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Subject: 
Re: BrickFest registration fees (was: LEGO Adult Fan Convention at Legoland California?)
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.events, lugnet.events.brickfest
Date: 
Fri, 8 Sep 2006 19:50:33 GMT
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In lugnet.events, Tommy Armstrong wrote:
  
What about the literally thousands of hours that Christina has given of her time to get the thing going--along with all the other dedicated volunteers in the past, and the hundreds of hours Joe spent this year to pull it all together. To truly create a stable growing institution, which is what BrickFest seems to be becoming, the persons taking the risks and doing the planning cannot be expected to not be compensated, in my opinion. When BrickFest started, it was very much an idea of a group of like minded people coming together --but it really has evolved to something larger. Heck when the Owner of LEGO comes along with the CEO as was the case last year, and the CEO and a contingent of 30 LEGO employees come this year, it is pretty big time. When you see the tens of thousands of hours that the builders have put into their incredible creations, it is really really big time. I just have to say thank you Joe for pulling off such an event this year, and Christian et al for building such a great foundation. Very few places in the world can one come for a measly 20$ per day and experience some of the very best of the best that all you builders have created.

And it is not just the exhibition, of course, but the various seminars, the comraderie of very individualistic people united around a common passion. Volunteerism is great and in most cases a necessity for getting an idea off the ground, but to make it evolve it has to have some sort of financial integrity also. The amount of administration and coordination to take it to a new level is really immense and I do not begrudge whatsover if Christina in the past (and future) or Joe this year and whoever coordinates next year gets compensated for their efforts.

Christina has taken this “thing” to a world class convention--something almost unique in the world. People from 11 different contries as well as some 30 states attended this year. A credit to her vision and hard work in the past. And this year Joe carried on well and took it up a notch. I am sure that next year another notch in the gear will be reached-at least I hope so.

Kudos to all who have made this event something well worth attending.

Tommy Armstrong


PS I really really liked the free food combined with a specific time for the judging and viewing of the exhibits. I thought that really went off well, and hope it continues. I did not meet a single person who complained about that.

I’m sorry but the minute an organizer of Brickfest starts making money off of the event itself, compensation or not, I’m not going. If this was the case this year, I’m glad I didn’t go.

Yes, there are groups making money off of Brickfest - the hotels, the brick bazaar sellers, etc. But Brickfest itself is supposed to be about the comraderie, as you said. Quite honestly I can’t see how any one person spends thousands of man hours on putting a single Brickfest together - all of the events are fan-driven with the exception of the big group meeting/LEGO Q&A. Yeah, I’m sure there’s plenty of behind-the-scenes stuff, but last I looked every theme had its’ own volunteer organizer(s), so that just leaves organizing the event as a whole.

No, I refuse to go to Brickfest if it’s no longer a passion of the heart alone. Flame me if you’d like, but its just the way I feel. Christina has worked very hard, as Joe has too, I’m sure (I wasn’t there but I know Joe and he’s a good guy). But hard work or not, I’m not going to be part and parcel to paying them for me to have a place to put up my work. I’m willing to reimburse them for the cost of the space, but that’s as far as I’ll go - I’m not going to fill anyone’s pocket just for the right to attend a hobby event.

--Anthony



Message has 8 Replies:
  Re: BrickFest registration fees (was: LEGO Adult Fan Convention at Legoland California?)
 
(...) If you feel you got your money's worth (~$20/day) from the privilege of attending and participating, does it really matter where the money goes? Unless the event is stated as a charity event (which I don't recall BrickFest ever being billed (...) (18 years ago, 8-Sep-06, to lugnet.events, lugnet.events.brickfest, FTX)  
  Re: BrickFest registration fees (was: LEGO Adult Fan Convention at Legoland California?)
 
Interesting topic this.... I an not qualified to judge the issue of wether or not folks should be paid, but here are a few things to consider. -Workers for Non-Profit organizations are paid. (I am one) -Gallery owners and art show organizers make (...) (18 years ago, 8-Sep-06, to lugnet.events, lugnet.events.brickfest, FTX)  
  Re: BrickFest registration fees
 
Anthony, You don't know me from Adam, I lurk more than anything. But I had to respond to this post. First off, I have zero knowledge of how the event was organized. I went in '04 and that was it. I don't know if anyone got paid or not. But I have (...) (18 years ago, 8-Sep-06, to lugnet.events, lugnet.events.brickfest) !! 
  Re: BrickFest registration fees (was: LEGO Adult Fan Convention at Legoland California?)
 
(...) Its not my intention to flame at all. I was just making some observations. I am really just tangentially associated with the event. But I am aware that "just organizing the event as a whole" is no small thing. And it is my opinion that (...) (18 years ago, 8-Sep-06, to lugnet.events, lugnet.events.brickfest, FTX)
  Re: BrickFest registration fees (was: LEGO Adult Fan Convention at Legoland California?)
 
(...) Anthony, I think you may be underestimating the amount of time and effort that goes into putting something like this on. Maybe not literally thousands of hours for any one person, but for somebody like Christina or Joe and maybe others too, (...) (18 years ago, 8-Sep-06, to lugnet.events, lugnet.events.brickfest, FTX)
  Re: BrickFest registration fees (was: LEGO Adult Fan Convention at Legoland California?)
 
(...) Anthony, all due respect when I say this - I think you're woefully underestimating the time required to put on such an event. I'm in no way speaking for Christina or the BF volunteers, but I know from my own experience of trying to organize (...) (18 years ago, 9-Sep-06, to lugnet.events, lugnet.events.brickfest)
  Re: BrickFest registration fees
 
(...) I don't think anyone got paid, but if they did, I wouldn't be upset. (...) *"Just"*? You really have no clue whatsoever on the difficulty of organizing such an event, do you? Until you do it yourself (on BF's current scale), do NOT complain (...) (18 years ago, 10-Sep-06, to lugnet.events, lugnet.events.brickfest)
  Re: BrickFest registration fees (was: LEGO Adult Fan Convention at Legoland California?)
 
(...) What seems strange to me is people with such conviction about this not having asked for the financial details before attending. Seems that's the best time to find out. ROSCO (18 years ago, 13-Sep-06, to lugnet.events, lugnet.events.brickfest, FTX)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: BrickFest registration fees (was: LEGO Adult Fan Convention at Legoland California?)
 
(...) What about the literally thousands of hours that Christina has given of her time to get the thing going--along with all the other dedicated volunteers in the past, and the hundreds of hours Joe spent this year to pull it all together. To truly (...) (18 years ago, 8-Sep-06, to lugnet.events, lugnet.events.brickfest, FTX)

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