Park City Rennaissance faire hosts the Shadow Poets Society

Thanks to Rich and Liz Evans and the perseverance of Fred Fairchild, four contributors to "Stirring the Sky: Poetry of the Shadow Poets Society " were able to attend a book signing at the Park City Renaissance Faire in Ansonia, Connecticut on July 24, 2004. Fred Fairchild, Sylence Campbell, Heathyre Perara and Vauren Davidson were in attendance. They were given full freedom to choose a location and time during the faire day to hold their signing. Choosing a centrally located area near a popular music stage and near the main flow of traffic, the poets set up an impromptu table...a bale of hay. They laid their books out so that passersby could see them clearly. Previously to this, one of the booths at the faire was carrying copies of Stirring the Sky, so many were already seeing the book before the faire even began.

After developing a quick game plan to attract faire goers to the display, the marketing began. Since Fred knew some of the employees of the faire, he provided them with bookmarks and magnets to distribute while they were selling flowers or interacting with patrons. The poets also distributed bookmarks and magnets to any patrons who would give the poets a moment of their time. Keeping in the spirit of the Renaissance Faire, all poets were dressed in period attire. This gave them more of an appearance of being 'part of the show’ and attracted the patrons to the poets' antics. Some were told that Fred Fairchild (known as Captain Black at the Renaissance Faires) had taken other illiterate pirates captive because they could not read his fine love poetry. If the bookmark or magnet was taken to Captain Black, the captives may be given some freedom. If a book was purchased, the captive would be set completely free. Of course, other poets played the parts of the captives! This brought many patrons to their hay bale display and books were purchased and signed. Additionally, the membership ranks of the Shadow Poets Society grew as a result of this event because some faire employees and patrons chose to accept an invitation and have been a part of the Society since.

This experience was well worth the efforts put into it by all involved and was an exciting prelude to future appearances of the Shadow Poets at Renaissance Faires. The Shadow Poets have kindly been invited back to the Park City Renaissance Faire for the 2005 season.

Check out the Park City Renaissance Faire website here! http://www.parkcityrenaissancefaire.com/