ALABAMA RENAISSANCE FAIRE

Minutes of Meeting, 2-16-06

 

Those present:  Carol Burhans, Lee Freeman, William Freeman, Billy Warren, John Holcomb, Chris Solis, Becky Love-Bassham, John Iaria, Her Majesty Queen Freya of Iaria, Karen Ugrovics, Randall Ugrovics, Sonny Phillips, Bonnie McIntyre, Susan Key, Autumn Harris, Don Green, Mandi Green, Susie Rikard, Andy Betterton, Donna Miles, Darlene Freemon

 

  1. Darlene Freemon:
    1. Announced that Rick Freemon is designing the final coin of the realm (Morgana Le Fay) in the series of six King Arthur coins and that it will also be inscribed as our 20th anniversary; and
    2. Stated that the van going to the Alabama Public Library Service meeting in Montgomery will leave from the Richards Center parking lot on Tuesday, February 28, at 5:00 a.m.

       
  2. Her Majesty Queen Freya:
    1. Noted that she is continuing to forward to Roundtable members the web addresses of Viking-related sites;
    2. Stated that she is looking forward to the trip to Montgomery on February 28; and
    3. Expressed her hope that Roundtable members can appear in costume in Madison County Schools, at Panoply in Huntsville this spring, and in other festivals across the Valley.

       
  3. William Freeman thanked Andy Betterton for securing the Family Life Center at First United Methodist Church for David Simpich and his marionettes to perform “Pilgrim’s Progress” there in October, 2006.  Details will be forthcoming, but, at the moment, plans call for this outstanding performance to be done twice at a cost of $1,000 each.

     
  4. Billy Warren reported that Camilla Burcham, librarian at Harlan Elementary School, would like for Roundtable members to appear in costume there on November 2, 2006, and to set up a booth during the week of April 30 – May 4, 2007.  All of this is part of Harlan School’s continuing program entitled “Reading Will Take You Around the World.”  Both of her requests will be honored by the Roundtable, it was agreed.

     
  5. John Holcomb:
    1. Reported a very successful workshop using live metal conducted by Walter Butler’s Dragoons at Richards Center on Saturday, February 4, and that, as a result of the workshop, we now have the nucleus of a Dragoon group in Florence;
    2. Stated that the new Dragoons group has all kinds of period battles (e.g., the Thirty Years War) from which to choose for potential re-enactments; and
    3. Stated that Walter Butler’s Dragoons hope to come each year to our Faire from their home base in Arkansas.

       
  6. Billy Warren displayed multiple copies of Early Period, a magazine devoted to the late-Roman/Viking era and Tournaments Illuminated, the official magazine of the Society for Creative Anachronisms (SCA), which have been donated, along with several hardback books related to the Renaissance, to the Roundtable by Diana Tidwell.  These will be added to the Medieval-Renaissance collection in the Central Resource Center of Florence City Schools.  Billy stated that he has written a letter to Diana thanking her for this generous donation.

     
  7. Lee Freeman:
    1. Reported that he has learned that the Medieval band, Wolgemut, is based in Europe but will be in American during the week of our Feast, so there is still hope that we might get the band to come to Florence; and
    2. Stated that Chef Jim Matterer is considering a Nordic-themed Feast for 2006 in honor of our Viking monarch and of our 20th anniversary.

       
  8. In a drawing, Bonnie McIntyre won a Renaissance-themed coloring book, and Mandi Green won a coy of the book Chant of the Centuries – A History of the Humanities.

     
  9. Billy Warren thanked all Roundtable members who have agreed to represent the Faire at the APLS planning session for the summer reading program in public libraries throughout the state.  This planning session will take place at the APLS office in Montgomery on Tuesday, February 28.

     
  10. Her Majesty Queen Freya offered these suggestions to make the 20th Feast and Faire the best ever:
    1. Work with the Shoals Marriott to obtain a monetary contribution and free accommodations for entertainers;
    2. Wrap a collection of herbs and put beside each plate at the Feast;
    3. Use rose water to bless each person entering the Feast Hall;
    4. Encourage elementary/middle school students to create Viking-related items such as a longhouse;
    5. Purchase copies of the new Viking game and donate them to local schools;
    6. Encourage all Roundtable members to interact with the guests at the Feast;
    7. Contact UNA to see if any students from the Netherlands are registered there;
    8. Make formal pictures of the Roundtable members throughout the year so these can be used for publicity purposes;
    9. Extend the poster contest as far and wide as possible to help with publicity for the Feast and Faire;
    10. Schedule a dress rehearsal for the Feast before the actual Feast occurs;
    11. Create a specially-designed invitation for guests at the Feast’s High Table;
    12. Create a memory quilt to celebrate our 20th anniversary;
    13. Schedule a summertime picnic for the Roundtable;
    14. Set up a labyrinth this spring for Roundtable members to walk; and
    15. Set aside a table at the Feast especially for children.

       
  11. As the brainstorming session continued, these suggestions were forthcoming:
    1. Allow small banners or signs at the Faire to recognize monetary contributors;
    2. Consider selling handmade candies at the Faire as a fundraiser for the Faire itself;
    3. Consider selling Maypole ribbons at the Faire as a fundraiser;
    4. Consider having our own face painter at the Faire, with proceeds going to the Roundtable’s efforts;
    5. Offer pixie dust for sale in attractive containers;
    6. Consider a prohibition against a Roundtable member becoming the reining monarch;
    7. Work with Jason Behel to offer the opportunity for people to do brass rubbings at the Faire, with some of the proceeds accruing to the Faire;
    8. Set a goal to have Roundtable members in costume appearing at festivals throughout the Valley;
    9. Invite the Vice Sindaco (Vice Mayor) of Florence, Italy, to return for our 20th anniversary.
    10. Be sure to invite all city and county officials to the Feast and Faire;
    11. Get t-shirts printed earlier so staff members in local offices can wear them the week prior to the Faire;
    12. Stage an informal event in Wilson Park once or twice per month at which Roundtable members would appear in costume;
    13. Use previous and current t-shirts from the Faire in the proposed memory quilt; and
    14. Incorporate costumed Roundtable members into downtown Florence’s First Friday events.

       
  12. Billy Warren publicly thanked Taz Scott for expending lots of time and energy arranging for the Walter Butler’s Dragoons group coming to Florence and conducting a successful workshop.