[TheForge] ABANA is NOT dead...

[Jerry Frost]

This is what got me thinking fair grounds, they'll rent 
all or part, have insurance for almost anything shy of 
suicidal and many have their own fire marshal so 
approvals can be. . . Had. There's already more than 
enough electric service for anything a blacksmith's 
conference is likely to need. Propane is on site too. 
In short, there's all the infrastructure necessary and 
people who have experience using it, coping with the 
logistics, and1,001 other details involved. All they 
need is the specifications.

Accomodations and food are close. There're about 150 
rooms within a 10 minute drive, another 250 or so 
within a 30 min. drive and 2,500-3,000 more within a 
45-60 min. drive. There're two good cafe's a 4 min walk 
from the fair grounds main gate, a dozen more within a 
10 min. drive, another 30-40 within 30 mins. and 
another 150+ within 45-60 mins. You can tent on the 
fair grounds if you want, hit a state campground, 
Alaskan lodges, bed and breakfasts, or opt for four 
star accomodations in Anchorage.

In the case of the Palmer, State Fair grounds, (it's 
the size of a small county fair grounds) they'll 
entertain almost any proposal, especially if there's 
nothing already booked for the date. It's in a 
suburbanizing farm community 45 miles north of 
Anchorage and about 25 miles east of me.

Ours is a small operation and they host all kinds and 
sizes of events from Girl Scout campouts, Boy Scout 
Jamborees, dog shows, RV sales EVENTS, swap meets, 
single family reunions to grid locking state fair 
action. They'll rent you a picnic table and BBQ for a 
couple bucks. Pizza Hut opens it's doors if they think 
100 people will show up.

The convention center or sports arena in Anchorage are 
for hire as well though not as well suited to a 
blacksmith's conference.

 I'm not proposing Alaska for an ABANA conference. Any 
time soon anyway. <grin> I'm using our fair grounds as 
an example is all. I've always been impressed with the 
wide range of activities fair grounds handle.

Frosty
-------------------------------
If it ain't forged
it ain't real.
Wrought iron is.
The FrostWorks

Meadow Lakes, AK.

http://www.artmetalradio.com/

From: "Dave Mudge" <dave at magichammer.net>


> Bob, we need a facility for 1,000 if were lucky. We 
> can not afford a
> 60,000 people facility.
> Bruce, you hit the nail on the head. 99 percent of 
> the attendees want
> a motel or dorm room and easy food. I could see the 
> "right" fairground
> if local zoning lets us do our fire thing and if eats 
> and sheets are
> near-by.
> dave m
>
> On 2/23/07, Bob Willman <blcksmth at wcnet.org> wrote:
>>         The Wood County fairgrounds in Bowling 
>> Green, Ohio host the National
>> Tractor Pull each year with over 60,000 folks 
>> attending. Camping on the
>> grounds measured in acres. Plenty of open buildings 
>> for demonstrators. Food
>> vendors move in for the weekend with a variety of 
>> fares available.
>>
>>
>> Bob Willman
>> Bowling Green, Ohio
>> The Eagle's Anvil
>> WB8NQW
>>