The other day Greg Schmidt from Festivals International called and offered us the village pillory at the Des Moines Renaissance Festival for the second weekend of September. Although we had a soft verbal with another event for the weekend, we decided that the Des Moines opportunity was something we could not pass up. Therefore, on the weekend of September 9 and 10, we will be seen in Des Moines, Iowa instead of Carollton, Missouri.
I’d like to point out that it is rare for MOPO to back out of an event. For the most part, we operate on a “first booked, first served” basis. This is the first time we have been presented with such a difficult choice, and it wasn’t made easily. The company hiring entertainers for Carollton is a personal friend of mine, so dropping out on them carries a very bitter taste in my mouth.
However, when stripped of emotional values and viewed strictly from a marketing viewpoint, Des Moines is the clear choice. We will only be working the Pillory and not performing stage shows, but the increased exposure at a much larger faire than anything we’ve previously worked is incalcuably valuable to our future plans. This is a step that we need to take, that we want to take and I feel it is in the best interests of the troupe that we make the switch. It may seem mercenary to a point, and frankly… it is. I just want it to be very clear that this was a choice made with nothing else in mind than what would be best for the continued success of MOPO.
We are looking for a couple of volunteers for the weekend. If you’re interested, visit the MOPO forums at http://mopo.proboards21.com/
That’s it… the rest of our September schedule remains (and will remain) as previously noted. See you all at faire!
THUMBS UP!
