ALABAMA RENAISSANCE FAIRE

Minutes of Meeting, 5-21-09

Those present:  Calvin Liles, Sharon Bradley, William Freeman, Lee Freeman, Don Green, Mandi Green, Susan Key, Ann Iaria, Bonnie McIntyre, Carol Burhans, Her Majesty Queen Rebecca of Linam, Mary Nicely, Donna Miles, Maria Camp, Billy Warren

1. Calvin Liles reported that he has secured a small podium on which to place the German devotional Bible for which he is building a display case.
   
   
2. Sharon Bradley suggested that Don Green make presentations on Gutenberg at the Faire this year.  Don responded that he might be willing to do such presentations at various times during the Faire.
   
   
3. (drum roll, please!) The Journey of the Nightisons, the new book by Her Majesty Queen Rebecca of Linam, is now available.  It may be purchased in hardback or paperback on Amazon.com.  There was applause for the new author on her first book!
   
   
4. Lee Freeman reported that he has not yet begun writing a blog about the Alabama Renaissance Faire on Renaissance magazine’s blog site.  He stated that he will start blogging as soon as he knows the requirements that must be met.
   
   
5. Susan Key reported that Tim Dixon, one of our food vendors, has agreed to include some German foods in his food booth at this year’s Faire.
   
   
6. Aubrey Gaskins (in absentia) reported that Stephano’s will offer streudel, a German dessert, in its food booth at this year’s Faire.  It will be chocolate streudel, that is based on a very old recipe from Gottlieb’s Bakery in Savannah, Georgia.
   
   
7. Everyone present expressed appreciation for the 43 free tickets that the Roundtable received from the Tennessee Renaissance Festival.  At the regular price of $18 each, the gift of 43 tickets is significant.  Since the first weekend of the Festival was flooded out (a tree fell on one of the stages, also!), the officials there allowed the free tickets to be honored on the next two weekends.
   
   
8. William Freeman and Ann Iaira displayed the German devotional Bible which Ann donated to Magnolia Church of Christ and which will be on display at this year’s Faire in the display case which Calvin Liles is building.
   
   
9. Billy Warren:
   1. Announced that mead is now officially for sale at the Wine Seller on the corner of Court and Tuscaloosa Streets in downtown Florence; and
   2. Displayed a large framed print of a Renaissance scene which Faye Borden Morris has donated to the Roundtable for use in the Feast Hall – applause for Fay!
      
      
10. At the request of Her Majesty Queen Rebecca, William Freemon will lead the diners at this year’s Feast in a dance called the Maltese. Then he will invite people at the Faire to join him as he leads them in the Tangle.  What a great idea!
    
    
11. In a drawing, Sharon Bradley won a tan suede-covered legal pad folder.  Donna Miles won a large paperback copy of Shakespeare’s King Lear.
    
    
12. Billy Warren stated that a committee composed of Darlene Freeman, Donna Miles, William Freeman and Randall Ugrovics has been appointed by the Board of Directors to study the issue of Roundtable members being asked to travel distances to perform at weddings and other functions.  This committee will make recommendations to the full Board regarding information to post on our website about fees and other possible requirements that must be met if Roundtable members are to participate in such functions.
    
    
13. William Freeman reported that a series of short videos about our Feast and Faire are now posted on our Myspace page (www.myspace.com/alrenfaire).  These were created by her Majesty Queen Rebecca of Linam.  William encouraged everyone to watch the short videos (3-6 minutes each) because they are very good and because they add a wonderful dimension to our Myspace page.
    
    
14. The group displayed the entries in the 2009 poster contest.  The winning entry was created by Victoria Antoine of Florence. Applause for Victoria!  We will send it to the printer very soon so we can possibly have 500 copies ready by the June meeting of the Roundtable.
    
    
15. Billy Warren complimented Her Majesty Queen Rebecca for the excellent plans for her reign which she presented in detail at the April 30 meeting of the Board of Directors.  It will be a great year for the Feast and the Faire!
    
    
16. Lee Freeman circulated reprints of books which he owns personally.  Some were titles that were done manually in pre-Gutenberg days; others were originally printed in the early years immediately following Mr. Gutenberg’s invention.
    
    

Lee Freeman and Don Green held a very scholarly discussion about the facts surrounding the life and times of Gutenberg.

17. Billy Warren reported that applications are now being received daily from craftsmen, food vendors and entertainers.  That’s very encouraging, especially in a year that has seen such an economic downtown.