Shadowgram Update #167 (Fest Dates & Location)

[MsCriseyde]

An additional night's stay is $249, or you can pay $149 per night for 4 nights.   I'm thinking it's better to stay extra nights elsewhere, meaning not in Tarrytown.

$249? Who are they kidding? You can get a room in Midtown Manhattan for less than that even if you figure in a car or train ride into the city. Sounds like they want all the freaks out once the circus ends. 

[joe integlia]

i suggested a webcast of the festival last year. however those hopes were shot down when the announcement came that no videotaping was going to be permitted. i dont know if thats going to be the case this year but it doesnt matter cause im not going. but if there are no camera restrictions, anyone with a laptop computer, webcam and wireless internet could hookup their webcam right there in the main room and do a webcast of the festival. we would all have to be viewing on a instant messaging service like yahoo. if the event was to be held in los angeles and no cam restrictions, i could have done the next best thing. i dont have laptop/wireless internet but i do got webcam and i do live in los angeles. so i could videotape the events of the day and then do a webcast when i got home each night however it be late especially for the east coast, or do one or more after the whole weekend is over. i have previous festivals available as ive mentioned here many times. anyone interested can email me for info. i also suggested before that i could do webcasts of previous events if people would add me to yahoo messenger but so far only a few have done so. jayteevideo@yahoo.com

[Teresa]

I'm booked for the hotel but will wait and see how the house expenses go for this year. I guess I was one of the lucky ones as I cannot remember any issues with the hotel food. I do remember having to leave at the crack of dawn that year and Profstokes still whooping it up in the lobby at 5 am. Maybe with all that energy she could start running the future fest. I think I also remember a hangover sometime that weekend.

[Midnite]

Ack, poor Joeytrom!

$249? Who are they kidding? You can get a room in Midtown Manhattan for less than that even if you figure in a car or train ride into the city.

Exactly.  As it is now, they drop it to $149 by making you lose the $129 Fest rate.  I wonder if it's too late for Pierson to renegotiate this with the hotel.  Otherwise, I'm outta there Sunday morning and having breakfast elsewhere.

[loril54]

I hope that you don't think that I'm really trying to be negitive, but I had a great idea, they could do a taping and then donate the proceads above cost to a charity. Don't hey do an Auction every year? I don't think that it would take away from the people coming to the fest, going to the dealers room, and getting the stars there.  Plus Dan and others could even get the word out and make DS even more widely remembered.

I hope that everyone has a great time and gets to see all of their friends. Maybe someday I'll get to meet all the people I have meet on line.

What are they going to do with all the people that have cell phones take them away.

[joe integlia]

i dunno but most celphones can only take a few seconds of video. mine does 15 second videos

[loril54]

With a Blackberry hocked up the internet and then hocked up to your computer you could download a lot. Most blackberry  and type phones used unlimted internet. These are alot more capable than just GSM phone.  People have down loaded movies to their phones.

[Bobubas]

Exactly.  As it is now, they drop it to $149 by making you lose the $129 Fest rate.  I wonder if it's too late for Pierson to renegotiate this with the hotel.  Otherwise, I'm outta there Sunday morning and having breakfast elsewhere.

The El Dorado (formally known as the Tarrytown diner) has a wonderful breakfest selection, and is only minutes from the Marriott.  I'll meet you there Midnite.

[adamsgirl]

My experience with the food in Tarrytown was that the diner Bobubas just mentioned was so-so, and the prices definitely didn't match the quality (or lack of) of the food. I did, however, eat at the hotel and enjoyed the food and the service. I even had a room-service breakfast one morning which was fabulous. As for Ruth's Chris, I love that place, but it wasn't in my budget. For those of you who CAN splurge, you just have to eat there! Believe me, their steaks are just out of this world!

Now, I have an observation about the mystery guest and the reason the fest is in New York again: Could it be that this particular someone wanted a venue that was close enough to drive/fly to without too much time and trouble? Hmmm? Any guesses?

Oh, one other thing: Those of you who are upset it's in New York again, there was that Halloween event in Hollywood last October. I know it wasn't a fest, per se, but many of us here on the East Coast wanted to fly out but couldn't for just one night. So, in effect, the West Coast hasn't completely been shut out, IMHO.

[DLA75]

I will proably drive the 70 Miles up the Garden State Parkway across the New York border onto to 287 Over the Tappan Zee to Tarrytown both days and save the cost of a room. Since the cost of gas is around $20  for the 2 days

[ProfStokes]

Those of you who are upset it's in New York again, there was that Halloween event in Hollywood last October. I know it wasn't a fest, per se, but many of us here on the East Coast wanted to fly out but couldn't for just one night. So, in effect, the West Coast hasn't completely been shut out, IMHO.

I looked at that event as compensation for the West Coasters who didn't get to attend the milestone 40th Anniversary in New York. If it was supposed to count for both 2006 and 2007, I would have rather not had the Halloween Party at all.    Not only did I find it underwhelming, it was a disappointment to a friend from work who attended with me. She is an original fan who didn't know but there were still DS events; that Halloween bash was her first.  She was really excited about it and looked forward to meeting all of the actors. Unfortunately, because the event ran late and was scheduled in the middle of the work week, she had to leave before getting any autographs. I know she was also hoping the Fest would be in the LA area so she could have another shot at it.

Nancy, just out of curiosity, how did the Fest organizers figure out that New York was the more desirable location?  Was there a survey recently?

ProfStokes

 

[Phil]

Booked! Even if the show is a wash, it'll be a nice couple days in New England for me and the wife. That's a cute little area up there.

I was only up for Saturday in Brooklyn, but the hard part for any of these kinds of gatherings is making new friends.  Horror cons are the worst, but in any genre-specific gathering, you never know who's friendly and who's ornery and territorial...

[Nancy]

The criteria given was based on having done the festivals for twenty five years.  The crowds are normally much larger in New York than California and having the houses, the studio location and the theater handy was another reason. Remember, most of those people involved with the festival also live in California and have to fly to NYC.  They pay for their own room,board and plane ticket.  So it is not convenient for them either.  Those involved the fests are the ones who get the reactions and letters from fans about the festivals and have done so for decades. That's just to answer your question about whether or not there was a survey.

It is another milestone this year and I'm surprised no one has mentioned it: this year marks the 40th anniversary of the arrival of Barnabas Collins.

Nancy

Nancy, just out of curiosity, how did the Fest organizers figure out that New York was the more desirable location?  Was there a survey recently?

[MsCriseyde]

It is another milestone this year and I'm surprised no one has mentioned it: this year marks the 40th anniversary of the arrival of Barnabas Collins.

That's because we're too busy gearing up for the 40th anniversary of the arrival of Quentin Collins next year. 

[Angelique Wins]

Count me in!  I'm planning on going to the 2/3rds Fest, however, I'm another Californian who was really looking forward to not having to spend the entire day on a plane to get there.  Yeah, yeah, I know it's only 5 hours, but that's actual air time--not connecting-flight-to-your-particular-part-of-the-state time, or waiting-for-luggage time, or-looking-for-your-ride time, or sitting-on-the-runway-at-JFK-for-45-minutes time, although I WILL be glad to be able to bring my own bottle of WATER on the plane with me (plane water--EW!!!).

I'm anxious to see the schedule of events knowing we're missing all of Sunday. but I have a question for any locals or well-travelled folks.  Since I'm going to be so close to where my dad grew up (North Attleboro, MA/Providence, RI), I'm wondering does anybody who is going hail from that direction?  Any local tips about transport?  How do I get to there from here (here being the Tarrytown Marriot).  I know I can consult The Great Oracle at Google, or go Mapquesting, but I thought I'd see if anybody had any particular suggestions along those lines.

Just in the planning stage, don't know how much time I can take off from work, but I'm DEFINITELY coming to the Fest!!!  Hope to see lots of you there.  I'll miss you, Prof. Stokes!!!

Thanks,

Judy