Not so great Scot! Pittsburg, CA opts to skip Renaissance Fest

PITTSBURG — For the first time in more than a decade, Buchanan Park likely will be free of kilts this summer.

The Scottish Renaissance Faire, which has transformed the Pittsburg community park into a 16th century medieval playground the past dozen years, will not be held in August.

Richard Hills, the original event organizer, moved and could not run the festival, recreation supervisor Marilyn Lewis-Craft said.

“Right now, we’re in the process of regrouping by seeing if there are other circuits who are interested,” she said. Questions remain about how Pittsburg would proceed if the festival returns, including renting out space for a guild to run the fair privately or enclosing the site and charging admission.

Running the festival would have placed an extra burden on city staff, especially with the recreation department holding several events in Pittsburg’s Old Town this summer.

“Without good organizers, it’s impossible. It’s not something we could have handled,” Lewis-Craft said, adding that staff members usually are “burnt out” by August.

“A lot of the events we have planned in Old Town, many times, are on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It’s like you’re competing against yourself,” fellow recreation supervisor Ken Gray said.

The department is trying to streamline activities, he said.

The Renaissance Faire cost Pittsburg about $15,000 to stage, not including city services for security and public works.

The city also paid the Pittsburg Unified School District for use of land at Highlands Elementary School for vendors and the guilds, whose actors camped on the ground the weekend of the festival.

“It is too bad, because it was a great event. Over the years, attendance has been great,” Lewis-Craft said. Pleasanton and Livermore also hold Scottish-themed events.

Pittsburg’s recreation department constantly is adding or dropping events to meet the needs of residents, Gray said, noting that the Black Diamond Blues Festival, Art di Strada, weekly farmers markets and car shows are among the events planned for summer. Lewis-Craft said that family-oriented events and a teen program are scheduled for summer at Small World Park.

Paul Burgarino covers Pittsburg and Bay Point. Reach him at 925-779-7164 or pburgarino@bayareanewsgroup.com