1 big fest a year or 2 small ones?

I like different locations. I would like to get one in our area again.

 

I think 2 fests are better.
This is my 2 time at the Des Moines show.
I am a newbie to GIRs and the fests give me a great opportunity to ask questions and meet others that enjoy this hobby.
It is hard to find a store that has anywhere near the knowledge that this group has. I have had many offers of assistance and help. The learning curve is great in the beginning and these fests give everyone a chance to continue to learn and purchase from vendors that seem very knowledgeable and helpful. I would be disappointed to get this chance but once a year.
I like the opportunity to attend the speakers and learn what in many cases did not know anything or very little about.
The raffle seems like it has a lot of value for the $1 ticket price.

 

Looks like 2 a year- I'm on Casey's page, time for Waterloo/CF to host one.Any ideas for the venue in our area Casey?

 

The reason we started having two a year was geographic location. At one a year, it always left people out. Now that we have two, most people can usually make at least one if not two. If we go back to one event a year, how are we going to determine where it is?

There are several key items that makes an event successful. The main thing is advanced planning. Fall Fest is being planned now, which is how is should be. In a few months, SF should start to be planned.
One thing that made this event successful was the communication with our registered users. This is one thing that we have been lacking for awhile. In the past we have been more concerned about attracting people from surrounding states, forgetting that there is over 1200 registered users from within Iowa.

Vendors come and go. There were a few missing, but there were several that were here for the first time. Two of the past vendors are now out of business, and several new ones started, it is the nature of the hobby. We ran out of table space for sellers which tells me there had to be alot of choices for everyone.

Raffle items are getting much harder to come by. More and more clubs are having fests, with more and more asking for those donations. Not to mention the down economy many aquarium businesses are having a hard time keeping their head above water, let alone donate to fests all the time.

And to me, fests are not for making the club money. At $10 a head admission, not to mention hobby sellers, commercial sellers, and raffle tickets I find it hard to believe that we could have lost much money. I believe at the business meeting we had almost 300 paid members. At $20 a year per member, that goes along way towards taking care of local activities and help supplement fest costs.

Just my 5 cents (yes the price of everything is going up)

 

what is the turn out for spring fest compared to the fall fest?

 

As a noobie to the club and to the hobby I really enjoyed the fest and getting to put a face to many of the names of folks that have helped me in the past. Got some great deals on some terrific corals. One suggestion if possible for the next venue (I did really like this facility as there was lots of room) - is to have the speakers in a separate room. It was a little hard (for me anyway) to hear what the speakers were saying amongst all the other chatter and activities. Other than that - count me in for Fall Fest!

 

actually the raffle is one of the biggest draws to the show.

 

+1000

 

I disagree.
It is the icing on the cake, but look how many people are already gone by the time the raffle starts.

 

IMO- the raffle is a nice bonus, and I am sure it draws a lot of money for the club, but its just an added attraction to the event. I normally drop a bit of money in the raffle, and seldom ever win anything, but that is ok because I know the money is going to help sustain the club cost of having the event. We just need to remember that what the event is really for. Its for fellow hobbyist to get together and buy/sell/trade things you don't normally find in the LFS. I remember the first Spring Swap I attended at the Blank Park Zoo. There was at most 5 sellers, no vendors, no raffles, no speakers. But I spent about 5 hours just hanging out talking with other people in this hobby. A few I had met online and others I have never met before. Still to this day if I was having a major problem I could call/text/email/pm some of them and they would be there to help. To me that was much better than a raffle any day.

I vote for the 2 events a year. I would rather get together every six months in smaller evens, then have one large event a year.

 

I agree...to disagree.  The raffle is okay but it's not what I'm interested in.............  2 Fests/yr was my vote.  Even with the bad economy and the cost of gas (and everything else we are dealing with) I think the turnout was very good...I spent alot of money on corals, like usual.  I believe the success of the Fests comes down to very advanced planning, implementing it and getting the word out (in a nutshell).

 

I think location is a factor for all, what would be great is to have one in all 3 groups every year.. 3 a year..
Quad Cities
Cedar Rapids/ Cedar Falls
Desmoines

Otherwise some areas are always driving some distances..

My 2 cents...

 

I'll just keep my opinions to myself from here on out.

 

I put 2.  I know it is more work and more $$, but I do like 2 because one is usually too far for me to make it to, so then I know at least one of them will be more local.  Personally, the raffles are a very nice perk, but I don't feel we should expect them; they are donated items after all.  What I go to a fest for are the awesome corals @ great prices, the speakers and the info/booths about new products.   I feel like we're very fortunate as a club to be able to pull off and enjoy 2 successful fests a year.

 

Raffle at a fest I can never stay long enough to attend so I usually give away my tickets. I think two a year is great but how about a more centralized location for at least one. Say cedar rapids or iowa city some where in the middle. The drive to Des moines is a real haul, davenport is tolerable . Just giving my two cents if its not possible I understand. I love girs it has been a great learning experience and I can't wait for fall fest which I hope to make so I can start to fill my 90g after I move into my new house in june.

 

+1 on the Centralized location....