By: Christian Collington, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, TheIFP.ca
The Georgetown Little Theatre’s (GLT) inaugural Renaissance Faire, originally scheduled to take place Aug. 21 to 23 at the Georgetown Fairgrounds, has been cancelled after organizers determined the project had grown too large and complex for their available volunteer base.
“Basically, the project got too big for us and too complicated, and so we had to back away,” said Cat Heaven, vice-president of GLT and Youth Company co-ordinator.
Heaven explained that while vendor interest in the faire was strong, the scale of the event and the logistical demands set by the town — such as garbage pickup and security — proved too much for the current volunteer workforce.
“The decision came to a vote amongst the committee and the membership and there just wasn’t enough support,” she said.
Heaven noted that the topic has been “a sensitive and occasionally painful subject” for some in the group, acknowledging that some members were deeply committed to seeing the faire through, but ultimately there “weren’t quite enough” people to carry the project over the finish line.
For the Town of Halton Hills, the scale GLT was contemplating placed the Renaissance Faire squarely in “large event” territory.
Alexandra Fuller, the town’s director of communications, said the town generally classifies a large event as “1,000 people or more” and town staff recommends organizers “reach out a year in advance.”
That lead time, she said, reflects both the volume of events across the municipality and the time it can take to secure a range of permits, which vary depending on what an event includes; for example:
Events serving food must obtain food licences from Halton Region.
To serve alcohol, organizers need a special occasion permit from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.
Road closures require permits from the municipality.
Safety requirements and liability considerations are also tailored to the type of event and its components. Fuller noted there is no single standard that applies to every large gathering.
Erin Burger, the town’s community development supervisor, said the process can be eye-opening for new organizers.
“Many first-time event organizers are surprised by the costs, timelines, permits and permissions that are required to host a large event,” she said.
She added that the town’s “job is to help them through the process, set up the necessary meetings with staff and guide them through the requirements for what they want to do.”
While such events can be challenging to stage, they can also deliver significant benefits for local businesses.
Bethany Hanman, events manager with the Georgetown BIA, noted that large events can support local businesses and bring “new patrons to our BIA businesses.”
She added that the impact of an event on businesses can vary based on how businesses participate, however large events bring the advantage of “an increase in foot traffic of both local shoppers and tourists.”
Despite this year’s cancellation, Heaven noted that the Renaissance Faire could return in a revised form.
“We have learned a bunch of lessons through this process,” she said. “Should the membership say, ‘hey, how about we just restructure it, we rethink it,’ it may come back. I just don’t know when.”
In the meantime, GLT is pressing ahead with other programming, including a planned summer event built around Lucy Maud Montgomery’s “The Blue Castle,” a June 6 open house and a youth one-act festival running May 7 to 9.
“We are moving forward. GLT is not going to stop and we’re doing fun stuff,” Heaven said. “That’s what we do.”
The now cancelled festival would have featured an immersive storyline featuring:
An immersive atmosphere: Actors in period costumes wandering the grounds.
Street theatre: Short, five-to-20-minute performances, “pickpocket” scenes and characters whispering secrets to passersby.
Living history: Minstrels, knights and artisans bringing the “renaissance fantasy” to life.
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