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Post by ladyneysa on Aug 20, 2007 18:38:51 GMT -5
A small pet peeve of mine that I mentioned on here last year is the MD vs. PA thing. Nobody around here knows anything about MDRF, but they know all about PARF!!!! It happened to me AGAIN today, talking to someone about renfest starting this weekend -"oh, you mean up in Lancaster?" They never say "oh you mean down by Annapolis?" It's always PA. GOOD GRIEF- I just wanted to scream NO! NO! NO! MARYLAND people! MARYLAND!!! It drives me crazy, crazy I tell you!! I don't know why, but it does. Phew..... glad I got that outta my system, moving along now....
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Post by tigerlily on Aug 20, 2007 19:31:26 GMT -5
Yeah, I just don't get it...I can't imagine why MDRF isn't better known...from the stats in Renaissance Magazine, it's a bigger festival than PARF...maybe it's all that historically correct asphalt and it's proximity to Hershey Park that make it better known (waiting for the screaming to begin from PARF fans...sorry guys!) (Even though MDRF is adjacent to the state fair grounds, you'd never know it.)
I know not of what I speak, as I've never attended PARF...I just can't imagine a festival as good as MDRF...what do I know?
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Post by Sir Black Fox on Aug 20, 2007 20:01:24 GMT -5
A small pet peeve of mine that I mentioned on here last year is the MD vs. PA thing. Nobody around here knows anything about MDRF, but they know all about PARF!!!! It happened to me AGAIN today, talking to someone about renfest starting this weekend -"oh, you mean up in Lancaster?" They never say "oh you mean down by Annapolis?" It's always PA. GOOD GRIEF- I just wanted to scream NO! NO! NO! MARYLAND people! MARYLAND!!! It drives me crazy, crazy I tell you!! I don't know why, but it does. Phew..... glad I got that outta my system, moving along now.... Advertising. PARF is all over billboards, some even in MD if you head out to Carroll County. They had one outside of Westminster on 97N to PA and another just outside of Littlestown, PA on the same road. PARF is all over the papers, TV, Radio, and I've even seen their ad on Comcast in DELAWARE! MDRF keeps all their advertising local. . . and if you think about it. ..they can barely handle the Huge crowd weekends. . . look at the one-lane road outside of MDRF that you have to be stuck on for miles and then compare it to the 3-lane expanded toll booth at PARF that you can walk to from the gate! Face facts. MDRF doesn't have to advertise. By word of mouth from sites like ours, they fill the site, the parking lot, and the roads outside with over 120,000 visitors a year. . . at best, PARF sees 80,000. PARF advertises because they have to. MDRF advertises because they want to. HEY-uge difference!
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Post by Sir Black Fox on Aug 20, 2007 20:12:52 GMT -5
Yeah, I just don't get it...I can't imagine why MDRF isn't better known...from the stats in Renaissance Magazine, it's a bigger festival than PARF...maybe it's all that historically correct asphalt and it's proximity to Hershey Park that make it better known (waiting for the screaming to begin from PARF fans...sorry guys!) (Even though MDRF is adjacent to the state fair grounds, you'd never know it.) I know not of what I speak, as I've never attended PARF...I just can't imagine a festival as good as MDRF...what do I know? Actually, MDRF is adjacent to the AA COUNTY fair grounds. . . the State fairegrounds are in Timonium. As I said in an earlier post (about 15 seconds earlier). . .it's about the advertising. . . what people see on TV is PARF. What people hear from their friend who've been to both festivals is that MDRF is BETTER. Don't get me wrong. . . PARF has a LOT of stuff over MDRF. . . easy walk on the asphalt (which really isn't hotter than dirt and stone in direct heat, if anything it dissipates heat better. . . . which is why it's on roadways instead of concrete) and the landscaping and $$ thrown into PARF is REALLY seen/scene (i.e. huge castle walls about the place, incredible flower AND vegetable planting, not to mention the very, very expanded Swashbuckler Pub). However, the admission and beer are much more expensive. . .BUT on the same note, there isn't really a "drunk" problem (because one can't afford to get drunk) and the lowlife riffraff are kept away by the higher admission price. There are pros and cons to each way of presenting a festival. MDRF better knock my socks off this season because PARF has added tons of stuff that appeals to festival veterans (i.e. flush toilets everywhere, more beer-buying spots, hot beer wenches, bright pagentry, landscaping and architecture . . . and shade. . . . improvements). For $40 more at PARF than MDRF, I can get a Queen's Pass and get special up-close, reserved parking. . . a lunch with the Queen. . . a pre-season visit and afternoon with the cast. . . and full-season's admission. The beer is only $1 more each than MDRF, and found in the new comfortable shade to chat with friends if that's my thing. . . shows are equal in value. . . some of the entertainers of MDRF entertain at PARF as well. . . and some you've never seen before. I'll always love MDRF. . . but PARF is DEFINATELY giving them a run for the $$. . . . . . I'm just sayin'. . . . . . . . . .
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Post by Scotsman on Aug 21, 2007 7:19:30 GMT -5
I don't know much ... but I do know that MD is the better faire (in my opinion). Without a doubt MD draws the bigger crowds and has the better vendors and entertainment. That being said, I consider myself fortunate to live so close to both these faires. Although MD is my home faire I still enjoy going to PA - all said, it is still a pretty good switch. Not to mention they are open before MD and close after.
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Post by ladyneysa on Aug 21, 2007 9:32:56 GMT -5
I know my little peeve is trivial, I just want to hear someone say just once, "oh yeah, that's down there in Annapolis, right?".
I guess the heavy advertising would make a big difference, and of course you're right Black Fox, it's not like MDRF needs it! As you all know, some days it feels like the place is gonna burst at the seams from all the people. I do feel lucky to live so close to 2 faires while some folks have to travel hours just to get to ours-(poor Tigerlily & Kendall!) MD is 1hr 15 mins.- PA roughly the same, there's about a 10 mile difference. One of these days if I ever have oodles of extra cash flow, I would very much like to go see PARF so I can finally experience another faire. For now, though, since my attendance is rather limited, it's MD all the way! Black Fox, I'm confuzzled-you stated MD attendance is 120,000 and PA is around 80,000. The stats in Renn Mag. say MD is 290,000-and PA is 200,000. I've always wondered if those figures were accurate. What's up with that?
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Post by Lady Moonwolf on Aug 21, 2007 10:29:44 GMT -5
Ladyneysa, don't feel bad when I was in college in Reading, PA when the gamer's guild (yes our school actually had one) would say oh renaissance festival starts I would turn and was like oh you mean Maryland's no that's not for two more weeks. They would turn on me and say no PA's When I first started school in PA I had no idea of PARF. So I know how it feels for you when I got it the other way around. I got the reverse when living in PA because I only knew of MDRF and not PARF but now I know of both and love them both for very different reasons but MD's will always be my tride and true favorite. But now living in VA I have three to focus on since next year I will attempt to get to VA's as well. The versus thing has always been there and Black Fox is right it is an advertising thing but they still bring in the people and we all still have a fabulous time so that is all that truly matters.
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Post by Sir Black Fox on Aug 21, 2007 10:38:40 GMT -5
I Black Fox, I'm confuzzled-you stated MD attendance is 120,000 and PA is around 80,000. The stats in Renn Mag. say MD is 290,000-and PA is 200,000. I've always wondered if those figures were accurate. What's up with that? AHA. . .it's always good to be questioned. . . . so I looked it up online and I'm indeed VERY WRONG! According to www.rennfest.com/renaissance-festival-faire.shtml#faire , the /season number IS 250,000 for MDRF. PARF doesn't give a number at their site, but I bet it's closer to 200,000 than my crappy info. . .gods know where I got that from. I stand corrected. . . thank you ladyneysa for making me check!
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Post by tigerlily on Aug 21, 2007 14:26:03 GMT -5
I would imagine that this could cause a bit of a quandry...on one hand, PARF is adding to their attendance by advertising and are therefore able to add improvements to their faire thanks to the $$$ they're making...therefore, making PARF more desirable in some ways (the flush toilets sound like heaven!) The image, therefore, is a LESS desirable pic of MDRF in those same respects...however, if one were to have those improvements (and I use the word advisedly, for some things might not be regarded as "improvements" at all - I use the word out of my career in the real estate appraisal biz as well as whether things are really "improved" or not) added to MDRF, then MDRF might grow in attendance even moreso. So the dilemma then comes with...do we really want to "grow" MDRF or have it remain as it is...with maybe fewer "improvements" and niceities but maybe a more authentic and less commercial or "Disney" (or should I say "Hershey") feel to it with a pretty manageable attendance. Just some food for thought...sometimes bigger isn't always better...then again, sometimes improvements can be made...I realize that MDRF still exists to make $$$ and we certainly want it to succeed so that it might be around a long, long time...
I guess I'm just saying...how DO people feel about "growing" MDRF, in spite of maybe not having all of the "perks" that PARF is beginning to offer? Just something to stir the pot a little (sorry, my little pot stirrer icon isn't listed above and I don't know the "code" for it...darn, I always liked that little guy too...)
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