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This was posted in the WAMALUG and WAMAltc yahoogroups earlier today:
BrickFair 2008 is official.
Plans have been in the works to bring the LEGO festival back to the Washington
DC area. As of today it is official. Next summer’s event is once again at the
Sheraton Premiere Hotel in Tysons Corner, Virginia. Those of you returning from
2006 will be happy to know that the Sheraton fixed their lighting in the main
ballroom. So we’ll be able to see each other and our MOCs :)
Mark your calendars in 2008: August 29th through 31st -- Labor Day weekend.
Setup may begin Thursday evening on the 28th.
Visit Brickfair.com for details.
We hope you are as excited as we are. We look forward to seeing everyone there!
I am not involved in this event, but BrickJournal will be there!
Joe
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In lugnet.events, Joe Meno wrote:
> BrickFair 2008 is official.
Looks good... in fact the website looks great, I wish I had that talent. And
it's good to know the days well in advance. Thanks for the heads-up, Joe! Now if
I can just hook up a wire from the balcony to the far wall, and run a NXTbot
across it with a camera... Mwahahah!
--
Brian Davis
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In lugnet.events, Joe Meno wrote:
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Mark your calendars in 2008: August 29th through 31st -- Labor Day weekend.
Setup may begin Thursday evening on the 28th.
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Argh!
Many of us have prior family engagements for Labor Day weekends. That was a
poor date choice. Not to mention the traffic will be clogged with so many more
vacationers. Bah.
Adrian
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In lugnet.events, Adrian Drake wrote:
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Argh!
Many of us have prior family engagements for Labor Day weekends. That was a
poor date choice. Not to mention the traffic will be clogged with so many
more vacationers. Bah.
Adrian
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You have Labor Day 2008 plans already? C’mon, your family will be your family
the whole year. ; )
David
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In lugnet.events, David Gregory wrote:
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In lugnet.events, Adrian Drake wrote:
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Argh!
Many of us have prior family engagements for Labor Day weekends. That was a
poor date choice. Not to mention the traffic will be clogged with so many
more vacationers. Bah.
Adrian
|
You have Labor Day 2008 plans already? C’mon, your family will be your
family the whole year. ; )
David
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Yeah. I’ve gone camping with them every year for the last 9 years. Tis a
tradition, doncha know.
I suppose Lego is important enough for me to break tradition, right?
Adrian
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In lugnet.events, Adrian Drake wrote:
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Yeah. I’ve gone camping with them every year for the last 9 years. Tis a
tradition, doncha know.
I suppose Lego is important enough for me to break tradition, right?
Adrian
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Well, you could always take them camping in Tysons Corner, Virginia...
(There’s some vignette material right there. “Well, this is a model of what I
would’ve been doing this weekend.”)
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In lugnet.events, Adrian Drake wrote:
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Many of us have prior family engagements for Labor Day weekends. That was a
poor date choice. Not to mention the traffic will be clogged with so many
more vacationers. Bah.
|
It also seems an odd choice to be so close to BrickCon (formerly NWBrickCon)
which has been early October for several years. A month apart makes it more
difficult to attend both. I would have thought that sometime Feb - Apr would
have been more balanced.
Of course, If you can afford to travel to both coasts for brick events I suppose
you probably can manage it two months in a row.
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In lugnet.events, Ted Godwin wrote:
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In lugnet.events, Adrian Drake wrote:
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Many of us have prior family engagements for Labor Day weekends. That was a
poor date choice. Not to mention the traffic will be clogged with so many
more vacationers. Bah.
|
It also seems an odd choice to be so close to BrickCon (formerly NWBrickCon)
which has been early October for several years. A month apart makes it more
difficult to attend both. I would have thought that sometime Feb - Apr would
have been more balanced.
Of course, If you can afford to travel to both coasts for brick events I
suppose you probably can manage it two months in a row.
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Not to bust anyone’s bubble, but the DC Festival has always occurred in a window
from about mid-June to late August. It’s not any closer to BrickCon than it
would be to BrickWorld if it occurred earlier in the summer (say, like, July),
or any less conflicting if it were to occur in late winter/early spring (knowing
already that PDX will not occur in consecutive years)...but I digress. The east
coasters are thrilled to have another fest in DC.
Congrats to BrickCon for its consistency over the years. For many of us (myself
included), it’s not so much about where or when or how a fest occurs, but the
mere fact they are occurring, and public appreciation of the hobby continues to
increase. As far as I’m concerned, there’s always plenty of room for another
fest. Whether it’s local, national or international in scope, we should be
grateful that these occur at all. I sure didn’t have any idea what the idea of a
lego festival would turn into.
My two cents.
Mike
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In lugnet.events, Michael Harrod wrote:
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Not to bust anyone’s bubble, but the DC Festival has always occurred in a
window from about mid-June to late August.
|
Look, not a big deal but there is a difference between a summer fest and a
second fest in the fall. BrickWorld took over the summer spot left vacant by
BrickFest. BrickFair could have chosen a winter date or a spring date (as no
BrickFest has been announced for spring ‘08). They didn’t, that’s unfortunate,
but in the end the number of AFOL’s it will affect could probably be counted on
one hand. Just might have been nice to leave more options open, that’s all.
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In lugnet.events, Ted Godwin wrote:
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In lugnet.events, Michael Harrod wrote:
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Not to bust anyone’s bubble, but the DC Festival has always occurred in a
window from about mid-June to late August.
|
Look, not a big deal but there is a difference between a summer fest and a
second fest in the fall. BrickWorld took over the summer spot left vacant by
BrickFest. BrickFair could have chosen a winter date
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In my opinion, chosing a winter date runs the risk of weather spoiling a good
event for travelers.
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or a spring date (as no
BrickFest has been announced for spring ‘08). They didn’t, that’s
unfortunate, but in the end the number of AFOL’s it will affect could
probably be counted on one hand. Just might have been nice to leave more
options open, that’s all.
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I am hoping to attend both BrickWorld and BrickFair.
-- Don
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In lugnet.events, Ted Godwin wrote:
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Look, not a big deal but there is a difference between a summer fest and a
second fest in the fall. BrickWorld took over the summer spot left vacant by
BrickFest. BrickFair could have chosen a winter date or a spring date (as no
BrickFest has been announced for spring ‘08). They didn’t, that’s
unfortunate, but in the end the number of AFOL’s it will affect could
probably be counted on one hand. Just might have been nice to leave more
options open, that’s all.
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I’m sorry if anyone is put off by the timing of the event. Ultimately, when it
comes to timing, you cannot possibly please everyone.
The possibility of a Spring or Fall event was suggested to me. But my only
experience with Lego festivals is in the summer. And since I’m risking
approximately $105,000 and months of hard work to make the event happen, I
wanted to minimize the variables as much as possible.
Because I have been to both BrickFest ‘06 and Brickworld ‘07 I have a fair sense
of what I can reasonably expect in terms of attendance numbers. Now that
BrickFair and Brickworld will co-exist for the first time, that is a new minor
variable, but not nearly the risk of testing a whole new season. And I think
many folks (myself included) will fly/drive to attend both BrickFair and
Brickworld. Perhaps, as you said, a small number will choose one or the other.
Given that I was focused on the Summer, and the Sheraton Hotel was our most
realistic venue, they had only 1 weekend available next year (next Summer). I
took it.
I believe the South needs a large-scale Lego festival. How about it Texas?
Perhaps they would like to take the Spring :)
Again, I’m sorry if the timing is bad for you. I personally don’t see the issue
when comparing festivals on two opposite sides of the country. I didn’t even
consider that. Chicago was a consideration. But not NWBCon.
Todd, www.BrickFair.com
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At 12:54 PM 10/15/07, BrickFair wrote:
> In lugnet.events, Ted Godwin wrote:
> > Look, not a big deal but there is a difference between a summer fest and a
> > second fest in the fall. BrickWorld took over the summer spot • left vacant by
> > BrickFest. BrickFair could have chosen a winter date or a spring • date (as no
> > BrickFest has been announced for spring '08). They didn't, that's
> > unfortunate, but in the end the number of AFOL's it will affect could
> > probably be counted on one hand. Just might have been nice to leave more
> > options open, that's all.
>
> I'm sorry if anyone is put off by the timing of the
> event. Ultimately, when it
> comes to timing, you cannot possibly please everyone.
Todd,
I think the choice of dates is about as good as it could be.
For me, summer is best (as I recall, fall starts sometime after labor
day). The thought of driving 600 miles with my MOCs in Feb/Mar is
not pleasant. I suspect the 10 hour trip could be much longer, if it snows.
I had hoped to attend NWBrickCon this year, but it occurred two weeks
after a different event in Seattle (a robotic event), and I couldn't
see going to both. If the dates had been different, I would have
considered attending, but I guess not everyone consults with me about
my schedule... :)
I'm already looking forward to going back to DC next summer.
See you there.
Steve
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In lugnet.events, Todd Webb wrote:
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Again, I’m sorry if the timing is bad for you. I personally don’t see the
issue when comparing festivals on two opposite sides of the country. I
didn’t even consider that. Chicago was a consideration. But not NWBCon.
|
No need to apologize. As I said it will not be that many people affected and
really, how many Brick events can we all go to every year? :)
Of course I would like to go to this one because I actually lived about ten
minutes away from Tysons Corner for a summer during University and would love to
visit the area again. But no matter when the event is held it’s still to far for
me to travel unless I win the lottery. :)
Look forward to seeing pictures next year.
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In lugnet.events, Todd Webb wrote:
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I believe the South needs a large-scale Lego festival. How about it Texas?
Perhaps they would like to take the Spring :)
Todd, www.BrickFair.com
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Several members of TexLUG have talked about it and even made some preliminary
inquiries, but there are several factors moving against us. There are several
cities in Texas (and central southern US) that would be excellent for hosting an
event, but only a handful (like Dallas) that are major airline hubs, nor do many
have (useful) mass transit systems outside of busses.
Cities like Houston have two giant airports, but the airports aren’t centrally
located (and are quite a distance away from each other), in fact just about
everything in Houston is spread apart from everything else. Galveston has a
GORGEOUS, giant convention center that overlooks the Gulf of Mexico, but
Galveston has no major airport, and is 1 to 2 hours from anywhere in Houston.
I’ve also heard and read that cities like Houston have very strict and downright
oppressive union rules that would really create problems for an event (I know
nothing about Dallas or San Antonio on this front). Such as requiring all
tables and equipment be set up by the union workers. Granted its hearsay as I
have not confirmed it, but I have no reason to doubt the source. Hopefully if
this is true, it’s only true for Houston.
And last but not least, and perhaps the final coffin nail (not really)... there
are no LEGO stores in Texas or anywhere else in the south outside of the east
coast (AFAIK). It seems to be, perhaps not a requirement, but a major deciding
factor for quite a few people for them to attend a big event. Someone please
correct me but I am unaware of any LEGO convention in the US that has taken
place more than a half hour’s drive from a LEGO store.
But we can dream...
--Tony
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In lugnet.events, Anthony Sava wrote:
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In lugnet.events, Todd Webb wrote:
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I believe the South needs a large-scale Lego festival. How about it Texas?
Perhaps they would like to take the Spring :)
Todd, www.BrickFair.com
|
And last but not least, and perhaps the final coffin nail (not really)...
there are no LEGO stores in Texas or anywhere else in the south outside of
the east coast (AFAIK). It seems to be, perhaps not a requirement, but a
major deciding factor for quite a few people for them to attend a big event.
Someone please correct me but I am unaware of any LEGO convention in the US
that has taken place more than a half hour’s drive from a LEGO store.
--Tony
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We have a huge advantage in that BrickFair is filling the void from previous
events, so we know what to expect. In that regard we are taking less risk.
Tony, your best best would be to start the way BrickFest did and just get as
many AFOLs together as you can, say 60, and have a weekend of it. If people
have fun, if it succeeds, let it grow from there.
You have a slightly greater disadvantage in that now the large venues do exist.
Some AFOLs may not wish to travel to you, stay in a hotel for such a small
event. But still, others may see the potential in bringing the larger venue
closer to home in the future and would support you.
Just my two cents.
Todd
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In lugnet.events, Todd Webb wrote:
> Tony, your best best would be to start the way BrickFest did
> and just get as many AFOLs together as you can, say 60, and
> have a weekend of it. If people have fun, if it succeeds,
> let it grow from there.
We've tried that for many years now within the state (i.e. the TexLUG group).
The most we've ever pulled together for any event is probably near 15 people.
Out of that, there are only 4 or 5 'regulars' that keep the group going.
If we did attempt to host a huge event, us Texas AFOLs would definitely need
outside help.
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In lugnet.events, Todd Webb wrote:
I’m sorry. Brickfair sounded like a cool event to attend right up until this
point.
| |
The possibility of a Spring or Fall event was suggested to me. But my only
experience with Lego festivals is in the summer. And since I’m risking
approximately $105,000 and months of hard work to make the event happen, I
wanted to minimize the variables as much as possible.
|
And this makes me want to attend the event, why? Telling possible attendees how
much you are personally risking on an event is pointless, not to mention
off-putting...
I’ve assisted with Brickworld ‘07, Brickfest ‘06 & Brickfest ‘04; donating time,
money & LEGO. I’ve got roped into doing things, because no one else would step
up to help out. And in the process, I haven’t asked for anything in return.
When Joe started planning Brickfest ‘06, my biggest suggestion to him was to
show appreciation to all his volunteers; not that I wanted anything for myself,
but the success of an event really depended on the volunteers. Joe confided
with me (and a few others) how much he put on the line with BF’06; and given
Brickfest’s reputation around DC, it was a pretty ‘safe bet’ that when the bills
came due, he’d have no problems paying them off. But the way he did it, never
caused any resentment.
When you start talking about how much you personally risk for an event, all you
are doing is creating resentment.
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Because I have been to both BrickFest ‘06 and Brickworld ‘07 I have a fair
sense of what I can reasonably expect in terms of attendance numbers. Now
that BrickFair and Brickworld will co-exist for the first time, that is a
new minor variable, but not nearly the risk of testing a whole new season.
And I think many folks (myself included) will fly/drive to attend both
BrickFair and Brickworld. Perhaps, as you said, a small number will choose
one or the other.
|
Or neither. Not everyone has the money for three events in three consecutive
months... Brickworld in Chicago in June, ILTCO/NTS in Anaheim in July, and
BrickFair in DC in August.
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I believe the South needs a large-scale Lego festival. How about it Texas?
Perhaps they would like to take the Spring :)
|
And a few of us in Florida have consider throwing a smaller scale event, called
SpringBrick. An event not based on the Brickfest/Brickworld type of LEGO event.
By nature of spring break, you don’t want to be hauling around a bunch of
models; so the event would be more of a show up & let’s build something type of
event.
--Mike.
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In lugnet.events, Michael Huffman wrote:
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And a few of us in Florida have consider throwing a smaller scale event,
called SpringBrick.
|
Whoa, that’s an Awesome name! Good one! B-)
JOHN
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In lugnet.events, John Neal wrote:
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In lugnet.events, Michael Huffman wrote:
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And a few of us in Florida have consider throwing a smaller scale event,
called SpringBrick.
|
Whoa, that’s an Awesome name! Good one! B-)
JOHN
|
It was a hypothetical LEGO convention name suggested by Robin Werner:
SpringBrick 2003 (spring?) -
Central Florida Area, USA
This name came up in a GFLUG/GFLTC meeting earlier this year. The club threw
out a few ideas that we thought about working into an different type of LEGO
event model. I’ve sorta been sitting on a proposal for an AFOL “Builder’s
Challenge” type of event for a few months now; been meaning to run it by the
Orlando LIC to see if they’d offer any support to it. Here’s some of the ideas
behind it:
• A central Florida AFOL event that would be held sometime in
February/March/April, or a ‘cheaper’ time of the year than normal spring break.
• A good number of AFOLs vacation in central Florida for spring break already,
an informal event could be created for LEGO fans, where the AFOL could split her
or his time between a LEGO-centric event & their family.
• The best way to understand the idea behind “SpringBrick” is to think of a LEGO
building event crossed with a reality TV cooking challenge for LEGO fans -- this
is at the core of the event.
If anyone is interested in the idea, let me know and I’ll post more... but I
don’t want to give all of it away just yet. I still think it would be a pretty
cool event to try to host; I don’t want to give away too many of the surprises
if we could make it happen. :)
--Mike.
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In lugnet.events, Michael Huffman wrote:
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• The best way to understand the idea behind “SpringBrick” is to think of a
LEGO building event crossed with a reality TV cooking challenge for LEGO fans
-- this is at the core of the event.
|
Headlight Brick Battle! Who gets to be
Chairman Kaga?
That’s a very interesting idea, and a clever way to avoid hauling MOCs across
the country. I hope to hear more about it in the future.
Marc Nelson Jr.
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In lugnet.events, Michael Huffman wrote:
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I’m sorry. Brickfair sounded like a cool event to attend right up until this
point.
--Mike.
|
Offending you or anyone else certainly wasn’t my intent. Someone questioned the
logic of the scheduling, and I answered them, perhaps a bit too honestly. That
tends to be my M.O. I’m sorry you so put off by my comment.
Todd
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In lugnet.events, Michael Huffman wrote:
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I’m sorry. Brickfair sounded like a cool event to attend right up until this
point.
--Mike.
|
Offending you or anyone else certainly wasn’t my intent. Someone questioned the
logic of the BrickFair scheduling, and I answered them, perhaps a bit too
honestly. That tends to be my M.O. I’m sorry you were so put off by my
comment.
Todd
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In lugnet.events, Todd Webb wrote:
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In lugnet.events, Michael Huffman wrote:
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I’m sorry. Brickfair sounded like a cool event to attend right up until
this point.
--Mike.
|
Offending you or anyone else certainly wasn’t my intent. Someone questioned
the logic of the BrickFair scheduling, and I answered them, perhaps a bit too
honestly. That tends to be my M.O. I’m sorry you were so put off by my
comment.
Todd
|
No, not offended. It’s just experience talking... The questions were more
directed to you to sell your event to me. Why should I go to BrickFair? When
you post about how much of a risk you are taking on to put on this event, that
not a selling point. Just keep that in mind. There are reason why politics
start, and resentment is a key part of it.
--Mike.
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In lugnet.events, Michael Huffman wrote:
| |
In lugnet.events, Todd Webb wrote:
I’m sorry. Brickfair sounded like a cool event to attend right up until this
point.
| |
The possibility of a Spring or Fall event was suggested to me. But my only
experience with Lego festivals is in the summer. And since I’m risking
approximately $105,000 and months of hard work to make the event happen, I
wanted to minimize the variables as much as possible.
|
And this makes me want to attend the event, why? Telling possible attendees
how much you are personally risking on an event is pointless, not to mention
off-putting...
--Mike.
|
I disagree, as Todd seems to have been ‘put on the carpet’ for the telling of
his expenses, the fact that he had such a great feeling for the event that he
was willing to put up this or any amount to see it happen is commendable.
I really don’t know or care to know how the financis of these events are
handled. I have gone to the last few Brickfest in D.C. and this year’s
BrickWorld and I am planning to go to BrickWorld and BrickFair next year. As
long as I feel that I ‘got my monies worth’ from the event and come away feeling
good then ok. If the cost factor over-shadows an event then I will make a
decision to attend the next year. Please stop trying to put down the event
organizers or Joe (BrickJournal). I tip my hat to you all.
My 2¢ worth...
Don GtwLUG Lugnet#1239 St. Louis, Mo. USA
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In lugnet.events, Don Cox wrote:
| |
In lugnet.events, Michael Huffman wrote:
| |
In lugnet.events, Todd Webb wrote:
I’m sorry. Brickfair sounded like a cool event to attend right up until
this point.
| |
The possibility of a Spring or Fall event was suggested to me. But my only
experience with Lego festivals is in the summer. And since I’m risking
approximately $105,000 and months of hard work to make the event happen, I
wanted to minimize the variables as much as possible.
|
And this makes me want to attend the event, why? Telling possible attendees
how much you are personally risking on an event is pointless, not to mention
off-putting...
--Mike.
|
I disagree, as Todd seems to have been ‘put on the carpet’ for the telling of
his expenses, the fact that he had such a great feeling for the event that he
was willing to put up this or any amount to see it happen is commendable.
|
Anyone who has ran event or have been involved in running an event knows that
it’s an expensive ordeal. It takes a lot of time & volunteers (or employees) to
pull a good conference off. I commend Todd as well for disclosing the financial
details of BrickFair -- he was not obligated to do that. I really like the idea
of giving a portion of the profit to charity -- not a true non-profit in the
sense of business, but still very commendable. And I’ve read his follow up post
to different parts of this thread -- there is a certain level of honesty in his
post that I like about him (though I don’t think we’ve ever met face-to-face).
The bottom line, it does say something great about the LEGO community -- if
there is enough interest and money in sustaining 4+ major LEGO events each year
just in the US alone. And BrickFair still sounds like a great event, but the
bottom line is, he needs to sell the event (being that it is a new event), not
come off as sounding self-righteous or resentful.
I honestly believe that the LEGO community can have events without demonizing a
person or group of people or their business practices. If someone chose to
pocket the profit from an event & not give it back to the community, that is
their choice and they have to live with it. And to be honest, they are not
obligated to give money back to the community, no matter how much we think they
should... And with enough dissatisfied people comes revolution & new events.
But if an event is to survive longer than a few years, it needs to avoid the
trappings of doing an event only slightly better than how the ‘demonized group
of people’ ran the previous event.
As a side note: I also find it funny that the LEGO community if falling into
EXACTLY some of the same pit-falls that the model train community have fallen
into.
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I really don’t know or care to know how the financis of these events are
handled. I have gone to the last few Brickfest in D.C. and this year’s
BrickWorld and I am planning to go to BrickWorld and BrickFair next year. As
long as I feel that I ‘got my monies worth’ from the event and come away
feeling good then ok. If the cost factor over-shadows an event then I will
make a decision to attend the next year. Please stop trying to put down the
event organizers or Joe (BrickJournal). I tip my hat to you all.
|
Don, go back and re-read my posts. I didn’t put Todd, Joe, or the organizers
down. I know Joe. He and I have talked about how to generate money for
BrickJournal to make it a viable business without going bankrupt -- I don’t have
a solution for him, but I have made some meger suggestions -- in time he’ll have
to attract more advertisers & start paying his writers -- and he knows this.
I don’t know if you added “BrickJornal” above thinking that I’m criticizing Joe
for some of the decisions he’s made for his business BrickJornal or not. And if
you did, don’t confuse my criticizism to Todd’s posting with the current thread
criticizing Joe of his business decisions behind BrickJornal.
--Mike.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.events, Michael Huffman wrote:
| |
In lugnet.events, Don Cox wrote:
| |
In lugnet.events, Michael Huffman wrote:
| |
In lugnet.events, Todd Webb wrote:
I’m sorry. Brickfair sounded like a cool event to attend right up until
this point.
| |
The possibility of a Spring or Fall event was suggested to me. But my
only experience with Lego festivals is in the summer. And since I’m
risking approximately $105,000 and months of hard work to make the event
happen, I wanted to minimize the variables as much as possible.
|
And this makes me want to attend the event, why? Telling possible
attendees how much you are personally risking on an event is pointless, not
to mention off-putting...
--Mike.
|
I disagree, as Todd seems to have been ‘put on the carpet’ for the telling
of his expenses, the fact that he had such a great feeling for the event
that he was willing to put up this or any amount to see it happen is
commendable.
|
Anyone who has ran event or have been involved in running an event knows that
it’s an expensive ordeal. It takes a lot of time & volunteers (or employees)
to pull a good conference off. I commend Todd as well for disclosing the
financial details of BrickFair -- he was not obligated to do that. I really
like the idea of giving a portion of the profit to charity -- not a true
non-profit in the sense of business, but still very commendable. And I’ve
read his follow up post to different parts of this thread -- there is a
certain level of honesty in his post that I like about him (though I don’t
think we’ve ever met face-to-face). The bottom line, it does say something
great about the LEGO community -- if there is enough interest and money in
sustaining 4+ major LEGO events each year just in the US alone. And
BrickFair still sounds like a great event, but the bottom line is, he needs
to sell the event (being that it is a new event), not come off as sounding
self-righteous or resentful.
|
Sorry to follow up to my own post, but I honestly don’t think Todd was being
self-righteous or resentful, but just need to show a little more tact. When I
first read his comments, I thought to myself why is he making it a point to
reveal how much he is putting on the line? Since he’s running this event, he
isn’t obligated to pander to every passing criticism, including mine. Todd, I’m
sorry if my criticism came across as being harsh. My intention is not to hurt
or scare others away from attending BrickFair.
--Mike.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.events, Michael Huffman wrote:
(snip)
| |
I don’t know if you added “BrickJornal” above thinking that I’m criticizing
Joe for some of the decisions he’s made for his business BrickJornal or not.
And if you did, don’t confuse my criticizism to Todd’s posting with the
current thread criticizing Joe of his business decisions behind BrickJornal.
--Mike.
|
Mike,
just to chime in...
I’m implementing some things that address your concerns. I won’t say more
because I’m really not in a position to, as I am still working on those aspects.
Advertising is something that I am pursuing lightly at this moment. I need some
information from subscription numbers and mailing lists before I can make a good
presentation to prospective advertisers.
Joe
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.events, Todd Webb wrote:
--snip--
| |
The possibility of a Spring or Fall event was suggested to me. But my only
experience with Lego festivals is in the summer. And since I’m risking
approximately $105,000 and months of hard work to make the event happen, I
wanted to minimize the variables as much as possible.
|
--snip--
WOW! Todd, that’s a lot more risk than Joe signed on for, I believe, last year
with the same hotel. Have they increased their stake as well or are they simply
passing the risk on to you?
Todd (the other one)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.events, Ted Godwin wrote:
| |
In lugnet.events, Michael Harrod wrote:
| |
Not to bust anyone’s bubble, but the DC Festival has always occurred in a
window from about mid-June to late August.
|
Look, not a big deal but there is a difference between a summer fest and a
second fest in the fall. BrickWorld took over the summer spot left vacant by
BrickFest. BrickFair could have chosen a winter date or a spring date (as no
BrickFest has been announced for spring ‘08). They didn’t, that’s
unfortunate, but in the end the number of AFOL’s it will affect could
probably be counted on one hand. Just might have been nice to leave more
options open, that’s all.
|
Had BrickFair been done in the winter or spring I would have been more apt to
attend. However, given that BrickFair and BrickWorld are only a few months
apart, I will have to give my support to Brickworld. I can’t justify going to
two giant, money sapping events (travel, hotel, etc.) so close together and
because I cannot fly, going to Brickworld, being far more centrally located, is
a full 8 to 10 hours closer to me, and allows me to use a relative as a half way
rest stop.
And I’m NEVER driving the 26-28 hours to Arlington without stopping ever ever
again. What were we thinking...?
--Tony
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.events, Ted Godwin wrote:
| |
In lugnet.events, Michael Harrod wrote:
| |
Not to bust anyone’s bubble, but the DC Festival has always occurred in a
window from about mid-June to late August.
|
Look, not a big deal but there is a difference between a summer fest and a
second fest in the fall. BrickWorld took over the summer spot left vacant by
BrickFest. BrickFair could have chosen a winter date or a spring date (as no
BrickFest has been announced for spring ‘08). They didn’t, that’s
unfortunate, but in the end the number of AFOL’s it will affect could
probably be counted on one hand. Just might have been nice to leave more
options open, that’s all.
|
Actually, Brickworld took the spot left vacant by House of Bricks. It was never
meant to replace what most assumed would have be a DC Brickfest07.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.events, Adrian Drake wrote:
| |
In lugnet.events, Joe Meno wrote:
| |
Mark your calendars in 2008: August 29th through 31st -- Labor Day weekend.
Setup may begin Thursday evening on the 28th.
|
Argh!
Many of us have prior family engagements for Labor Day weekends. That was a
poor date choice. Not to mention the traffic will be clogged with so many
more vacationers. Bah.
Adrian
|
This guy can’t
come, either - he’ll be at Burning Man.
Marc Nelson Jr.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.events, Marc Nelson Jr. wrote:
Have you questioned him, Marc, about where the profits are going?
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.events, Todd Webb wrote:
| |
In lugnet.events, Marc Nelson Jr. wrote:
Have you questioned him, Marc, about where the profits are going?
|
No need - Burning Man’s financial info is published here for all to see.
Says one of the founders:
Each year after Burning Man, Harvey prepares the “AfterBurn Report,” a
generalized accounting that gives the event a sense of transparency. Private
corporations are not required to make such details open to the public, but
Harvey says he feels obligated. “We run our business like it’s a nonprofit.”
Sounds like an organization with nothing to hide, and a good model for AFOL
events.
Marc Nelson Jr.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.events, Marc Nelson Jr. wrote:
| |
Sounds like an organization with nothing to hide, and a good model for AFOL
events.
|
Not in the least. For one thing, they shun commerce. And they let people run
around neked.
.02,
JOHN
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.events, John Neal wrote:
| |
In lugnet.events, Marc Nelson Jr. wrote:
| |
Sounds like an organization with nothing to hide, and a good model for AFOL
events.
|
Not in the least. For one thing, they shun commerce. And they let people
run around neked.
.02,
JOHN
|
So, If I had to guess, it sounds like John wants ALL AFOL events to allow people
to “run around neked(sic)”
:)
Im in.
Chris
can janey come too?
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.events, Chris Magno wrote:
| |
In lugnet.events, John Neal wrote:
| |
In lugnet.events, Marc Nelson Jr. wrote:
| |
Sounds like an organization with nothing to hide, and a good model for AFOL
events.
|
Not in the least. For one thing, they shun commerce. And they let people
run around neked.
.02,
JOHN
|
So, If I had to guess, it sounds like John wants ALL AFOL events to allow
people to “run around neked(sic)”
:)
Im in.
Chris
can janey come too?
|
Uh, Chris, we want ppl to attend events, not run from them. Besides, I can
barely handle John fully clothed!
Janey, “You can keep your hat on, Red Brick”
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.events, C. L. GunningCook wrote:
| |
In lugnet.events, Chris Magno wrote:
| |
In lugnet.events, John Neal wrote:
|
|
| |
| |
| |
Not in the least. For one thing, they shun commerce. And they let people
run around neked.
.02,
JOHN
|
So, If I had to guess, it sounds like John wants ALL AFOL events to allow
people to “run around neked(sic)”
:)
Im in.
Chris
can janey come too?
|
Uh, Chris, we want ppl to attend events, not run from them. Besides, I can
barely handle John fully clothed!
|
who CAN handle John? And put him in the same room with Teddy, and Nick. ummm,
ya know. on second thought, I think I will stick with Swinging(1)
| |
Janey, “You can keep your hat on, Red Brick”
|
Chris
1. R22 - Robot Swinging www.rtltoronto.com
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.events, Chris Magno wrote:
| |
who CAN handle John? And put him in the same room with Teddy, and Nick. ummm,
ya know. on second thought, I think I will stick with Swinging(1)
|
Scream “Ma!” all you want, just leave me out of this.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.events, Edward Welsh wrote:
| |
In lugnet.events, Chris Magno wrote:
| |
who CAN handle John? And put him in the same room with Teddy, and Nick.
ummm, ya know. on second thought, I think I will stick with Swinging(1)
|
Scream “Ma!” all you want, just leave me out of this.
|
:)
dont laugh, we got our bread didn’t we?
Chris
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.events, Edward Welsh wrote:
| |
In lugnet.events, Chris Magno wrote:
| |
who CAN handle John? And put him in the same room with Teddy, and Nick.
ummm, ya know. on second thought, I think I will stick with Swinging(1)
|
Scream “Ma!” all you want, just leave me out of this.
|
Awww, Teddy, I think you belong in the middle, wink.
Janey “Red Brick”
(Although, I did learn something from that whole “family” moment. Public
restaurants shouldn’t necessarily be for ALL the “public”, some ppl should just
eat at home, not mentioning any names Magno!)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.events, C. L. GunningCook wrote:
| |
I can
barely handle John fully clothed!
|
Phew! Is it getting hot in here?
:-)
JOHN
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.events, John Neal wrote:
| |
In lugnet.events, C. L. GunningCook wrote:
| |
I can
barely handle John fully clothed!
|
Phew! Is it getting hot in here?
:-)
JOHN
|
And I’m officially creeped out...just kidding john (but really, john naked with
the hat on or off, hat off is just too much skin).
I’m sorry that the burning man dude can’t go to the LEGO event. might I suggest
a building challenge for the event center around burning man vignettes?
Steve
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.events, Steve Witt wrote:
| |
And I’m officially creeped out...just kidding john (but really, john naked
with the hat on or off, hat off is just too much skin).
|
I see what this is about.... suffering from a little
peladophobia are we,
Steve?
Because, physically, you seem to be reacting in the exact
opposite way!
Beast! :-)
JOHN
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.events, Chris Magno wrote:
| |
So, If I had to guess, it sounds like John wants ALL AFOL events to allow
people to “run around neked(sic)”
|
<ahem>
I meant that I thought BM was a poor analogy to an AFOL event.
Chris, you are projecting again (and maybe protruding)
Okay, FUT OT.F now, kids
JOHN
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.events, John Neal wrote:
| |
In lugnet.events, Chris Magno wrote:
| |
So, If I had to guess, it sounds like John wants ALL AFOL events to allow
people to “run around neked(sic)”
|
<ahem>
I meant that I thought BM was a poor analogy to an AFOL event.
|
ohhhhhhhhhhh - ok. see, that makes more sense.
| |
Chris, you are projecting again (and maybe protruding)
|
just looking for a place to hang my hat... as it were.
| |
Okay, FUT OT.F now, kids
JOHN
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.off-topic.fun, Chris Magno wrote:
| |
just looking for a place to hang my hat...
|
Well, keep searching; you’re bound it find it eventually>;-D
JOHN
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.off-topic.fun, John Neal wrote:
| |
In lugnet.off-topic.fun, Chris Magno wrote:
| |
just looking for a place to hang my hat...
|
Well, keep searching; you’re bound it find it eventually>;-D
JOHN
|
ew
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.events, John Neal wrote:
| |
In lugnet.events, Chris Magno wrote:
| |
So, If I had to guess, it sounds like John wants ALL AFOL events to allow
people to “run around neked(sic)”
|
<ahem>
|
Yes John, you have my attention.
| |
I meant that I thought BM was a poor analogy to an AFOL event.
|
Is there a good analogy for an AFOL event?
| |
Chris, you are projecting again (and maybe protruding)
|
Im prepared to pontificate the protrusions and resists protesting any
projections, is that safe? (Wow, apologies for the alliteration and the pathetic
pun.)
Awww okay Dad, sorry for getting out of hand. Im off to bed. Errrr ummm, never
mind.
Thinks about talking seriously about bricks or events, just so I can refute
Johns fut, but OT is really more my sandbox.
“Jayne the payne, Red Brick”
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.off-topic.fun, C. L. GunningCook wrote:
| |
Is there a good analogy for an AFOL event?
|
- Heaven? (“Is this heaven?” “No, Brickworld!”)
- Your dreamy, beautiful eyes?
Conclusion: Sure!
| |
| |
Im prepared to pontificate the protrusions and resists protesting any
|
projections, is that safe? (Wow, apologies for the alliteration and the
pathetic pun.)
|
<blush> TMI
| |
Awww okay Dad, sorry for getting out of hand. Im off to bed. Errrr ummm,
never mind.
Thinks about talking seriously about bricks or events, just so I can refute
Johns fut, but OT is really more my sandbox.
|
And it’s nice, fine white sand, too! B-)
JOHN
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
I meant that I thought BM was a poor analogy to an AFOL event.
|
Hey, I somewhat resemble this remark!!
(B)enjamin (M)edinets
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.events, Chris Magno wrote:
| |
So, If I had to guess, it sounds like John wants ALL AFOL events to allow
people to “run around neked(sic)”
Chris
|
No, John is saying he sells T-Shirts and therefore has two strikes against
Burning Man. They shun commerce so no T-Shirt sales and people running around
naked do not wear T-shirts.
HAHAHAHA
Todd
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.events, Todd Thuma wrote:
| |
In lugnet.events, Chris Magno wrote:
| |
So, If I had to guess, it sounds like John wants ALL AFOL events to allow
people to “run around neked(sic)”
Chris
|
No, John is saying he sells T-Shirts and therefore has two strikes against
Burning Man. They shun commerce so no T-Shirt sales and people running around
naked do not wear T-shirts.
HAHAHAHA
Todd
|
K, I actually LOL’d on that one...
Dave K
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.events, Todd Webb wrote:
| |
In lugnet.events, Marc Nelson Jr. wrote:
Have you questioned him, Marc, about where the profits are going?
|
Congratulations. This post and all who highlighted it have illustrated exactly
why some people believe Lugnet is not the same place it once was. Chastising
and baiting those who have legitimate personal concerns and differing opinions
on topics that do not follow the majority’s accepted beliefs.
Good job.
--Tony
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.events, Joe Meno wrote:
| |
Mark your calendars in 2008: August 29th through 31st -- Labor Day weekend.
Setup may begin Thursday evening on the 28th.
Visit Brickfair.com for details.
|
Sounds great. But what’s the deal with the name change? Why does every brick
conference have to have a new name?
I don’t really care what name we used. For years, Brickfest was the standard
name for this event, but now I guess those are only going to be in Portland.
But sooner or later we’re going to run out of unique names for these events!
It seems to me like there is a lot of duplication of effort and unnecessary
competition for all these events. A little more cooperation between event
organizers, starting with a stop to this proliferation of event names, would be
nice.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.events, William R. Ward wrote:
| |
Sounds great. But what’s the deal with the name change? Why does every
brick conference have to have a new name?
I don’t really care what name we used. For years, Brickfest was the standard
name for this event, but now I guess those are only going to be in Portland.
But sooner or later we’re going to run out of unique names for these events!
It seems to me like there is a lot of duplication of effort and unnecessary
competition for all these events. A little more cooperation between event
organizers, starting with a stop to this proliferation of event names, would
be nice.
|
The names are proprietary; they are owned by various people. The name BrickFest
is a bit debatable (I think 4 people claim rights to it) but one person commands
$3,000 fee to use it. I figured, “To heck with that, I’ll start my own name and
give $10,000 to charity first. That would be more fair.” And that’s what we’re
doing, and hence the name BrickFair.
Then there’s risk involved. Does Brickworld want to lend us their name just to
watch us fail and mar the BW name? ‘Course not. There’s other reasons I won’t
bore you with.
It’s really not competition. Over the past several months I’ve had great
support from other event participants, past and present.
Todd Webb
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.events, Todd Webb wrote:
| |
In lugnet.events, William R. Ward wrote:
| |
Sounds great. But what’s the deal with the name change? Why does every
brick conference have to have a new name?
I don’t really care what name we used. For years, Brickfest was the
standard name for this event, but now I guess those are only going to be in
Portland. But sooner or later we’re going to run out of unique names for
these events!
It seems to me like there is a lot of duplication of effort and unnecessary
competition for all these events. A little more cooperation between event
organizers, starting with a stop to this proliferation of event names, would
be nice.
|
The names are proprietary; they are owned by various people. The name
BrickFest is a bit debatable (I think 4 people claim rights to it) but one
person commands $3,000 fee to use it. I figured, “To heck with that, I’ll
start my own name and give $10,000 to charity first. That would be more
fair.” And that’s what we’re doing, and hence the name BrickFair.
Then there’s risk involved. Does Brickworld want to lend us their name just
to watch us fail and mar the BW name? ‘Course not. There’s other reasons I
won’t bore you with.
It’s really not competition. Over the past several months I’ve had great
support from other event participants, past and present.
|
Well, I think it’s pretty darn petty to insist on a $3,000 fee. If Brickfest is
off the table, I would hope that we as a community can come up with a name that
*can* be used relatively freely. I do agree that certain standards should be
maintained, and that the name shouldn’t just be in the public domain, but if the
owner of the name would be willing to let it (and the corresponding domain name)
be used without onerous demands, financial or otherwise, I think it would be a
great service to the community.
Brickfair is actually a great name. But how would you feel about someone
wanting to use the Brickfair name for an event somewhere else in the country?
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
In lugnet.events, William R. Ward wrote:
| |
Brickfair is actually a great name. But how would you feel about someone
wanting to use the Brickfair name for an event somewhere else in the country?
|
Well this leads me to all the “boring” reasons I didn’t list. Let’s see here.
Just speaking for myself, I dunno how many other fest leaders share my
thoughts...
1. I would not wish to share the BrickFair name and watch someone else fail,
thus dragging down what I’ve built up.
2. I would not wish to share the BrickFair name and watch someone else blow me
out of the water! I don’t mind “losing” to a Brickworld, or a NWBrickCon or
whatever. But losing to my own name would be sad.
3. I have visions that guide my decisions in creating this event. The more
obvious is the charitable aspect. I would not wish to lend out my name to
another group who didn’t share this vision.
4. That leads to another issue. When sharing the name, I’d have to either list
a bunch of rules and bylaws regarding its use, or just let others do as they
wish -- which may include ignoring my original vision. Neither of these options
appeal to me.
5. I think the “same name but different” (a-la BrickFest and BrickFest PDX) is a
generally bad idea. It seems neat, to be organized. But I think it’s not worth
the confusion. When you hear Brickworld, you immediately know Chicago. Now
when you hear BrickFair you immediatly know Washington DC. I rather like that.
Also there’s the matter of size and atmosphere. Each event has it’s own
character, it’s own personality. When you come to know NWBCon as a certain type
of event with a certain feel, it’s name takes on that persona. But with 7
different events and 7 different leadership styles, different locations (school,
hotel, whatever), different attendance, etc, it would seem odd to me to have
them share a name. Like walking into a McDonald’s; when you enter, you know
what to expect not matter where you are in the world. But these events are not
McDonald’s. We’re all different, and our names personify that.
Personally, I prefer the different names. I suspect that large part of your
discomfort is with the appearance of BrickFest, the disappearance, and now the
replacement. And the fading PDX to boot, I hear. It all feels flip-floppy,
unstable and uncontrolled. But if the remaining big venues persist in Chicago
and DC for several consecutive years, then that will feel better, obviously.
And then maybe the concern over all the name changes will fade.
Todd
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| |
|
In lugnet.events, William R. Ward wrote:
> But what's the deal with the name change?
For the short form, check out this post:
http://news.lugnet.com/events/?n=2051
Specificly, partway down the line "$3,000 that went to AMH Productions for use
of the BrickFest name". When people use a name for an event, they very often
reserve some rights to the name (a good idea - as otherwise, somebody else may
grab the rights to that name after you've spent years working up the publicity
behind it). But if those people then control that name - and can charge you, or
keep you from using it, or even order you to remove said name from all your
literature and event materials... a rather expensive "twist".
> For years, Brickfest was the standard name for this
> event, but now I guess those are only going to be in
> Portland.
Not neccessarily. I suspect those (Brickfests) can pretty well happen anywhere,
anywhen, that somebody wants to negotiate for the name, meet all the standards
those folks (the owners of the name) specify, and pay for the right to do so.
The fact that new names/events keep popping up may represent the diversification
of the groups, or the difficulty in securing a single name.
--
Brian Davis
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In lugnet.events, William R. Ward wrote:
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In lugnet.events, Joe Meno wrote:
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Mark your calendars in 2008: August 29th through 31st -- Labor Day weekend.
Setup may begin Thursday evening on the 28th.
Visit Brickfair.com for details.
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Sounds great. But what’s the deal with the name change? Why does every
brick conference have to have a new name?
I don’t really care what name we used. For years, Brickfest was the standard
name for this event, but now I guess those are only going to be in Portland.
But sooner or later we’re going to run out of unique names for these events!
It seems to me like there is a lot of duplication of effort and unnecessary
competition for all these events. A little more cooperation between event
organizers, starting with a stop to this proliferation of event names, would
be nice.
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Again, I must digress. The name of the event neither makes nor breaks it.
Although the last ‘BrickFest’ did occur in Portland, there has been no
announcement since, official or otherwise, as to when or where or even if
another BrickFest will occur. Sure, coordination among the coordinators (is
that NOT just a bit redundant?) is nice in theory, but if they don’t talk to
each other, there’s nothing stopping any one of them from going off and doing
his (her) own thing. Again, I welcome the proliferation of any and all fests, be
they Fest or Fair or World or Con or whatever. As far as I know, BrickFair is in
no way associated with BrickFest, nor does it aspire to be. It’s another
festival to pique the interest of the AFOL. It’s really up to the AFOLs to make
or break it.
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