All right everyone familiar with the festival, here's the deal....
The federal government has hosed the itemization laws. It has become much more difficult to get your tax deductions posted. That being said, be advised that if you decide you want to participate in this year's festival, you'd be working for free. Well, I will still be writing out the donation receipts, and you might be able to earn some tips. Then there is always the renfaire groupies. So, you might be getting compensation in other departments.
I have been talking to some folks and trying to get this festival off the ground again this year. Some are asking for payment, and other things. I have a group of entertainers and a few individuals who said they would perform, but more are needed to fill the bill. If the entertainers are not to be found, the festival would really suck, and I am simply going to cancel. So, once again, if you would like to perform or staff this event, contact me and we'll try our best to get this up and running for the second year. But you will not be getting paid. You would be doing this for the love of faire, the hope for tomorrow, the experience, or the fact that guys really like wenches in bodices. I've been a slacker about answering my emails recently, but I am going to go clean house in about an hour from now. So, if you want to perform or staff this event, contact me. I usually answer my email about once every 3 weeks, so you might want to try calling for faster results.
The dates:
Here's the low down on the dates this year. I have been trying to schedule this event strategically around other events. The event coordinators for these events have not gotten back to me on when they are hosting exactly. So, as a result, I am simply going to schedule my event with total lack of consideration for everyone else's events. (Provided I can get enough people to staff this year, of course). I will make arrangements with the Oak Ridge visitor's bureau and parks department as soon as I find out if there will be enough volunteers to staff the event.
You can see the vendors terms by clicking the highlighted area to the left which reads "vendors terms". Wow! How absolutely ingenius! How very innovative! Who would have ever thought to put the vendors terms connected to a link that says "vendors terms"?
Now, for all the other information. The "Time Period" is 1500's. The place is Aragon. Aragon is mainland Europe, with mostly Spanish denizens and heavy Italian and French influence. The reason the location is Spanish Aragon and not somewhere in England is because it should be a refreshing change of pace attending a Spanish fair rather than the usual English. If you are unfamiliar with 16th century Spain, I would suggest looking up the Spanish Armada and the Inquisition. These were a couple of the biggest things involving Spain in the 1500s.
Costuming- Feel free to attend in garb or costume. For all the stormtroopers, civil war cavalry and Klingons, you're welcome to attend, but you might feel a bit out of place. No, the format of the festival will NOT be changed because you want to play "make believe" and have the Klingon fight the Confederate officer over Princess Leah.
Weapons should be period, and something common to Spain 1500s. That's just a suggestion. All weapons must be peace tied. That is NOT just a suggestion. If you are seen wearing a weapon which is not peace tied and you are not part of the cast or staff specifically appointed to provide security or entertainment for this function, you will asked to peace tie your weapon. Failure to do so will result in the forcible removal of your person with depraved indifference to your health and well being.
Firearms...now there's a touchy subject. Oak Ridge has three different government plants which do various highly classified work with nuclear weapons and their components. Sept. 11th has everyone here at an anal retention level which is right off the scale. This is why firearms are strongly discouraged.
Alcohol will not be permitted this year. I'm looking into getting an alcohol permit for the future. Contrary to popular belief, the March of Dimes is not opposed to drinking, just drinking while pregnant.
The updates page with a link to the left is where I'll put all the newest developments including what sort of vendors or performers are still needed, the latest developments, and general information about the fair I may have forgotten when I originally wrote this page, but later thought to include.Take a look at some of the other pages and links for more information on the festival, our sponsors and performers, and the March of Dimes.
Also, if you have any questions, comments, indecent proposals, currency you feel like giving away, or if you find any typos on this page or dead links, just drop me a line at the address to the left.
Shakespeare and Friends in the Park,
a renaissance festival hosted by none other than the illustrious
Debbie Beal.
SAFITP
