are still SCA members, although I probably attend more events currently than D manages. Why? I’ve been participating in SCA just a couple of years less than KCRF. Both provided an outlet for my interest in history and costuming, and through both I have made friends that have lasted. Yeah, SCA has it’s problems, so does faire, but I think both will always be in my life to some degree.
1991: Aug 31 – Oct 13th. Attendance: 178,000. K&Q: ditto. Wharf stage, Canterbury Square, Jolly Rogers (first year?).
1992: Sept 5 – Oct 18. Attendance: 176,000. King & Queen: Stamberger & Atkins as Martin Godwin & Queen Verity. Special Events Pavillion (now the Chapel) built for Crown Jewels display. First year w/ Flush Privies! Rowangolightly was the poster child!
1993: Sept 4 – Oct 17. Attendance 149,796. (rainout on Sept 19, closed at 2:30 pm). King & Queen: Walter Ferguson & Karen Ellery as King William Windgold & Queen Valentine. Living History got started (?). Fikklebiches. Cindy Bryne General Manager.
Apologies to rougewench for doing 4 years at once but I have my reasons: 1990-93 were the four years that both D and I participated at faire with the SCA. We were the local Baron and Baroness during those years so it was, naturally, our priority. Cut for length
For those who do not remember; the current ‘Royal Glade’ used to be the SCA Dell. This was where the SCA held their fighting, A&S demos, and archery, and generally just hung out. I don’t remember if SCA was there the first year of faire but I know they were definately there by the second. The area has changed quite a bit over the years. The fighting had always pretty much been in the same place but gradually it was built up to the well-drained surface it is now (or at least was until a few years ago). I think the last significant work was done during our tenure with several loads of different sized gravel layered into the field, with some railroad ties to define it. At one time there had been a very nice tourney box at the back of the field but it had to be torn down because the infamous gas pipeline ran right under it. Later, an arrangement was made to allow the demo booths to be so close to the pipeline. If you look close, there are no posts sunk into the ground for these so, technically, if you had big enough equipment, they could just be picked up and moved. The celtic designs on the fences were also painted during our time there. I have to admit, I always liked them :).
SCA and Rennfaire have always had an interesting relationship. The greater majority of the local, KC area members of the SCA originally found the group through renfaire. Several Kings credited 5-6 weekends of fighting demos with preparing them for Crown Tourney. At one time very few events were held opposite KCRF as attendance would be to low. That being said, there have been problems over the years with the two groups getting along. I guess it didn’t help that some of the street performers liked to hang out in the dell and so it became unpopular with the ED office :). And, to be fair, we/SCA had our share of problem characters too that did not always blend so well with the renfolk. D and I actually became more aware of the problems after ’93, when he first started as a performer. We ended up teaching an academy class on SCA 101 to try and help. Talking with some folks on both sides we decided it boiled down to this: both groups enjoyed history, both groups tended to dress up and be known by another name but Renpreformers did what they did to entertain others, SCA to entertain themselves. I think things improved a bit after that, or at least until SCA stopped participating fulltime, but that’s another story.
Our term as Baron & Baroness was, interesting. We had both just stepped down from Kingdom offices (think regional) so we looked at the ‘job’ of B&B as a little more democratic than some do. We saw ourselves as the CEO of the group; it wasn’t our job to get everything done, but it was our responsibility to see that it got done, and in a way that was the most fun for the most people. So at faire D was usually out fighting (which he had also done while I had the shop) or heralding and I was in the demo booth with embroidery and costume. Boy, was that another side of the patrons to see! Picture a table laid out with a wide assortment of hand embroidered pieces, or calligraphy & illumination pieces.. Then picture a patron who comes through as if it was a Blue Light Special at K-Mart! Picking up and tossing everything aside, no care for dirt on her hands, or the kids. Sigh. I learned a lot about dealing with the public during these years.
But the Dell could be a lot of fun in those days. They still had the big firepit in the back which was a godsend on cold and/or wet days. Everyone came to have fun and a day demoing at faire was more laid back than at an event; plenty of time to sit and visit, watch some good fighting, learn a new skill one-on-one while sitting around the demo booth. Sometimes we would have a big potluck and on at least one Saturday evening a potluck feast for Michaelmas. On one weekend each year I sponsored a contest during the fighting demos for the Best Death. Which was defined as the most dramatic, fun, and safe ‘death’ during a demo. It couldn’t be to long and Safe had to be specifically added after one over-enthusiastic fighter managed to injury his shoulder trying to do a gymnastic fall (when you are dead, can you really throw yourself up in the air for more hang-time :)?).
It was also fun to have more variety in my costume. I still wore some bodices (although these were the years I had a separate corset & bodice) but could also wear tunics and layer with lots of lovely plaid wool when it was cold. We didn’t know as many of the newer performers so I’m afraid we did cause some confusion whenever D and I wandered out of the Dell in our brass hats (ie; Baronial coronets/crowns) and confused some newbies (“are they court? Do we bow/grovel?”).
I don’t have very many distinct memories of faire per se for these years as they are all tied into the whole tenure as B&B. Time at faire was usually pretty relaxing however. This was the last few years of our most active period with the SCA. We both are still SCA members, although I probably attend more events currently than D manages. Why? I’ve been participating in SCA just a couple of years less than KCRF. Both provided an outlet for my interest in history and costuming, and through both I have made friends that have lasted. Yeah, SCA has it’s problems, so does faire, but I think both will always be in my life to some degree.
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no subject
Date: 2006-04-07 09:02 pm (UTC)It will be a help as these years will be long entries for me.
D.
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Date: 2006-04-07 09:33 pm (UTC)I will hold off on posting more for awhile, trying to find a site for pics and getting them scanned.