This Weekend of Serendipity Haven Canceled (TX)

We wish our friends in TX all the best as they brace for the immanent arrival of hurricane Ike (for full weather tracking on the storm, click here). Here’s the blurb from Serendipity’s owners via an email:

Greetings all,

  After due consideration for the safety of all involved we have decided to close the gates for this weekend and reopen on the following weekend for the Pirate Invasion. I apologize about the situation and hope that we are not putting anyone out but the forecast for this area keeps getting worse and we are not willing to risk lives at this stage.

  There has been a question about if we should push over onto the weekend of the 27th and 28th to make up the weekend but we wanted to get opinions on that as I know that several of our vendors and entertainers are booked for Middle Faire and some need the week off to prep for TRF.

   We will be on site all week putting things into sheltered areas and if you are able to come out and take care of your space let us know if not we will endeavor to take it down with your permission and store it for you but I need you to let me know if your not going to be able to make it so we can address your area.

  Once again I apologize for this series of unfortunate events but if you love that movie as much as I do then you know that they can be the start of something wonderful.

Till next we meet be safe and keep me updated on your situations.

Always and Forever,

Alyria Stargazer

Moon)Dawg
Mage of the Majick Box
Keeper of the Pygmypony
Wizard to the Kingdom of Onondaga

EVENT PERMITS FOR AVERY PROPERTY DENIED

Well, coming on the heels of our article yesterday about Swooping on someone else’s misfortunes, it would seem that Karma has come back around again. The Avery Renaissance Festival which was to be held next month has had it’s permits denied. Here’s the full article from the Mason County Daily News:

By Dedrick Allan 09/10/2008

The Mason County Commission has denied permits for two events planned for the property off Highway 3 near the north end of Oakland Bay known as the Avery Township. In 2007, the County Commission approved a rezone to Rural Tourist Campground but on Tuesday, they denied event permits for the Avery Renaissance and Fantasy Faire and for the Extreme Sports Festival. Both denials were based on recommendations from the County’s Department of Community Development. The Department determined the Renaissance Faire was not part of a facility that would be an allowed use and the project did not meet the standards for emergency services or State Highway access. Staff determined that the Extreme Sports Festival is not an activity listed as an outright approved use under the zoning and would require a Special Use permit. The Festival also does not meet the standards for emergency or State Highway access. The property’s owner, Gregg Paisley, told the Commissioners that this denial doesn’t make sense because he already has the zoning that allows these events. He also said he has met all the conditions required under Mason County Code Section 5.12 in order to hold the events. The Commissioners disagreed with Paisley saying both events require facilities that are currently not in place and that safety is their top priority especially when it comes to traffic on Highway 3. The transportation plan for these events was not adequate in the eyes of the Mason County Commissioners. Also, permits are still needed even if a property has the proper zoning. The denials were approved unanimously.

Medieval event is canceled at Metea

Medieval event is canceled at Metea

County parks department will save about $10,000 by not hosting the annual fair.

By Drew Stone

dstone@news-sentinel.com

Apparently, there’s no money for knights in shining armor or juggling fools. Shakespearean actors either.
Fort Wayne’s annual Metea Renaissance Faire has been canceled, the county parks board announced Wednesday night.
Allen County Parks and Recreation Department Superintendent Jeff Baxter said the fair got “a little too much money” from the county. The event has been held since 1995 at Metea County Park.
Not including staff costs for setup, Baxter said it cost the county about $10,000 to host the event. He said he hopes to secure more sponsors so the event can return.
Terry Broberg-Swangin, a member of the Shire of Shadowed Stars — the local chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism — said she was disappointed by the news. “(It’s) just another unfortunate sign of the declining economy.”

Washington Renaissance Faire Cancelled for 2008

Dearest Friends, Family and Supporters,

It is with our deepest regret that we must announce that the
Washington Renaissance Fantasy Faire, planned to be held August 2, 3, 9,
10, 16, 17, 2008, in Belfair Washington has been canceled.

Due to challenges with the permitting process and after a meeting
with the Department of Natural Resources yesterday and a meeting this
morning with the Mason County Commissioners, we have not and will not be
granted our permits to run the Faire this season. We have done
everything that we could have done and have exhausted all avenues to
make this event happen on the new site this year.

We offer our deepest and sincerest apologies to all that this
cancellation will affect. We understand that plans have been made,
tickets have been bought and travel plans have been arranged in order to
attend the Washington Renaissance Faire.

It is our sincerest hope to work with the Mason County
Commissioners, the Department of Natural Resources and the Planning
Commission for Mason County to resolve these challenges satisfactorily
in order to re-open the Washington Renaissance Faire in August of 2009
on our new site in Belfair, Washington.

Thank you all for the support and love that you have offered us over
the past 11 years and know that you have our deepest gratitude for your
support both now through these trying times and in the future as we grow
and prosper.

Sincerely,
Ron and Teresa Cleveland and all the
Washington Renaissance Faire Staff
Washington Renaissance Faire

 

Not so great Scot! Pittsburg, CA opts to skip Renaissance Fest

PITTSBURG — For the first time in more than a decade, Buchanan Park likely will be free of kilts this summer.

The Scottish Renaissance Faire, which has transformed the Pittsburg community park into a 16th century medieval playground the past dozen years, will not be held in August.

Richard Hills, the original event organizer, moved and could not run the festival, recreation supervisor Marilyn Lewis-Craft said.

“Right now, we’re in the process of regrouping by seeing if there are other circuits who are interested,” she said. Questions remain about how Pittsburg would proceed if the festival returns, including renting out space for a guild to run the fair privately or enclosing the site and charging admission.

Running the festival would have placed an extra burden on city staff, especially with the recreation department holding several events in Pittsburg’s Old Town this summer.

“Without good organizers, it’s impossible. It’s not something we could have handled,” Lewis-Craft said, adding that staff members usually are “burnt out” by August.

“A lot of the events we have planned in Old Town, many times, are on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It’s like you’re competing against yourself,” fellow recreation supervisor Ken Gray said.

The department is trying to streamline activities, he said.

The Renaissance Faire cost Pittsburg about $15,000 to stage, not including city services for security and public works.

The city also paid the Pittsburg Unified School District for use of land at Highlands Elementary School for vendors and the guilds, whose actors camped on the ground the weekend of the festival.

“It is too bad, because it was a great event. Over the years, attendance has been great,” Lewis-Craft said. Pleasanton and Livermore also hold Scottish-themed events.

Pittsburg’s recreation department constantly is adding or dropping events to meet the needs of residents, Gray said, noting that the Black Diamond Blues Festival, Art di Strada, weekly farmers markets and car shows are among the events planned for summer. Lewis-Craft said that family-oriented events and a teen program are scheduled for summer at Small World Park.

Paul Burgarino covers Pittsburg and Bay Point. Reach him at 925-779-7164 or pburgarino@bayareanewsgroup.com