I think we would call them dwarves (or dwarfs)

More importantly than PC is that it's not HC (historicitously correct).
The OED (thank God they haven't noticed that I graduated) has:
midget: 19th century
dwarf: back to earliest Old English, found in Saxon mythology
from Midsummer (Helena taunting Hermia): puppet, dwarf, minimus, bead, acorn (the last two apparently used metaphorically, as there is no mention in the OED of them being generally used to describe small humans).

also, we have homuncule (later homunculous) from the 1650's

and the under-used "mannikin" (various spellings) from the early 1500's - a cognate of the French mannequin...

I don't think I'd get used to my velvet hem dragging through it real quick. Plus the audience may have a lower tolerance for that kind of authenticity. Not to mention the health department. :-0

This!

I would agree with contained livestock, with appropriate Humane Association permits, and someone who knows WTH they're doing with the animals. Just parking someone next to hogs (for instance) is not safe for the hogs, which can be very sensitive to sun.

But yes ... mainly some handbooks, some character backstory, etc.

A cohesive show. Wouldn't it be swell? Heck, I might even come back.

Wow,

It is amazing how many of these things are already in existance at some faires. ...including handbooks, guidelines...we are fortunate enough to have Punch and Judy and one of the morality plays.

I agree wholeheartedly with the costume department, the permanent site, flushable toilets and consistant costume guidelines for all participants from all departments. That alone would make such a huge difference. It all starts with how passes are distributed. If it was all up to me, I would certainly change that.
Shade in every place that it is needed also makes a big difference.

One thing working with jousters for many years has taught me is that animals moving down crowded streets with patrons is NOT a good idea. People touching, aggrevating, tripping over and possibly getting stepped on by animals, not good......and shit is something that NO ONE wants to have to clean up, especially when they are at faire....not even the squires. Animals tucked to the side in areas for viewing safely, Yes...walking amongst the crowds, not so much.

As much as I would like to pay a lot more to the active guild members or the volunteers that actually make valuable contributuons, there are also a lot of people that don costumes, come to faire and walk around and play and flirt and drink and consider themselves actors and feel that they should get paid for their presence. I disagree. I liken it to paying people to dress up and go out to their favorite dance club or bar. For some people, faire is not really much more than that. Of course, no one thinks that applies to them.

There are so many more things I could list, but I agree with most of what has been said so far.
M

Kentwell for sure!

Bad, evil, naughty Zoot!

We actually host at least one 'late night' every year at Koroneburg in SoCal; there is a great cannon/gun demo (damn they look cool when you can really see the muzzle flash!), guild encampments having dinner and generally doing what folks would do once the sun went down and light became limited. Given our Spring schedule, things don't tend to get *too* dark, but dark enough to bring out the covered lanterns and have some nice encampment fireside story telling, etc.

No they don't! They come from the same factory that makes McNuggets dontyaknow?