Calling Off Renaissance Fair Called ‘Unfair’

Operators of the Renaissance Pleasure Faire in Devore claimed Friday that San Bernardino County officials abruptly canceled the annual festival at a county regional park, disappointing entertainers, artists and children who were looking forward to the springtime event.

“This unilateral action by the county is unfair,” said Pete Leavell, head of Renaissance Entertainment Corp., which operates festivals in California, New York and Wisconsin.

County officials had previously announced that the county and fair operators had mutually agreed to end a 10-year lease that would have kept the event at Glen Helen Regional Park until 2010. County officials said that the decision was made after fair officials realized they could not meet a lease requirement to make improvements at the park.

The lease agreement approved by the county in June 2000 called on the fair to install buildings, infrastructure and landscaping to make the regional park the fair’s permanent site.

In a statement released Friday, fair officials said that they have been working to meet all lease obligations so the next fair, in April, could be at the park.

Leavell said that thousands of artists, performers, merchants and children from more than 120 school districts were planning to attend.

But county officials said Friday that fair officials repeatedly missed deadlines to make the improvements.

“They are the ones who failed to meet the obligations,” said Matt Brown, chief of staff for Supervisor Paul Biane, whose district includes the regional park.