Northern CA Renaissance Faire Closing for Good

[TalesOfTheSevenSeas]

I just received the following email and wanted to share it. It comes to me via Bill Watters, who leads the California Independent Renaissance Guild Association CIRGA:

Dear Guildmasters, Directors, Performers,

As you have been aware, the fate of our Northern Faire

has been uncertain. I am sad to announce that we are,

indeed, closing the Northern Renaissance Pleasure

Faire. Below is a letter from our management

detailing the situation. Please know that Southern

Faire will go on as planned, and that I am continuing

as Entertainment Director. I thank everyone involved

in creating our entertainment. You can be proud of

the fine job you have done and proud of the effort you

exerted to make this Faire a success. The

memories of Northern Faire, including the times we

shared, certainly will live on in my heart. I am

looking forward to our next meeting. I apologize

for the lack of a complete e-mail llist. Please

forward this message to all concerned parties.

Gerald Zepeda

Director of Entertainment

REC California

(408) 847-1138 ext 241

Renaissance Entertainment Corporation

Renaissance Pleasure Faire

10021 Pacheco Pass Hwy 152

Hollister, CA 95023

(408) 846-6446

Dear Faire Family,

As you are aware, we have been fighting a losing

battle over the last few years with attendance and

loss of income with the Northern Renaissance

Pleasure Faire. We have had a steady decline in

attendance since 1991 (with the exception of 1994, our

first year of "Farewell to Black Point").

There is no one factor that we can isolate which has

contributed to the failing of the show. The decline

began during the Patterson's administration and has

continued through a series of General Managers

who have been unable to stop the hemorrhaging of

revenues at this event.

No ad campaign nor marketing schedule, including

Phyllis Patterson's legendary marketing skills, was

able to deter the decline. Our attendance failed long

before we moved from our home in Blackpoint and has

suffered greatly while we tried to find a permanent

home.

Since 1994 we have looked at over 200 sites and have

spent over $500,000 in an attempt to find a home for

our Faire. Not only has a property been

impossible to find, the one exception (American

Canyon) proved too costly to make workable and the

California environment regulations work against

any sincere efforts to create a business which by all

accounts, "lays lightly on the soil".

The Northern Faire has lost $900,061 in revenues

during the years 1999-2003. Our attendance has

declined 62% since 1991. The losses incurred by the

Northern Faire have placed a continual drain on our

Southern, Chicago and New York Faires, which are

healthy shows and consistently create a profit. It is

unfair for these healthy shows to bear the burden on

Northern's losses.

It, therefore, is which great sadness that we announce

that we are closing the Northern Renaissance Pleasure

Faire.

We must ask that you remove all of your personal

possessions from the site by November 2nd, 2003.

As performers and entertainers the show has rested on

your shoulders for many, many seasons. Please know

that this failure does not reflect upon the amazing

grace that you have given the show. We are all so

appreciative of the energy and level of entertainment

that you have contributed.

The show sparkled brightly this season and it is

bittersweet that even though we have never looked or

performed better, this has become our final Huzzah.

We thank all of you for your continued support through

all these past years. For as long as the show lives

in our memories, it shall never fade away.

-- The staff and management of the Northern

Renaissance Pleasure Faire

and

Renaissance Entertainment Corporation.

[the Royaliste]

.....Jeesh!( understated)......... ...although, in me own humble opinion, it went downhill immediately after the old days at Black Point.....

[TalesOfTheSevenSeas]

Yeah I've been going to that one since I was a little kid, off and on. It is sad to see it go. By the size of the crowds, I'm surprised that it was not a profitable venture and even more surprised that it was operating at a loss.

It does, however, open up a whole new reason why we should have good attendance at a northern CA pirate fest- all those ren-faire goers with no place left to go, eh?

And a new source for pirate recruits :)

[Cracked Carrie]

Urk. That's really sad. I went to the Gilroy location for the first time this year, and though Faire doesn't spark in me the same joy it did when I was a child, it was still fun to be in the milieu.

I am very very sad to hear it's gone.

My birthfather was one of the original Northern Faire performers. I never knew him. I only learned bits about him a few years ago. But after I learned, I've never listened to bagpipes the same way, and all my memories of Faire were colored by the thought I might have passed him as I ran through it, taking in the sights.

He died before I could know him. So, for me, it's doubly sad I am that Northern Faire is gone as well.

[the Royaliste]

:) Aye, there 'Quill!...I was on the exact wavecrest meself...Although, there is just about no location that will allow camping, etc., in conjunction, around here... so, 'twould be a bit of a different flaire..Sorta like the Sturgis Rally..Stay where you can, and revolve around the festivities!......A thought, as the press gang would stay very busy!.....

[Cracked Carrie]

:) Aye, there 'Quill!...I was on the exact wavecrest meself...Although, there is just about no location that will allow camping, etc., in conjunction, around here... so, 'twould be a bit of a different flaire..Sorta like the Sturgis Rally..Stay where you can, and revolve around the festivities!......A thought, as the press gang would stay very busy!.....

Yes, good thought. The departure of Northern Faire, sad as it is, will leave a vacuum that could be filled by other events that hopefully could be vibrant and new.

Huzzah for hopeful thinking!

[TalesOfTheSevenSeas]

Definitely a different faire. But nonetheless, I sent out an invite to the renaissance folks on the CIRGA email list, letting them know that they're always welcome to come out and pirate with us.

[Captian Wolfy Wench]

Never been, but was plannin' on going before, two weeks ago. Sad I couldn't make the last un'. There's always the Southern Faire, but I feel fer the pyrates who hafta trek to get there.

Captain Wolfy Wench

[Zephyr]

Hadn't been for years (sorry to say), a friend and I had decided to go up for the faire next year (visit'n the Ole North and all).....so.....when is the Pirate Faire?

[TalesOfTheSevenSeas]

The pirate faire is generally held late in September, around the 3rd or 4th weekend of the month. I don't believe a date has been set for it yet.

[Redd Oktober]

Their official statement seems flawed to me...ever since the New York based Renaissance Corporation that bought the faire from Phyllis and her crew, they managed to transform it from a fun, cultural gathering place, into a huge, dusty shopping mall. The audience could see right through this, I think. I remember my uncle, who makes women's clothing at the faire, telling me about a crass comment the owner of the Renaissance made...something along the lines of , "It's great, I just have a bunch of hippies that party in a forest for a couple of weekends, and then give me a ton of money!"

I grew up in the faire (I have pictures of myself in diapers at the faire), and I watched the decline until 1997, when I just kinda stopped going...Sad. I went back this year, and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but it wasn't as great either.

It can be a great endeavor to produce a faire...however, maybe this was inevitable. But...who knows what might eventually fill the void. I've never been to The Heart of the Forest Faire, but I just might go next year (if it returns).

[TalesOfTheSevenSeas]

Aye lad- 'tis a sad thing when a corporate machine sinks it's teeth into a good thing because they think it will make them money. They end up poisoning it with their lack of care for it's welfare, not realizing it was the soul and spirit of the thing that makes it fly.

I'm watching that happen at my work. The vocational school where I teach was bought out by a corporation that was formed for the sole purpose of purchasing private schools and forming a large collective of schools.

One of the new owners made a speech at the annual holiday party. He stood up in the midst of what was supposed to be a unifying celebration and after talking about how disappointing our financial performance had been in the last quarter, told everyone "We're not your family" I never thought I could hear 4 words that could rip the heart out of sound institution

[Cracked Carrie]

One of the new owners made a speech at the annual holiday party. He stood up in the midst of what was supposed to be a unifying celebration and after talking about how disappointing our financial performance had been in the last quarter, told everyone "We're not your family" I never thought I could hear 4 words that could rip the heart out of sound institution

That's just terrible. A perfect way to destroy loyalty, right there. It's enough to make one quit working and go on account. My sympathies.

As for Northern Faire... I didn't grow up at Faire, as was mentioned earlier by someone else, but I do have memories of going as a small child and still have a handmade stuffed unicorn that my mother bought me at Faire when I was younger than six.

It's always sad to see the life drained out of something that brought such joy to so many.

It seems kinda funny to be hoping for a pirate faire that WON'T value plunder above all else...but encouraging nonetheless!

[Rumba Rue]

I read that letter on another site this mornin' .

I only went once to N. Faire when it was still in Novato. It was ok, but the uphill grind into the two canyons was way too much for me and lots o' others who were in wheelchairs and walkin' with canes an' such.

I can't say much else 'bout it, but hey there's other faires ta go to.

RumbaRue

**The woods be cold, and closing in, to be swallowed into the deepest, part of the forest, where the fairies once danced. Now only the fungus thrives.**

[Lucky Penny Hawkings]

I got the news from a friend of mine who works in Disney California. He also has done some work for one of the shops in Northern on and off.

There is nothing I can say. Northern was my first California faire. It was the first faire I went to after having to skip seasons after Michigan...

*tips her hat sadly*

[the Royaliste]

Zephyr...Not sure of which pirate faire you're inquiry is for..we are planning to put a Bay Area Pirate Fest together for spring, a week or two before 'Blessing of the Boats', and 'Opening Day on the Bay...Mid- May.....Stay tuned, same Pyrate channel!...RR......

[Zephyr]

Zephyr...Not sure of which pirate faire you're inquiry is for..we are planning to put a Bay Area Pirate Fest together for spring, a week or two before 'Blessing of the Boats', and 'Opening Day on the Bay...Mid- May.....Stay tuned, same Pyrate channel!...RR......

Well, faires with-in-reasonable-driving-dist. Me friend and I had planned on the Northern Faire in the fall (may I put in my request for cooooooler weather next year?) but I could probably talk some unsuspecting friends into another or so (me car isn't well and not up ta long trips....).. Aye, I'll watch the site for updates.

And I'm in agreement with yer perceptions of the limitations of the vampire mind. They suck the barest drops of blood out of a situation (without the sophistication of the appearance of kindness while they do it (which has the benefifit of making it observable))an' and then wonder why it dies! (though I suspect their protestations are for show, they really don't care that much...... like most vampires they believe the supply of prey inexhaustable)..............I used to observe of me brothers (ex) wife....a successful parasite doesn't kill the host.....

[the Royaliste]

Rollinonthefuggindecklaffinmefrigginarseoff! Aye fully agree!

[Red Maria]

Yeah I've been going to that one since I was a little kid, off and on. It is sad to see it go. By the size of the crowds, I'm surprised that it was not a profitable venture and even more surprised that it was operating at a loss.

It does, however, open up a whole new reason why we should have good attendance at a northern CA pirate fest- all those ren-faire goers with no place left to go, eh?

And a new source for pirate recruits :)

I'm not. If you knew the things I know!

Friends with friends on the inside. :)

Unfortunately it too long a story to get into online. I have carpal tunnel in my right wrist and it'd take me days to type.

I am surprised it didn't come sooner.

Not only should we support the NoCal Pirate Faire but the Hearts of the Forest Faire (Run by Kevin Patterson) as well.

[Redd Oktober]

Where might you be plannin this northern pirate gatherin' Royaliste? I had found several possibilities, and even have some thoughts as to how to make such an event stand out from the average ren faire...

...if ye like, PM me and we'll parley. Perhaps with all o' our connections and united madness....

[Zephyr]

Where might you be plannin this northern pirate gatherin' Royaliste? I had found several possibilities, and even have some thoughts as to how to make such an event stand out from the average ren faire...

...if ye like, PM me and we'll parley. Perhaps with all o' our connections and united madness....

Now this be start'n to sound like even more fun!......

What ...where...how...is the hearts of the forest faire?

[the Royaliste]

:) Aye, Lass!..'Tis lookin' good, by 'eck!..Tryin' to make it work with the spring return 'o some targets, (Hawaiian Chieftain) so's we'll have a chance for some rollickin' sea battles right there on the Bay!...RR!.......goes lookin' in the magazine for more gunpowder......

[TabithaAnne]

A very good friend of mine is trying to get a project off the ground.

http://www.douglascastle.com

We are still in the planning stages but once we get started we are going to need all the support we can get.

One of the things he misses the most is the anti-commercial feeling of faires that REC has done such a wonderful job of doing. They have taken away from the learning and celebration that faire once was.

With RPFN closing it does open the doors for other faires such as Marin and other smaller faires.

If you check out the website please let me know what y'all think.

Thanks!

Tabitha

[Zephyr]

Rollinonthefuggindecklaffinmefrigginarseoff! Aye fully agree!

That be'n ROTFDLMFAO ?

or ROTFDLMeFAO....just ta be sure of correct Pyrate parlance (not ta' be confuse'n my with me.............?

This be sound'n even more exciting (faire)...in the spring? Does this best'n of every ship (boat) in the harbor co-incide with a pirate faire? Or something ye do to put the life in a dull weekend? Give fright to the townsmen...plunder an ale.......

Still curious about "Hearts of the Forest"...anyone?

sounds like Bambi....

[the Royaliste]

Years back, there was a fest held in Half-Moon Bay, complete with Sea Battles...I and others are trying to gain the semblance of a similar event, but here in beautiful Sausalito..I've not much interest in working towards anything that doesn't include ships and the sea (DUH!)...Others are much better at land events than myself!...The area has a fine spot for vendors, as the Art Festival here is held in that location, and does very well..I believe this site would suffice for a pirate event, but doubt it's abitility to replicate any 'Ren Faire' setting; no room in the City, as pirates weren't generally looked upon as 'tent campers'..All local input and help is appreciated in this endeavor to bring such an event annually to this area..Therefore, should we secure the use of the dock, it would give way most excellently to an annual event!