Here’s a thought. You see an ad for a ‘crafts faire’ in your local, no admission, so you go…first booth, crumby tools from afar, second booth, cheap t shirts from afar, third booth, humorous key chains and cheap sunglasses, people in the booths drinking and smoking, dirty kids eating the crumby tamales, dogs expiring on chains at the back of the booths etc. You’ve tried these events, but did you enjoy them?
You see an ad for ‘fly fishing show’ in your local, 10$ to park, 20$ to get in, so you go…first exhibit major rod maker with a couple dozen ‘try’ rods and several representatives to direct you with your choice of ‘try’ rods to the casting ponds, after some casting you return the major maker ‘try’ rod and you walk a ways and notice the entrance to a lecture hall…outside the door is the schedule of free speakers and you recognize some names from books you have or things you’ve read in magazines, so you make a note to attend this or that at the appointed hour…you walk around and browse the exhibits more and you notice a lot of the vendors are handing out hats, have drawings for all manner of ff’ing gear and you also realize you’re having a good time and that you’re smiling.
What’s all that worth? There’s more I’ve skipped but the point is, events on this level go into planning the day after the previous one ends and it’s not like that doesn’t incur expenses. And yes, there is a profit in it for someone…let there be no mistake. Try building a convention center, then try heating and lighting it, then try not charging something to participate and see how long that lasts. Ok, hoppin’ off the box.
Cheers,
MontanaMoose
P.S. See fellow
FAOLer’s at the show
Saturday in Portland
$14 for an all day event is a steal where I live. While I would rather use the $ to apply towards a purchase of goodies or lunch for that matter, the seminars, especially the fly tying, alone are well worth the price of admission for me.
Except for our club show, which is free, I don’t do the fly shows anymore.
Same old same old every year. Same programs,same faces.
I remember when I was a kid going to the Sportsman’s Show in Boston every year.
Ted Williams would fly cast. They had lumberjacks log rolling, alligator wrestling, bear wrestling… that was a show!
A friend and I went to the Arlington, TX Flyfishing Show last Saturday. Cost $14.00 per head for admission, $5.00 for a jumbo pretzel and a large Pepsi. Watched a few really good fly tiers; had a nice conversation with Richard Komar who was tying there and who has supplied a few of our Flies of the Week. Went to a couple of presentations by Joe Humphreys. Best money spent in a long time.
I think $14 is cheap considering what you get for your money. Gas, food, tolls, parking and all the goodies I buy while there, not only that but you easily save hundreds of dollars buying things at show special prices.
Just about everyone involved is in the show business to make money. Exhibitors, Organizers, Sponsors, venue, the janitorial staff, etc. Gotta pay expenses, insurance, salaries, taxes and still have enough left over for profit.
Some shows just provide more bang for buck to the paying attendees than others.
Doug, yep I’ll be there wandering the halls, checking out some seminars, havin’ a beer if they got ‘em, shootin’ the breeze with old friends, meeting those I haven’t put a face on yet. Gonna be a great time for me at least. I haven’t done a big show for years. Little ones here and there…Welches, Camp Sherman, another boo clave in CA, a ‘spey event’ etc.
Well I hope some other FAOLer’s will be there…you gonna go? To be honest though, I don’t know of any that are going but geez, there’s a lot of us in OR so one would think…
I have a Friday show here in town I might check out but the ff’ing segment is small so it won’t tak long. It’s close though so I thought I’d check it out. The event I’m looking forward to is the Reedsport Expo…smaller scale but really cool. They usually have some great boo to try there.
I’d love to be there and meet you guys…but unfortunately I’m stuck down here in 72 degree weather…if you are tyers don’t miss the one that is in Albany
