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Post by Deleted on Sept 28, 2009 22:26:24 GMT
Regarding the OP, you should come to my faire in SoCal. We get Jim Hrisoulas and Oso Forge. Two booths of HIGH quality swords and daggers. Down side is, I couldn't afford one in a million years.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 28, 2009 22:56:55 GMT
These ones:
b. A 15 year old girl at the NC Faire was given GHB, and once she was out of it, a few of the guys there took their liberties with her. She now has a bastard child and herpes. One of the guys, part of a large entertainment troupe, was arrested and charged - but the other guys, well, they are gypsies - who knows who they are....
...need to be hunted down, like dogs. I have a daughter the same age. I'm sorry I asked because that shed a light I did not need to see...but then again, I am glad to know it. I pray for my daughters' safety and I hope I never bear witness to such.
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Avery
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Post by Avery on Sept 28, 2009 23:01:46 GMT
Yeah, which NC faire was that? I know some of the guys at the one in Huntersville/concord area and never heard about that. I too have been at the faire after hours and will back Odin up on just about everything he said. I can attest to the debauchery, theivery and fighting that goes on.......kinda liked the debauchery at the time.
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Post by sparky on Sept 28, 2009 23:14:14 GMT
Wow that sounds like fun Odin. NOT! The autumn bonfire sounds like my cup of tea.
My daughters only 7......... I'm locking her in a closet and I'm going to try and arrange a wedding. She should be okay with that........
right???
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ecovolo
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Post by ecovolo on Sept 29, 2009 0:03:33 GMT
8. You do not want to know what the Fairegrounds are like after hours. You will just have to trust me on this one. Ok, I want some stories from #8. Stories! I gotta agree... my curiosity is certainly piqued! I've done Fairs since 1992-- believe me, people somehow go out of their heads in after-hours parties. Ostensibly straight people turn bi for an evening, monogamous couples suddenly swing, and teatotalers get blitzed/ high. I have seen all of this, personally . . . and that's the tip of the iceberg. I remember watching a TV special put on by Fred Willard, where someone asked a "playtron" (a patron who comes out regularly every weekend to play at fair) what they liked about the Ren Fair in Gilroy, CA. She replied, to the camera, "It's a place where you can do what you want and not have to worry about the consequences." After seeing that, I just didn't want to be as heavily involved in the Ren Fair hobby as I used to be. I just don't want to be associated with people like that. It gets pretty wild after hours; if you party there, party safely. The stories of girls getting raped and people getting their things stolen are all true. --Edward
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2009 0:26:31 GMT
Carnies,Circus folk, ....nomads you know...smell like cabbage.....small hands you know...
Austin Powers ;D
Only 2 things scare him .. This was one!!
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Post by brotherbanzai on Sept 29, 2009 0:50:32 GMT
On the price of stuff at the faire... It's not really unreasonable that a not very well made sword that someone has made by hand might still be just as much or more than a better quality mass produced sword. Consider a hand forged fork and knife that you sometimes see and compare that to what you would pay for a nice set of stainless silverware from the store. How about a hand thrown ceramic bowl vs a nice store bought bowl. I would again point out that I think we are all a bit spoiled by the ready availability of cheap, halfway decent swords from low wage production forges.
And a brief carny story: When I was in my early 20's a fellow I knew (he was my roommates friend but only an acquaintance to me) was in the human chess match or something at the local medieval faire. Apparently he had something going with the daughter of one of the regulars, then he just disappeared. It's only hearsay but we later heard that they fed him to the gators or some such thing.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2009 7:09:29 GMT
I was going to tell a funny story about my first SLO, but then I read all the other stories... I feel slightly ill.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2009 7:36:00 GMT
Goodness, it's hard to believe such things go on so regularly in this day. Well, I'm not quite looking forwards as much to going to the fair in a few months as I had been.
Anyway, back on topic, I do somewhat understand prices at this type of thing being a little higher due to the cost of setting up and the convenience of getting to handle things before you buy, but I think that for the most part it is a bit of a rip off. The only time in the past I've been to the fair here in Arizona was before I knew the difference between a good or bad sword, but next time I'll certainly pay attention and see if there's anyone selling anything decent out here, though I really doubt there will be.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 29, 2009 19:19:58 GMT
Were there any duels of any kind, or just the highwayman stab-you-in-the-back action only?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2009 4:49:46 GMT
I would totally be a ren faire highwayman and stab people in the back.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2009 5:03:39 GMT
The only duel I have heard of was at the Maryland faire years ago - something that resulted in even replica weapons/blunts being banned there. I am not sure what happened, so this might just be rumor. Perhaps a Maryland member can clairify if its's true or false?
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Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2009 5:18:10 GMT
The only carnie folk story I have is from a regular fair where this trailer-trash-hot chick told my friends she'd give them a bag of weed if they won the basketball throw thing, no one won. And my friends all played varsity bball (doesnt mean much but 2x of them were pretty good till they done their acls in).
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Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2009 14:17:23 GMT
The only duel I have heard of was at the Maryland faire years ago - something that resulted in even replica weapons/blunts being banned there. I am not sure what happened, so this might just be rumor. Perhaps a Maryland member can clairify if its's true or false? Hmm...all the asking around I did about the weapons ban and I never got a definitive answer; an actual duel would explain it, especially if someone got hurt. The MD faire is the one I go to primarily as it is the closest...but the weapons ban just makes it a day of costuming, really. Thinkin of goin to others next year, too late in the season to start out now.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2009 15:54:35 GMT
That really is a good question. I would have to agree, I think it has a lot to do with the patrons at those things. Most of them there don't know the difference, and just want something for a costume or to hang on the wall. And they don't have, and surely don't want to spend much money for those things. But I think another part might be the "clicks" of Renfairs. They are very clicky and you need to be in the click to be able to run a booth or have a show there. I think maybe most of the vendors at these things have been around longer then most of the reputable online sword vendors, so these places like Starfire are "in the click" and so the renfairs just go that route. It does make you feel bad when you see people buying the more expensive stuff $200-300 and you know it's not good for much else then costume and wallhanging. Even before I knew much about swords, I thought those prices were to expensive for what I saw.
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ecovolo
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Post by ecovolo on Sept 30, 2009 17:10:54 GMT
Were there any duels of any kind, or just the highwayman stab-you-in-the-back action only? I once spoke to a guy who told me he dueled after hours at a fair over a slight given to him (No joke-- some people take the Ren Fair hobby *way* too seriously). I don't know where it happened, but I guess it was one in California, because that's where he was living at the time. Anyway, they fought to first blood-- whoever drew it first, was declared in the right. I forget who won, but someone got nicked on the arm. Understand that they did *not* want to kill each other; just prove a point. I've been involved in stage combat at the Gilroy, CA Ren Fair, and the hazards with stage-blunted blades alone are bad enough. Two guys going at it with sharp blades is just insane. --Edward
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Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2009 17:15:05 GMT
You know, I figured something went on after hours...its like watching a show on two separate displays and seeing vastly differing images. Some of them take it to a whole nother level. Not that I think its bad, we all have to have something to be passionate about, but being obstinate and stuck up because of it is stupid to me.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2009 18:30:40 GMT
Hehe yes here in AZ there is a whole 'nother "fair" after the gates close. I have not ever been involved, but knew many people that would work there every year. There was a huge camping area behind the fair grounds where these staff would hang out and sleep over the weekends, rather then drive back into town. I've heard some rather "colorful" stories of things that go on afterhours of a fair.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 30, 2009 23:08:36 GMT
at my local ren fair here in NY, the old owners stopped allowing swords when the insurance went up. mixing alcohol and weapons with general public leads to some trouble . under the new owners they are allowed in , but peace tied at the gate so u could not draw it. hey at least i can bring them in again ;D i was only 10 or so when they banned carrying them
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Post by Dan Davis on Oct 1, 2009 16:25:19 GMT
Okay, so back to the original question (I've done ren fairs for 20+ years, most of these horror stories I heard 20 years ago. Doesn't mean they aren't true; just that in one form or another they have been around for a long time. Underage sex/drugs/drinking, VD, and petty theft account for most of the recurring problems).
OKAY, so back to the ORIGINAL QUESTION!
Ren fairs generally fall into one of two categories: DOES allow resellers or DOES NOT generally allow resellers.
If a fair DOES allow resellers then they will fall into two subcategories - regulated resell or unregulated resell. If a fair does regulate resell then they will fall into one of two sub-subcategories - regulates quality or regulates quantity.
Most "reseller fairs" regulate quantity (number of vendors) and could care less about quality of the product ("give the patrons what they WANT, by god!!"). In this situation you get mass numbers of cheap junk swords and no custom maker can compete in that market, so we don't try.
The few "reseller fairs" that do regulate quality (type of goods) end up with a number of vendors selling CAS Hanwei/Valiant/Imperial and the competition is fierce. Only low-end custom makers can compete in that market.
The VERY limited numer of fairs that are a "crafters" fair (DOES NOT generally allow resell) end up with guys like Jim Hrisoulas, John Lundemo, Daniel Watson (yes, I know, still...), etc. but these fairs are few and far between.
Just based on my experience.
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