reposted from email: WRFF
Hi, folks.
You may or may not be aware that the Washington Renaissance and Fantasy Faire needs our help.
Please accept my apologies for the extra message. My main reason for emailing you today about this is to give you a head's up. If the Faire does not happen as planned, my tour schedule for the entire month of August will change drastically--and this would kill all of the performances I currently have scheduled in the state of Washington.
It's now less than a month before the first weekend of the Faire, and they have not been able to secure permits for the event. Here's what Faire director Ronald Cleveland had to say this morning via email:
From: Ronald Cleveland [mailto: RBCleveland@comcast.net]
Sent: Monday, July 07, 2008 3:31 AM
Subject: Your assistance is needed
Dear Friends:
[On] July 15th Mason County Commissioners will be voting on the final approval for the temporary permit to allow us to run the Washington Renaissance Faire.
Unfortunately the Commissioners have been hearing constantly from a small but passionate and very vocal few who oppose our event.
We would like to ask that you contact the commissioners and respectfully voice your support so that when they vote, they know there is a very large majority of supporters.
Tim Sheldon: Tims@co.mason.wa.us
Ross Gallagher: rossg@co.mason.wa.us
Linda Ring Erickson: lyndare@co.mason.wa.us
Please pass this message to anyone who you believe may be interested in showing their support.
Your help and support is deeply appreciated, we are down to the wire and we need this permit.
Thank you.
Ron
<===>8
Why in the world would anyone want to oppose the Faire, you may be wondering. I asked myself the same thing. At this point, it would be next to impossible for most of the performers and vendors who've been hired and contracted by the Faire (that list includes myself and Alec, as well as dozens of others) to find other paying gigs that would treat them as well, pay them as well, and earn them as many sales and new fans as the Faire would do. My reasons are not entirely selfish, but there you are.
Thanks to Sherry of Sidhehaven, we do have a little bit of insight into why the Faire is being opposed.
"Most of the opposition seems to be about the possible congestion on the local roads and that the residents don't believe that the money generated by the Faire will trickle into the local economy:
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/Jun/01/my-turn-road-improvements-needed-for-renaissance/
Here's some local news coverage: http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/mar/28/sixteenth-century-finds-a-home-in-belfair/
The Belfair Chamber is in support: http://www.northmasonchamber.com/x3332.xml
Permitting process: http://www.co.mason.wa.us/permits/main.php?caseno=SPI2008-00040 "
Thanks, Sherry, for tracking this information down.
According to the Belfair Chamber link above, the Chamber of Commerce Board approved the following statement earlier this summer:
"The purpose of the North Mason Chamber of Commerce is to encourage and promote business and tourism interests and activities throughout the North Mason community. The desire of the board of Trustees and our members is to be good neighbors and to contribute to a healthy, vibrant and growing business community. Our feeling is that if a business desires to locate in North Mason, and has complied with all the usual and customary permitting processes, then they should be welcomed and supported.
Recently, the North Mason Chamber of Commerce surveyed its membership concerning the proposed Renaissance Faire. More than 84% of the surveys returned were strongly supportive of the event. This event, and business endeavors in general, has the promise of infusing dollars into the local economy. This adds to our quality of life because it contributes to our tax base and supports the businesses on which we all depend."
As Sherry stated, the opposition is concerned about traffic problems created by the Faire, and they do not believe that all the folks coming to the Faire will benefit their local economy at all. According to Bonnie Davies in the Kitsap Sun online, one road into the area is down to one lane due to a winter landslide, and the only other one has what she describes as two dangerous hair-pin curves. In her article, she asks that the road be fixed before the Faire makes its new home near Belfair.
I have to agree with Bonnie, that fixing the road would save everyone a lot of trouble. However, shouldn't folks be hammering away at the city and state highway departments for this, instead of trying to stop the Faire?
My experience with the Faire as it was run in Gig Harbor is limited to one year: 2007. However, I took note of how much effort Faire staff, planners, and volunteers put into traffic control, signage, and general helpfulness. I have no reason to believe that the Faire staff won't do everything they can to help everything, especially traffic to and from the Faire, run smoothly--no matter the condition of any given road.
In the interest of fairness, I'll report that Davies also claims residents of the area didn't have much chance to oppose the Faire in the first place. She says in her article that no one had any notice that the Faire was proposed until March 31st, and from that point it was "full throttle ahead" for preparations, with only a couple of meetings at which the public could voice their objections.
I get the feeling, unfortunately, that even if several of us performers and vendors got together to attempt to placate the unhappy by scheduling concerts of some sort in Belfair itself, thereby bringing commerce and attention to the local economy, residents would still find something to complain about, such as traffic or noise. It has been suggested that the Faire should offer residents of the surrounding area free tickets as common courtesy. I think this is a fine idea, and I hope that, if it were to be put into action, it would be well received.
Ultimately, I don't like being contracted to perform at an event to then have someone else give me the feeling that I'm not wanted.
I will ask the same thing that Ron asked. If you want the Faire to go on as planned, please get in touch with Tim Sheldon, Ross Gallagher, and Linda Ring Erickson to let them know. I appreciate your effort, and I know that all the other performers do as well.
All the very best to each of you,
SJ Tucker
You may or may not be aware that the Washington Renaissance and Fantasy Faire needs our help.
Please accept my apologies for the extra message. My main reason for emailing you today about this is to give you a head's up. If the Faire does not happen as planned, my tour schedule for the entire month of August will change drastically--and this would kill all of the performances I currently have scheduled in the state of Washington.
It's now less than a month before the first weekend of the Faire, and they have not been able to secure permits for the event. Here's what Faire director Ronald Cleveland had to say this morning via email:
From: Ronald Cleveland [mailto: RBCleveland@comcast.net]
Sent: Monday, July 07, 2008 3:31 AM
Subject: Your assistance is needed
Dear Friends:
[On] July 15th Mason County Commissioners will be voting on the final approval for the temporary permit to allow us to run the Washington Renaissance Faire.
Unfortunately the Commissioners have been hearing constantly from a small but passionate and very vocal few who oppose our event.
We would like to ask that you contact the commissioners and respectfully voice your support so that when they vote, they know there is a very large majority of supporters.
Tim Sheldon: Tims@co.mason.wa.us
Ross Gallagher: rossg@co.mason.wa.us
Linda Ring Erickson: lyndare@co.mason.wa.us
Please pass this message to anyone who you believe may be interested in showing their support.
Your help and support is deeply appreciated, we are down to the wire and we need this permit.
Thank you.
Ron
<===>8
Why in the world would anyone want to oppose the Faire, you may be wondering. I asked myself the same thing. At this point, it would be next to impossible for most of the performers and vendors who've been hired and contracted by the Faire (that list includes myself and Alec, as well as dozens of others) to find other paying gigs that would treat them as well, pay them as well, and earn them as many sales and new fans as the Faire would do. My reasons are not entirely selfish, but there you are.
Thanks to Sherry of Sidhehaven, we do have a little bit of insight into why the Faire is being opposed.
"Most of the opposition seems to be about the possible congestion on the local roads and that the residents don't believe that the money generated by the Faire will trickle into the local economy:
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/Jun/01/my-turn-road-improvements-needed-for-renaissance/
Here's some local news coverage: http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/mar/28/sixteenth-century-finds-a-home-in-belfair/
The Belfair Chamber is in support: http://www.northmasonchamber.com/x3332.xml
Permitting process: http://www.co.mason.wa.us/permits/main.php?caseno=SPI2008-00040 "
Thanks, Sherry, for tracking this information down.
According to the Belfair Chamber link above, the Chamber of Commerce Board approved the following statement earlier this summer:
"The purpose of the North Mason Chamber of Commerce is to encourage and promote business and tourism interests and activities throughout the North Mason community. The desire of the board of Trustees and our members is to be good neighbors and to contribute to a healthy, vibrant and growing business community. Our feeling is that if a business desires to locate in North Mason, and has complied with all the usual and customary permitting processes, then they should be welcomed and supported.
Recently, the North Mason Chamber of Commerce surveyed its membership concerning the proposed Renaissance Faire. More than 84% of the surveys returned were strongly supportive of the event. This event, and business endeavors in general, has the promise of infusing dollars into the local economy. This adds to our quality of life because it contributes to our tax base and supports the businesses on which we all depend."
As Sherry stated, the opposition is concerned about traffic problems created by the Faire, and they do not believe that all the folks coming to the Faire will benefit their local economy at all. According to Bonnie Davies in the Kitsap Sun online, one road into the area is down to one lane due to a winter landslide, and the only other one has what she describes as two dangerous hair-pin curves. In her article, she asks that the road be fixed before the Faire makes its new home near Belfair.
I have to agree with Bonnie, that fixing the road would save everyone a lot of trouble. However, shouldn't folks be hammering away at the city and state highway departments for this, instead of trying to stop the Faire?
My experience with the Faire as it was run in Gig Harbor is limited to one year: 2007. However, I took note of how much effort Faire staff, planners, and volunteers put into traffic control, signage, and general helpfulness. I have no reason to believe that the Faire staff won't do everything they can to help everything, especially traffic to and from the Faire, run smoothly--no matter the condition of any given road.
In the interest of fairness, I'll report that Davies also claims residents of the area didn't have much chance to oppose the Faire in the first place. She says in her article that no one had any notice that the Faire was proposed until March 31st, and from that point it was "full throttle ahead" for preparations, with only a couple of meetings at which the public could voice their objections.
I get the feeling, unfortunately, that even if several of us performers and vendors got together to attempt to placate the unhappy by scheduling concerts of some sort in Belfair itself, thereby bringing commerce and attention to the local economy, residents would still find something to complain about, such as traffic or noise. It has been suggested that the Faire should offer residents of the surrounding area free tickets as common courtesy. I think this is a fine idea, and I hope that, if it were to be put into action, it would be well received.
Ultimately, I don't like being contracted to perform at an event to then have someone else give me the feeling that I'm not wanted.
I will ask the same thing that Ron asked. If you want the Faire to go on as planned, please get in touch with Tim Sheldon, Ross Gallagher, and Linda Ring Erickson to let them know. I appreciate your effort, and I know that all the other performers do as well.
All the very best to each of you,
SJ Tucker