Subject:
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*RESULTS-New Brickfest Initial Interest Survey-RESULTS*
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.events
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Date:
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Tue, 17 Jul 2001 05:44:14 GMT
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As promised, here are the results of my impromptu survey about the need/want
of a Brickfest style event on the West Coast. You can find the results at
the same survey result page as before, at:
http://homepage.mac.com/bricknbrack/survey2.html (the format is a bit easier
to read there, also).
There were 53 total responses, so the original idea to do this survey was
indeed a good one. I think more folks have weighed in on this now than we
would have seen here on LUGNET.
If anyone needs/wants the results of this survey for their use about their
event, please feel free to e-mail me. As always, I will not disclose names
or e-mail address, just the survey data.
Matt
<Begin Survey Results- They're lengthy in the interest of
non-censorship;everything I received in reply is is the results...sorry>
____________________________________________________
53 - Total number of unique responses
5 - Total number of responses without a name or e-mail address
1) Do you have an interest in attending an event on the scale and caliber of
the current Brickfest on the West Coast?
52 Yes
1 No
2a) If only one event were developed to serve the entire West Coast, where
would you most like to see it held?
23 Carlsbad, CA (LEGOLAND™)
3 Santa Barbara/Santa Maria, CA (Central Coast)
7 San Francisco, CA
9 Portland, OR
22 Seattle, WA
9 Other (Please specify below):
-Everytime LUGOLA discusses this idea, the options of Reno, Nevada and Salt
Lake City, Utah pop up. We'd love to include those that are west of the
Mississippi rather than just west coast.
-SF or the south bay area would be best, but I might be able to visit at
Seattle or Carlsbad.
-Las Vegas might interest non-AFOL spouses to come for the trip - just a thought
-no specific preference
-Southern CA, not necessarily at LEGOLAND but that would be fine also
-Doesn't much matter to me. I'll go anyway. Legoland does make the most sense.
-San Francisco Bay Area in general, including Palo Alto, San Jose, etc.
-las vegas, NV
-Phoenix, AZ
2b) Would you actually attend an event in the location you selected above?
50 Yes
3 No
3) If more than one event were developed for the West Coast, would you be
likely to attend events in both Southern California and in the Pacific
Northwest?
13 Yes
38 No
4a) How would you be most likely to travel to an event?
36 Car
1 Bus
4 Train
21 Fly
4b) If the option were available to you, would you be willing to do any of
the following?
29 Carpool
20 Share a chartered bus
31 Fly at special rates
5 Other (Please specify below):
-Live in Seattle
-special hotel rates, special legoland ticket prices.
4c) What is the greatest distance you are willing/able to travel for an
event of this type?
7 +/- 1 hour
25 +/- 5 hours
14 +/- 10 hours
11 Other (Please specify below):
-I live in Calgary, Alberta and Portland Oregon would be the farthest I'd travel
-more than 5, but less than 10
-I'd go as far as 12 or 14 hours, because that's still 1 day of driving with
2 drivers.
-Live in Seattle
-Depending widely on circumstances, any distance -- I'm coming from New Jersey.
-Road trips are fine
-If it was more than 5 or 6 hours driving I'd probably fly.
-depending on the points of interest in the surrounding area
-16 hours
5a) What time of year would you most like to see an event of this type take
place?
20 Winter
18 Spring
22 Summer
14 Fall
5b) If possible, can you specify a particular long holiday weekend, or other
date(s), when you would be most likely to attend this type of event?
-Labor Day weekend
-nope - if it is in Carslbad, then you would not want a holiday weekend, too
busy, i think the sme can be said about anywhere though
-anything that isn't November/December
-Labor Day
-Christmas-New Year
-New Years
-Any time January/February to get me out of this hell-frozen-over tundra ;)
-very early spring, perhaps near easter? (too hot other times in southern CA)
-MLK weekend, Prez Day weekend
-Memorial Day weekend, Lador Day weekend
-Any weekend
-A weekend in January
-I'd rather it NOT be on a holiday weekend, as I may make other plans then.
-Labor Day
-Labor Day Weekend
-Any from May 1 to Sept. 1
-Memorial Day
- early Feb.
-Labor day
-no particular weekend
6) What type of group and/or individual activities would you most like to
participate in at this kind of event?
-Castle stuff, Brickwars, seminars & panels, train stuff, just about
anything, really. :)
-Parts/set swap/sale - preferably where many people posted their Wants ahead
of time, so you could bring stuff you know people needed
MOC display area
Talk with LD people!
If at LLC, try to get talk with Model Designer
-Discussion of building techniques
Participation in contests
Buying/selling Lego pieces (NOT sets)
-I have no idea, never been to anything like this before
-Personally, I'd love to see a mecha design workshop that would showcase the
WIDE variety of designs the people like Christopher Snead, Bryce McGlone and
myself tend to use. Tips/ tricks etc for mobility could be the topic.
-Train Layout
Castle Layout
Pirate Game
--Trading
-Train, Town, Pirate, castle or just anything... display
-Discuss about building tricks
-Talk to Lego Direct people
-Game, contest
-MOC displays
Lego-related games: Pirate Wars, BrickWars, etc.
Discussion, roundtables, etc.
Building events: K8 free for all, or more structured
-Castle stuff - open to ideas since I've never been to this kind of thing
before. Would be happy just to meet other AFOL's
-anything LEGO related!
-Train related, 8-wide or 6-wide
-larger group activies, not just for each separate group interest... ie:
large scale scavenger hunt vs: castle guys do this, train guys do that.
-Help run the Pirate Game (note - I would be supplying a
minimal amount of ships - I can't fly the quantity of ships I used
at Brickfest
-Train, Town, swap meet
-I have some stop-motion experience, and I might be able to lend some skills
to making lego movies, I would also like to be able to try some large
structure building.
-on site building
technic
trains
sculpting
-The best part of Brikfest by far (for me) was meeting people. Events are
secondary. But:
- building room
- MOC showcase (MOC contest was cool too)
- Presentations on various issues
-Evil Stevie's Pirate Game, ARR!
-I'd like to do show & tell with space & train-related MOCs. I could also
possibly do presentations on construction on one or more of the following
topics:
SNOT construction, layout detailing, modern stores, MLCAD usage, photography,
web design as it applies to Lego models
-Evil Steve's Priate Game
Auctions/Flea Market
Clinics (building/mini-figs mods/sculpture etc...)
Mini-fig wargaming (using plublised rule sets and Lego figures)
-Mecha tips type discussion. Also I'd like to have a large mecha display.
-Seeing others MOC's (including large displays [i.e. train layouts])
-MOC building style sharing, LDraw related discussions
-Building Sessions
-Train and general discussion groups
-Building tips, seminars.
See rare, unique or special sets.
Buy, sell and trade.
Talk to LEGO Co. product development specialists.
Talk to LEGO Co. product development researchers.
-Castle, BrikWars
-meet and greet, mostly.
-Anything needed.... (Pirates,8-wide trains,MOCs!)
-Train layout, swapping & selling pieces, building, castle layout, pirate
layout (not necessarily pirate game)
7a) An idea has been forwarded to have additional Brickfest events run
concurrently with the event in Washington, D.C., as opposed to one or more
regional events happening over the course of the year. Would you rather see
multiple, nationwide events happe
7 Concurrent events
40 Quarterly events
7b) Would you actually be able to attend events in multiple locations over
the course of the year?
19 Yes
31 No
7c) Please add any additional thoughts on the discussion of concurrent vs.
quarterly events here (you may wish to read the thread at LUGNET before
weighing in):
-Concurrent is a really bad idea. Too dilutive.
-Concurrent (IMHO) should be avoided because they will sooner or later have
to compete for resources.
-Concurrent won't work - LD is still too small to send people all over the
US on the same day. I'd rather have LD people have the chance to send
several people to each Fest, so they can handle different seminars/info as
needed.
-If concurrent, they should be far apart. If quarterly, each region of
north america (including canada) should get its chance.
-I think Carlsbad is perfect, right by Legoland, I think more people would
come out for BOTH Legoland and Lego-Fest
-Quarterly makes more sense as it allows for a variety of locations. Four
times per year in four different locations makes quite a bit of sense to me.
-*Multiple events during the year would result in less Lego display, less
attendees and thus less excitement and less interesting. Also, if too many
regional events take place, people will not save their time and effort for a
BIG one.
I'd love too see a real concentrated, organized event and to meet more than
just a few regional people.
*One event running concurrently with the East Coast would hurt those who
want to attend both, and if Lego direct wants to join both,
they can't. *Since Brickfest in the East Coast takes place in the summer,
could we have it around Christmas time? Carlsbad would be a good place for
the first time at least for those who never visit Legoland.
-Just one event, not concurrently with the one in washington so that:
-Lego direct can come with the event
-More attractive display
-Significant number of attendee
-If they're concurrent, I can't go to more than one. If there are two at
opposite ends of the year, I may well be able to go to both.
-i live in DC, i would come to a brickwest, but i wouldn't miss brickfest
for it.
plus brickFEST already has lego's attention, if you do something
concurrently, you'd be splitting their attention and perhaps not getting as
good of an intended result.
-Quarterly events will allow those interested in travelling across the
country more opportunity to attend more events. As we get bigger and have
more and more events, it would make sense to start overlapping, but I'd
still like to see a big event designed
to draw from the whole country or world.
One possibility when we get the critical mass to support a 500+
person event would be to rotate it around the country (most organizations
which have an annual national event move it around the country). I see
this latter event as SEPARATE from WAMALUG's Brickfest.
-I think it would be great to have one of these in San Diego, CA. Phoenix,
AZ would be better,
but I'm probably asking for too much there...
-by having concurrent events, it may have a tendency to split the
participation in two, making each event less successful than if attendance
was combined into one event. Larger groups allow for a better hotel
reservation and for a better chance of succes
-As for 7a, I'd rather have yearly nationwide events, rather than quarterly.
Mostly it's just because it makes the annual event all that much more
attractive. I think less people would be inclined to go if they knew they
could wait a couple months, then
go to the one in their own area.
As for 7b, I'd really just be willing to travel once per year for an event
like this. Doing one every couple months really seems overdone.
-I totally agree with Larry P as posted that concurrent events don't make
sense. The only possible advantage I can see is webcams between the two
events. And I don't see that as a resource that many are actually likely to
take advantage of-
they'll be far too busy at their own event.
-IMO quarterly events would burn everyone out. An annual event allows time
for planning and such. I'd really like to see a West Coast brickfest happen.
-Though I may not, others may wish to attend more than one event - difficult
if they're at the same time.
One of the things I most like to do is meet Lego employees - if there are
several concurrent event, they probably wouldn't have the resources to
One of the things I most like to do is meet Lego employees - if there are
several concurrent event, they probably wouldn't have the resources to
attend all of them.
-I think you should have one a year but rotate the location, west , midwest,
east, etc.
-Maybe have Brickfest style events twice a year. One event in the East and
one in the West.
-Science Fiction and Miniature Wargaming conventions are held year round but
on different weekends. I attended some of these events for a decade and here
are some personal observations. I hope some of this information helps in
deciding the direction Lego
conventions should take with regards to organizing and event dates.
1. Most conventions are not held on holiday weekends because of the
limitations of participation by people with family obligations. Attendance
at events scheduled on holidays is much lower than non-holiday weekends.
A convention I attended in the spring was scheduled on Easter weekend and
the number of attendees was nearly 300 less than the year before. I have
friends who normally attend this convention but could not attend this year
because of unavoidable family obl
2. Brickfests or Lego conventions should be scheduled as far in advance of
the event date as possible. Most people must plan their vacation time in the
first month of the year so planning a year in advance is necessary to allow
people time to schedule the
That is the unfortunate reason I could not attend Brickfest 2001.
3. Events should be held year round. The events I can attend are based on
vacation scheduling and normal fluctuation in business cycles so I cannot
attend every event that is scheduled in a year but I can attend several at
various times throughout the yea
4. Locations of events should remain fixed. It is essential to know the
distance to events to plan travel arrangements, hotels, and finances. Again,
I cannot stress how important it is to plan the fest or convention a year in
advance.
A plane ticket bought six months in advance is much cheaper than three or
one month. Financial obligations will determine which conventions are
affordably in reach.
5. Alternate times for different events. Seattle event in the spring, LA/SD
in the winter, Brikfest in the summer, Midwest Lug in the fall.
6. Centralized locations are nice but not necessary. If the Seattle group
can muster out a large group of participants, have the convention there. You
will find that a dedicated core group of organizers and participants is
infinitely better than a fewer n
Also the resources to hold the convention will be better known and utilized
by local organizers and participants. Special resources like pre-made
displays for trains and castle world would allow the fest participants more
play time.
7. Offer individual event organizers and volunteers free admission.
Volunteers should be worked in rotating shifts allowing them to participate.
Allow flexible scheduling for individual event organizers.
8. There will always be complaints. Give them a survey and pre-registration
for next year. I know they will complain but the humorous part is watching
how fast they write to register for next year. Pre-registration is a good
indicator for planning the nex
9. The West Coast is a big place. I know of at least a twenty different
sci-fi and gaming conventions held year round listed on Jenga,
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/4677/usa_A_L.html#CA
And that is just California.
You may be able to hold multiple events in different locations.
I know some of these points may be redundant to the threads in Lugnet but I
felt that they needed to be repeated and included in my summary. I hope you
are able to organize and hold your Brickfest on the Coast.
ps My sister lives in Seattle so my journey to the coast would be twofold.
-Hmm, maybe just 2 or 3 events? Try 4 if those work out great...
8) Please add any additional questions/comments/concerns/ideas here:
-Just a brief comment. LUGOLA has discussed this topic numerous times over
the past year. THe problem we seem to have with it is that most of the group
wants to keep it based in the US southwest. I guess the idea of driving
further than Phoenix, AZ just
doesn't appeal to them. We LUGOLA folks could easily drum up 20+
participants for a southwast-based fest. Otherwise, that number drops
considerably.
-After PNLTC's show August 3,4, and 5 is over with at Legoland, I will be
willing to help with the event in a big way. I'm a little to busy building
right now. :-)
-I've answered above, that YES, I'd be able to come. That is only because
there wasn't a maybe entry. Even if an event were in my own town, I might
not be able
to go due to external circumstances.
But I am not put off by the idea of going west to fest. (I hope that
you'll make use of the fact that west and fest rhyme.)
-I think that LegoLand would be the best, and it would also draw in many
Non-Lugneter's
-More events!
-Kevin
Good Luck with this.
Late Winter (January Feb is best for PNLTC members to particiapate in a
"Left Coast BrickFest"
- Gary (PNLTC, SEALUG)
-I played with Lego's as a child, and I'm fairly new to the Lego scene
(guess I'm a born-again AFOL). I have attended a few science-fiction
conventions, particularly DragonCon, for the past four years. As a staff
member there, I do have a little
experience with conventions, and do know what it takes to succeed.
-I think the only comment I'll make is that for me, meeting people was the
best part. I mean, sure, I like meeting with people in my own area, but
that's not nearly as exciting or hype-worthy.
And I think if we did something quarterly or more (1 in the Northeast, 1 in
the Southeast, 1 in Midwest, 1 in Northwest, 1 in Southwest, etc), then
people would be more likely to just go to their local ones and completely
ignore the others, which to me ru
Personally, I'd love to see it rotate from area to area-- 2002 near
Carlsbad, 2003 in Boston, 2004 in Michigan, etc. I think that'd give people
from all areas a chance to participate without making such an event be in
any way diminished.
-I would almost certainly attend an event if it's in the San Francisco area.
I would almost certainly NOT attend if I had to travel anywhere else.
so do I count? I would like to help, but basically the only way that would
happen was if this BrickFest West was in Portland, or maybe Seattle.
I'm not sure the surrounding area matters much to me, compared to the actual
rooms the event will be in. I've just always been ticked off at events being
on the shaky or the dirty side... what about the middle?!? Make it 3 annual
events in 3 timezones!
Or maybe we should just rent one of those Soccer Trucks and move one event
around in it. ;)
-special rates for hotels???
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