The Gainesville City Commission unanimously voted to identify funding sources, look for new partners and fully explore alternative locations for the Hoggetowne Medieval Faire at Thursday’s General Policy Committee meeting.
While the search for a new venue is underway, the event will continue to be held at Depot Park for at least one more year, according to a press release from the Gainesville City Commission.
Over the past seven years, city staff have evaluated over 40 potential properties while looking for a new location for the faire.
According to the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs, an ideal location offers at least 60 acres of flat, dry and mostly cleared land; access to water, electricity, fencing and flushing toilets and a campground suitable for both tents and RVs. It should also include a tree perimeter and a paved trail or road.
For the past two years, the faire has been held at Depot Park. While the site meets some of the city’s criteria for Hoggetowne, it falls short in a few key areas, according to the press release.
As an open park with free public access, Depot Park has increased faire attendance. However, its smaller size has resulted in a more crowded experience and more scaled-back attractions.
Additionally, converting the space into a multi-weekend ticketed event would require temporary fencing — an expenditure not currently included in the city’s budget, according to the press release. As a result, the faire has been limited to a single weekend instead of its traditional three-weekend run.
“We want this event to continue to be successful wherever it lands,” Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward said. “We are interested in out of the box ideas. It may take some creative thinking to figure this out, but I am confident there’s a workable solution.”
Some potential sites highlighted by the city include the Alachua County Agriculture and Equestrian Center, West End Golf Course, Gainesville Raceway and Cuscowilla Nature Center.
The Gainesville Raceway and a 41-acre site that was once home to a U.S. Job Corps training program were both mentioned in the motion as alternative locations worth considering.
Contact Annie Wang at awang@alligator.org. Follow her on X @wynwg.
Annie Wang is a metro general assignment reporter and a second-year journalism major. She has previously worked on the university desk as the university administration reporter. She enjoys reading and writing book reviews in her spare time.
