"I'm thinking we need a more adaptable site where we could build in permanent infrastructure," states the event's founder Gregory Schmidt of Festivals International. "The folks at the KOA Camelot Campgrounds in Rock Island were great to work with through the years, but they have their own on-going space needs and physical limitations for what could become of this event."
Schmidt enlisted Mr. Bruce Eyton of Sword-in-the-Stone Productions out of Minneapolis to try shifting the festival from the front campgrounds area to the primitive back meadow in 2010. He accomplished the task of re-inventing the olde-school type of Renaissance faire with no running water nor electricity.
The weather turned out ideal, but we'd still be working under the threat of future water and mud conditions, because that portion of the property is on a designated flood plane," Eyton observes.
The two producers have begun the search in the Quad Cities for a new site, where they could start to build a stand-alone event complex with a dining pavilion, jousting arena and castle facade.
Gregory Schmidt currently produces the Iowa Renaissance Festival at the Amana Colonies, the Des Moines Renaissance Faire, the Nebraska Renaissance Faire and the Midlands Pirate Festival. He also produces documentaries and independent movies.
Anyone interested in working with them on this endeavor can contact greg@festint.com or bruce_eyton@yahoo.com. Tel. (641) 357-5177.
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