Student Days?
Looking at the web site of the Ohio Renaissance Festival, you might wonder why there is a link to “Student Days”. After all, if you follow that link you will see only one date for the 2010 season: September 30. Perhaps they should change the title to “Student Day”.
Are Sponsors running away?
Before the 2009 season started, I reported that the sponsor page of the Ohio Renaissance Festival seemed to be missing several names since the previous year.
Make it interesting!
If not YOU then WHO ?
I spent the last hour watching in amazement as a tiny little peep pecked its way out of her shell and then collapsed in exhaustion. Next to her broken shell another peep has just managed a small hole to start her escape. I am worried that she’s been at it for too long without much progress. I’ve never tried to help one out and have read it usually does more damage than good. So I will be spending today on many other activities, but always with that thought in the back of my mind; at what point do you try to help the little thing? What if I choose too late and cause its death? What if I choose too early and cause its death? These aren’t my first new born chickens, I’ve just never had one stall for so long after the first pecks of freedom.
Ohio Renaissance Festival Discount Tickets at Kroger
Kroger Co. is an official sponsor of the Ohio Renaissance Festival Inc. Discount coupons for the festival are available at many of their grocery stores. A quick conversation with Kroger’s employees yields information that Kroger Inc. is a union shop. Kroger Co. employees are members of the UFCW union. Why then would it sponsor the Ohio Renaissance Festival, which pays not only below union wages but also below minimum wages? A few of these employees were so outraged by the news that they pledged to speak to their Union Representative in an effort to help employees of the Ohio Renaissance Festival. Why then would Kroger Co. knowingly put their name on an event, which seems to be in such clear violation of their union policies (not to mention law and decency)?
Christians Boycott
Now here is something I never expected. Evidently this protest was discussed in one of the Waynesville churches this morning. As a result, I am now receiving emails telling me I should join the other protest site: http://orfprotest.com and that the url of this web site is obscene. I do apologize to anyone who I have offended with this url and want to know I am involved in that protest site as well and try to remain as civil as possible.I very much appreciate many of the statements being made in the forum system there and hope to find the time to answer much of what is being discussed by your members. You are right, what the Ohio Renaissance Festival and Peter Carroll are doing is not Christian. Of this sort of conduct is not advised by most other religions because is evil and Christianity does not have a patent or copyright on evil (or good for that matter).
Press Contacts
A grass roots protest is always dependent on Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Expression, however if not for Freedom of the Press these other liberties would fade. It is the press that causes information and ideas to be spread on a large scale. So if you have come upon information that you feel should be brought to the attention of the general public, please consider contacting the press as part of your protest of the Ohio Renaissance Festival.
Other Fairs n Forums
Have you ever wondered why the Ohio Renaissance Festival does not have a forum system on their web site? Per a conversation with Cheryl Bales, the VP/Marketing Director of ORF, Peter Carroll hates the internet. From first hand knowledge, he seems to hate it when people exchange information between themselves. In a calm business meeting, when I made a factual statement he screamed something about being sick of “renie rumor”. Well, there is a difference between rumors and discussions.
Write to the Merchants
One of the best ways you can help bring about change at the Ohio Renaissance Festival is to discuss the many issues with the people that these issues affect. You might not agree with me about the specific problems or how I have chosen to protest them / seek change; but after what I have seen recently I am confident you will agree that there are many problems which should be addressed. The way to do that is by talking about those problems.
Contacting Sponsors
Successful grass roots protests often work by writing letters to people, corporations, and other entities, which support the organization being protested. The following is a list of sponsors identified by the official web site of the Ohio Renaissance Festival. It would be a good idea to carbon copy your emails to the ORF office email addresses so that they know what is going on as well. I understand that many readers live in fear of loosing their business to Peter Carroll’s tirades, but anonymous emails are not often taken seriously. If you are afraid to write and close with your real name, go ahead and send things anonymously. But remember, being up front about who you are will help convince people of the severity of the problem.