[MR] Conflicts with Holiday Faire weekend

[GM Miller]

Just this past Fall, an event I had decided to Autocrat, was registered with no conflict, on a weekend that "traditionally" we always had an event, and "traditionally" the only other events were held states away. This past fall, an event was held within 125 miles of ours, in the same state, JUST outside of our 100 mile radius, and in a much more centralized location for travellers.

Our numbers suffered, we lost a little cash, but we had a great event. The attendance was a little lower than usual, but everyone there had a good time. (and that's what an event's about, right?) A nearby event isn't necessarily certain death to another.

However the rules for claiming "no conflict" are clear. If a group -knows- it wants a specific weekend, they should Spike and Spike early. I'll bet that if Holiday Faire had spiked this years event immediately after the close of last years event, there wouldn't be this situation. While it may be one groups "tradition" to hold an event at a certain time, the only true "traditional" events are those reserved for Kingdom events i.e. Crown, Coronation, University, etc. All others are up for grabs. It would be nice if it worked out that same-weekend events were always a couple of states away, but as afore mentioned, the number of groups and allocation of them geographically makes this quite impossible sometimes. Everyone has had an event bumped at one time or another.

I also think that the posts I have seen from non-Atlantians, such as mi'lord Friderich's (from the East Kingdom) post really do not matter when it comes to the politics and policy of this situation. I don't think a person from out of Kingdom should even have the gall to ask the Atlantian Crown to intervene when they do not like a date or event. Nor do I appreciate that they should be "threatening" not coming to Atlantia. We're discussing Atlantian rules and policies, not East Kingdom's, West Kingdom's, The Outlands', or anyone else's. If there are peoples from other lands who do not like how things are here in Atlantia, they should feel as free not to visit as they do to cross our borders.

I realize that this could very well cause conflicts with a few merchants scheduels, who set their calendar up yearly, but as a merchant myself, I realize that things happen, and events change, are cancelled, etc. If you make good enough plans, you can usually make a different event for a weekend that changes, especially if there's as much notice as there is in this instance.

I'll bet (guarantee in fact) however that cooler heads can prevail in this situation. Threatening and bashing each other and/or each other's group is a far cry from the kinship and Chivalry we should expect from each other as Atlantians and SCAdians.

Hopefully a compromise can be found, but whether or not one is; all should remember that the ones we're upset with now are still our friends and cousins, and we all need each other to come and play at our events. If we degenerate into, "I'm mad at such-and-such, so I'm not going to their events... (And) Such-and-such boycotted oue event, so we're not going to their event..."; The only thing that can come from this attitude is loss to every side. I think everyone should back up and act like adults, and be the kindred spirits that we all are, and take a deep breath before letting off too much steam that might be later regretted...

Holiday Faire is a good event, I have enjoyed it in years past. I have no doubt that Dun Carraig's event will be nice as well. Surely these can both b done without a major breakdown and falling out.

YIS,
Lord Gavius