[TheForge] NJ Fairgrounds - Attn: Phlip

[Bruce Freeman]

Phlip,

When figuring price, look at it from the point of view of the attendee.  It can be best if certain basic things are included in the base price.  This might include camping, if camping doesn't add significantly to the overall cost of the facility.  That way the attendee says, "Wow, camping's free!"  It isn't, of course, but it seems free to him.  If enough different things are rolled into the price, enough different people get the advantages of them.  It saves a lot of nickle-and-dime money collection which itself costs money.  Things that can be free:  parking, camping, showers (even non-campers may benefit), drinking water, coffee & tea (if not conflicting with some food vendor).

Other considerations:

Hold the conference when teachers and children can attend.  But not late summer, when the weather gets really hot.  Read up on local weather patterns to avoid really wet months.

Get every possible affiliate on board with some sort of commitment.  Let THEM decide what sort of commitment they want to make, but get them to make it, preferably in writing.  I'm envisioning they'll want to sponsor demonstrators, but maybe they'll want to sponsor an art-blacksmithing show, or the Mastermeer replicas, or a teaching area, or whatever.  These affiliates will need to tell what they'll need in the way of ground space, tents or flys, seating, and utilities.  They'll need a commitment that they can get those things.

I'm assuming ABANA will still spring for demonstrators, but let the affiliates host the demonstrators and see they get what they need in the way of equipment.  (Maybe they can't come through with tents, seating or PA systems, but blacksmithing equipment is one thing affiliates CAN provide.)  

Don't try to be all things to all people.  By bringing the affiliates into the act, there's already a lot of different viewpoints on what makes a good conference.  Don't try to make sure that all groups or interests are represented.  Just welcome into the mix anyone who wants to make a commitment to DO something.  

Where there are general problems to be addressed, have an emailing list (perhaps a subgroup of theforge) for soliciting help and ideas.  Like:  Where do we come up with bleachers?  or folding chairs?  or tables for dining areas?  The more people thinking about it, the more resources you're likely to muster.

Don't forget to make tailgating a part of the conference.  It's a main reason for some people to attend.  Let the sellers set up early, and put them closer to the main show than the normal parking.  

Hope this helps,

Bruce
NJ

>>> phlip at 99main.com 2/27/2007 1:07 PM >>>
Thanks, Bruce. Place I'm thinking of has both primitive and hookup
camping, is close to motels, and $2000 general site fee includes
portapotties and showers. However, we'd need to figure out camping per
person- my thought was to roll it into the site fee- won't be much for
essentially a weekend.

What I told them was essentially a long weekend for the event itself,
total of a week to include set up and break down- not sure where some
estimates are wanting to take 3 weeks for set up and teardown.

Way I'm thinking of it working, is individual groups would resrve a
demo space, and provide their own shelter- same for merchants, though
slightly different area, then a tailgating area, a common social/food
area, and the rest for camping. The area they're willing to give us is
flat and pretty large- maybe 2-3 times as large as Seattle was, (maybe
4?) including the hanger. I know it's several acres, but not good at
guesstimating acreage.

And two moderate sized towns withing 10 miles, Pittsburgh 45 minutes away.

On 2/27/07, Bruce Freeman <FREEMAB at pt.fdah.com> wrote:
> I seems my buddy Bruce Ringier insists on touting the NJ state fairgrounds for ABANA meets.  I found the $20k price tag off-putting, myself.   (I think we should find a place that will pay us to put on a show!)  Here's his latest contribution:
>
> Bruce
> NJ
>
> >>> <YLLWBRNFRM at aol.com> 2/26/2007 7:10 PM >>>
>
> Bruce in reply to your "my post" on forge. Stoke State forest has group
> campgrounds for about 300 people IN ADVANCE .4 miles away and there are some
> facility's for RV's on Fairgrounds site about 100 spaces I think. Also about 300
> hotel rooms within 20 miles of grounds .


-- 
Saint Phlip

Heat it up
Hit it hard
Repent as necessary.

Priorities:

It's the smith who makes the tools, not the tools which make the smith.
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