ALABAMA RENAISSANCE FAIRE

Minutes of Meeting, 7-19-07

 

Thos present:  Bonnie McIntyre, Susan Key, Donna Miles, Rick McAdams, Mandi Green, John Holcomb, Leah Brewer, William Freeman, Lee Freeman, Billy Warren, John Iaria, Ann Iaria, Carol Burhans, Chris Solis, Mary Nicely, Karen Ugrovics, Randall Ugrovics, Her Majesty Queen Ostara, Aubrey Gaskins, Andy Betterton, Nace McIntyre, Gage Ugrovics, Their Majesties Princesses Rain and Willow, Jan Roblin, Jim Lake

 

  1. There was a huge round of applause for Leah Brewer; she brought salads for the Roundtable from Chick-Fil-A!

     
  2. The Roundtable welcomed four young people to today’s meeting:  Nace McIntyre, Gage Ugrovics and Their Majesties Princesses Rain and Willow.

     
  3. Billy Warren announced that Donna Miles has accepted the responsibility of coordinating weddings that might be scheduled for the Faire.  It is important that we have a coordinator since weddings take place in the midst of thousands of people.

     
  4. Lee Freeman:
    1. Reported that Jim Matterer is working on our Feast menu and, as in past years, will test it at an SCA event before determining the actual menu for us; and
    2. Distributed copies of the July issue of Kidsville News, the 24-page newspaper published monthly by the Courier-Journal and distributed free of charge to all students in grades K-6 in Colbert and Lauderdale Counties (Lee and Billy Warren write a column on local history each month for it.)

       
  5. Billy Warren:
    1. Announced (drum roll, please!) that our Faire has once again been designated as one of the Top 20 Events in the Southeast for October by the Southeast Tourism Society in Atlanta, giving it publicity through 800+ media outlets;
    2. Distributed copies of an article from the 7-16-07 Times-Daily about Dr. Mary Crowell at Calhoun State Community College who is an authority on filk music;
    3. Read a thank-you note from Lisa and John Butts (Menagerie) for the book that the Roundtable placed in our public library in memory of their grandson, Skyler;
    4. Announced that the quarterly meeting of the Board of Directors of the Alabama Renaissance Faire will take place at Richards Education Center on Thursday, July 26, at 5:00 p.m.;
    5. Distributed copies of an email from Harold and Nancy Parks announcing the exhibit, The Age of Armor, which is on display at the Huntsville Museum of Art until August 19;
    6. Announced that tickets to the Feast will be on sale beginning October 1 at Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts and at Shaolin Computers on North Court Street; and
    7. Reminded everyone to be collecting buttons, tokens, sequins, colored feathers, bits of ribbon, etc. for children to use in decorating the castle at this year’s Faire.

       
  6. Rick McAdams circulated a proposed badge for staff members to wear at this year’s Faire.  It is a coin of the realm with a clip glued to it and a paper streamer with the word “Staff” affixed.  Everyone agreed that the streamer should be laminated so it will withstand weather.  With that suggestion, the group was unanimous in its approval of Rick’s idea.

     
  7. Rick McAdams announced that a card the same size as the Faire’s business card is being created.  There will be 100 such cards printed, and a coin of the realm will be attached to each.  These will be given to the Management at the Marriott for distribution in early September.

     
  8. Rick McAdams displayed several pieces of his handmade jewelry to be sold at our information tent as a fundraiser for the Faire.  The jewelry incorporates the coin of the realm and pieces of the costume jewelry given to us from the estate of Miki Parrish.  Rick did his usual phenomenal job with this jewelry!  He asked that donations of costume jewelry, especially imitation pearls, be made so he can make more jewelry.  There was a fine round of applause for Rick from a very appreciative Roundtable.

     
  9. Mary Nicely distributed copies of the schedule for the upcoming W. C. Handy Music Festival.  Billy Warren encouraged everyone to attend the Festival as the Roundtable’s show of support for this community-wide event.

     
  10. Susan Key reminded everyone that decorating the information tent will take place in the auditorium of Richards Center from Friday to Sunday, July 27-29.  Here is the proposed schedule:
    1. Friday, July 27, 4 p.m. – Assemble the tent.
    2. Saturday, July 28, 8 a.m. until… - Cut and sew fabric; affix Velcro.
    3. Sunday, July 29, 1:30 p.m. until… - Continue to cut and sew (if not completed on Saturday).

 

Susan reminded everyone to:

·        Enter the building via the end door nearest the Rosenbaum House.

·        Bring sewing machines, scissors and irons.

 

The group thanked Susan for assuming leadership in this very important project.

 

  1. Leah Brewer, Lee Freeman and William Freeman accepted the responsibility of creating an exhibit related to the Feast and Faire for the Pocket Museum on East Tuscaloosa Street.  It is to be set up in mid-September and remain there through the Faire weekend.

     
  2. In a drawing, Aubrey Gaskins won a copy of Louis Lamour’s book, The Walking Drum; Leah Brewer won a Christmas ornament with a Medieval design.

     
  3. Following a discussion of the proposed tunnel/maze for children at the Faire (to be created from large appliance crates lying on their side), the group decided that Billy Warren should contact the director of the Children’s Museum to see if she and her staff would like to take this project as a fundraiser for the Museum.

     
  4. Leah Brewer accepted the responsibility of carving a castle from refrigerator-size appliance cartons for children to decorate at the Faire.  Jan Roblin agreed to design the doors, windows, etc. for the castle and to let it be placed next to her booth so her art students can assist children in decorating it.

     
  5. Billy Warren distributed copies of information about the pilgrimages to the shrine of Thomas a Becket during the Middle Ages.  (Geoffrey Chaucer famously recorded one of them in the Canterbury Tales.)  There was further discussion of the re-enactment – on foot instead of on horseback – of the Canterbury Pilgrims to be held at our Faire this year.  Mary Nicely stated, and all agreed, that a story board about the Pilgrimage needs to be displayed and/or the Herald needs to inform Faire-goers about it; otherwise, people won’t understand it.  Carol Burhans suggested that students in drama classes at Florence High School be cast as the Pilgrims.  There will be further discussion of this exciting project at the Roundtable’s August meeting.