Question 2: How important is the feast in relationship to the whole event?

• I think it's quite important, because it's one of the major goings-on, and it's something people look forward to.
• A well-done feast can make a less than special event very good; it can make a very good event spectacular. A bad feast can be the final straw if the event was not very good, or it can sour the memory of a fairly good event.
• That depends on how the event went otherwise. <grin> I've been to events where the feast was its saving grace, and to others where I thanked the good Lord for Pop-Tarts.
• Very important. Many times, the feast is the one time in the day when you can *really* look around and imagine yourself in period. Those moments can be few and far in between at events where cars are everywhere, people don't go to the trouble of hiding mundanity, etc., etc.....
• Depends on the event. For a Coronation, the feast should be special. For a small fighting event, put meat in front of the fighters and stand back. ;-) I look at feast as a time to relax from a busy day, to enjoy the company of friends.
• Some of us are feast junkies - I don't feel as if I have had a "complete" event without the experience of feast.
• It's never primary - usually, I'm there mostly to do a specific activity (fight, fence, dance, take a class, deliver a scroll). But feast is definitely an important part. I'd cut court *way* before I'd cut feast.
• For me it is among the least important parts. I say this because too often the feast becomes the central event itself and takes wayyyyy too much time!
• The best part--the one people remember the longest.
• The feast is important, but not critical. If there is no feast, I am disappointed.
• The feast can be the end of the event or a bridge to later activities. Both types function in different ways and have different importance.
• VERY Important. It has the potential for providing exceptional ambiance. For a "medieval" feel, it is perhaps one of the most important.
• Fairly important, although this depends on the type of event. If feasting is the focus, then it's very important; ditto if it is a celebration such as Coronation. I was bitterly disappointed at our last coronation when the feast turned out to be totally non-period.
• Depends on the event. Theme, time schedule, and authenticity of an event affect how important any other portion is -- feast, entertainment, court, dancing, bardic, etc.
• A feast can make or break an event. Think on it, when people talk about this event or that what do we hear in each conversation. "I don't stay for feast ‘cause I never had a good one" or "Man the feast was the beast." Always, we hear about the feasts and like all other things a bad feast is remembered longer than a good feast. The feast ties the event to a common frame. Lets face it we all do different times and cultures and during the day we are all in meetings and classes and lysts. After the day is done we share food and company bound together by the common meal.
• Very important. The feast is generally the last activity most people engage in at an event, and it's therefore the last memory they carry away from that event. If it's a bad feast, they carry away bad memories.
• A good feast is the cap on a usually wonderful day. Like a fine liquor after a great meal.
• I have enjoyed events when I went to feast and when I didn't. The only times I really have cared is when the feast runs too late, resulting in no dancing.
• Feast provides a time to sit and relax, to enjoy the company of whoever is sitting at your table in a relatively quiet atmosphere (depending on your friend or the event). It's the time to wind down after the event, extremely important.
• Somewhat important. I think the feast's theme should coincide with the theme of the event where possible.
• Depends on the event. Used to be in (our Kingdom) it was unheard of to have a big kingdom event (Coronation, Crown Tourney, Twelfth Night) without a correspondingly big feast. We've been getting away from that a bit in recent years, mostly due to lack of suitable sites. I autocratted Coronation last spring, and instead of a sit-down feast, we had an extensive all-day dayboard. Then there are other events here where the feast *is* the central activity.
• Important: Court and the camaraderie of sharing a meal with so many others are the high points of a good event, bring us together best as a group.
• A feast becomes more important if there are competitions or classes or events during the day that keep people apart. The feast brings everyone back together in a medieval context and allows everyone to let their hair down, (so to speak) and share what they'd done that day.