PETITION - Fest dates & location

I already posted a long message on the subject on the DS NG, complete with suggestions for alternate locations, and I KNOW Ann must have read it, so go ahead and use my ID on your petition.  I already have plans to attend (if my family circumstances will allow) but some of the people I would have liked to see won't be there. >sniffle<

The change has been explained as a scheduling conflict with the actors/tresses themselves, but who?  And how many?  The previous dates were announced a couple of months ago already.  Suddenly, ALL these DS people have other projects / family events going on?  I think we should have been informed, so the fans themselves could weigh in on whom they are most willing or unwilling to miss, in order to decide on attending.

In Tarrytown, we paid $55 (banquet another $50)
a head for a 3-day event that only included FIVE DS performers, 2 of whom left before the weekend was over.  Of the 6 Festivals, there have been events advertising as many as a dozen stars, but it's hit or miss, most have had less.  Still, the admission rate is good enough, so if only a half-dozen show up, that's okay, because usually there IS someone to please most attendees, and there's also much private fun to be had with  fellow fans.

So, if the issue was, if Jim advertised 12 stars, and only 6 showed up again, would that have been a major loss, or was it because ALL the stars who are usually the big draws couldn't make it in August?  (I'm thinking David, Kathryn, Lara, AND John--- who seem to be the Big Four now.)  Or is the festival pursuing someone SO elusive and SO in demand,  that they feel they just can't do without?  Or some other entertainment?

Getting out of NYC already is a good idea (though please, no more Las Vegas either.  Chicago, Atlantic City, the CT casino resorts, anything.)

Jazzing up the existing Festival, to compensate if the star turnout isn't so great, is another.  I wish the Fest would include a dance floor after the banquet instead of more videos.

The female stars in Tarrytown did NOT get mauled there (in fact, Lara Parker was twirled in the air like a scene in Saturday Night Fever and she appeared to ENJOY it--- Terrayne Crawford is another dance diva, I must say.)
So at this point, now that most of us are in our middle years, it may not be a major safety problem.  Fans DID dance with one another too, even after the stars called it quits, and we ALL had a blast, without a BLITZ.

What the hey, run everyone's ideas up the flagpole and see how they fly.  While I doubt things will change NOW, if they want to keep "our DS thing" going for a few more years, they may have to give an inch or two.

Lorraine

Example being the 1998 Las Vegas Festival. There was a very good turnout of the DS Celebs.

While I totally LOVE NYC, if it meant more people being able to attend, I would support relocating the Festival to a different State/City so that we could find a date that would accommodate the majority.  Bob

Hey, I am all for another state and Philly would be great because of all the historic sites there but I am sure there are numerous nice places across our country to visit. Now on the other hand, when I was at the Tarrytown Halloween party a few months back, one of the cast members told me that a few of them did not like the Las Vegas location because too many people were in the casino's gambling and not in the fest. I did not go but wonder if anyone who did noticed this? This person also said the same thing with Anaheim due to Disney Land.  NYC is not exactly dullville USA and I would think that would distract people (like me:-)).
Any thoughts??

Now on the other hand, when I was at the Tarrytown Halloween party a few months back, one of the cast members told me that a few of them did not like the Las Vegas location because too many people were in the casino's gambling and not in the fest. I did not go but wonder if anyone who did noticed this? This person also said the same thing with Anaheim due to Disney Land.  NYC is not exactly dullville USA and I would think that would distract people (like me:-)).
Any thoughts??

I personally would not spend airfare across the country to only attend a Dark Shadows Festival or any other fan type convention.  I would go if there were other things to do and take advantage of discounted hotel fare and have friends around to visit and take with me touring the sites.  I know that others feel the same way I do and take advantage of going to the New York Festivals to also see Broadway shows and other things that are what one does when visiting New York.  I imagine that was the same for Las Vegas as well.  A common complaint about the Los Angeles festival is that it is generally held at or near the airport and not near enough anything else.  I think some of the actors, like the one you talked with, don't realize that many people go to these events just to socialize with friends and the fest is a fun backdrop of all that.   Sure, they participate in some of the programming but in between times do other things outside the hotel.

What I'm getting at in my roundabout way is I think it's unrealistic for anyone to expect attendees at the festivals to not want to do other things besides stay inside a hotel day and night watching videos until their eyeballs fall out.   If that is all there was to do, I know plenty of people who would not go at all.

Nancy

I think that would be great!!  Kansas City or St Louis might be good picks too, wouldn't they.  It's kind of a shame that it's always on one of the coasts.  I've never been to the mid-west, but would love to visit someday.  So many interesting things to do, and very nice people too, I'm told.

St. Louis would be a great city for the fest Bernie
I visited there and there are many things to see
and do. And thank you from a mid-west native
Julianka

I am for the Boston location, but than again I live west of the city so I guess I am bias.  I know it is not very practical but I still think Newport would be fabulous.  If they did it in May they might miss the summer raise in rates.  I think it would be very enjoyable for the attendee's and the stars.

Birdie

Add my name to the list of those not happy with the new dates. While the Labor Day weekend will not be a problem for my own attendance, no less than 8 of my friends (including our dear Midnite) will not be able to attend because of this switch. Now, since they won't  be there,  I am undecided as to if I want to go.

I agree with LorraineAAB's reasoning. If several of the DS guests couldn't make the original dates, so what? EVERY year, several of the announced Festival guests don't make it and there are some disappointed fans who still go on to have a good time. I'd even wager that one or two of the guests who are the very "reason" that the dates were changed will likely cancel out at the last minute anyway. Of course, as LorraineAAB suggests, there IS the possibility of a VERY SPECIAL guest. If it were Jonathan Frid, Dan Curtis, Alexandra Isles or David Henesy, I could totally understand (even though Henesy was a no-show TWICE in the history of the Festivals).

I do wish the Festival would move around on the east coast a bit. Philly, Boston, Baltimore, Orlando. And San Francisco was considered several years ago for the west coast, right?

SDP

I am for the Boston location, but than again I live west of the city so I guess I am bias.  I know it is not very practical but I still think Newport would be fabulous.  
Birdie

Hello Birdie!

I live west of Boston, too, in Concord.  What about you?  (Sorry if I'm being too nosy!)

Maybe some of us Boston area fans should have our own DS fest one day.  

Actually I think Philly and Chicago would be interesting alternatives, as I'd love visiting two cities I've never been to before, and I understand that there is much to see and do in either city.  I completely agree with an earlier poster that holding a convention in a locale that enables attendees to enjoy other things besides DS related events is important to many of us.  Can't imagine shelling out all that money just to spend all my time at an LA airport!  

And what about DC?  Too expensive?  

Oh, well, I guess things could REALLY be worse--- my beloved only son informed me just LAST WEEK that he wanted to travel to SOUTHERN UTAH to visit friends during his plant's shutdown--- just before Xmas till after New Year!

After hours of arguing, then realizing I couldn't make a 6'6" young adult change his mind, we scrambled through Priceline, Orbitz, Expedia. . . The absolute lowest fare (Expedia) totalled about $550, the next up were $700 or MORE. . .
THREE stopovers, making the trip about 11 hours worth (IF he doesn't get bumped to other flights or they're screwed up due to the weather, etc. along the way) including a hop on a propeller-driven air taxi through Arizona. . . (and the same deal on the way BACK. . .  At least he won't have to pay for a motel but if things don't work out there, he's stuck. . .  AUUUGGHH!

HappyBat, I live just north of Worcester.  Worcester is where I grow up.  I did remember you and Ginger Cat live in Concord and I think of both of you when driving Rt 2 through Concord on my way to Salem to get my daugher.  



Spoiler---I think Tim Shaw mentioned Worcerster once, I was so excited it was mentioned on my favorite show back in 1969.


Birdie

Being that this is going to be my first fest I was really looking forward to it.  But the thought of driving through a major traffic lined route on a big holiday weekend is surely nothing to be looking forward to!  Im also wondering if the events of 9/11 have something to do with the location change also?    I think a better choice for the fest location would be in Tarrytown at the Marriot where the Halloween fest was held.   I think alot more fans would have been happier with this choice then Brooklyn.

It's bad enough living so close to the city and driving there on a holiday weekend but for anyone who's planning on driving in from out of State it's going to be hell trying to get across the GW bridge!

Being that this is going to be my first fest I was really looking forward to it.  But the thought of driving through a major traffic lined route on a big holiday weekend is surely nothing to be looking forward to!  Im also wondering if the events of 9/11 have something to do with the location change also?    
----------------------------------------------------------
There's a Marriott in the Financial district, not so far away from the WTC site, that was damaged that day, and then repaired and renovated.  I had received the "Rewards" offers for VERY attractive reduced room rates around January.  Quite frankly I'm surprised that the Festival wasn't to be held THERE instead.  There's a beautifully repaired enclosed mall there, too, that was recently re-opened, and closer access to the parts of New York people prefer to see.
----------------------------------------------------------------



I think a better choice for the fest location would be in Tarrytown at the Marriot where the Halloween fest was held.   I think alot more fans would have been happier with this choice then Brooklyn.
----------------------------------------------------------
That was the Hilton--- main problem--- it's nowhere NEAR as large to accommodate the 100's who usually stay at the Festival venues, more like a big motel.  But there ARE other hotels in that vicinity, and they usually have cheaper rates on weekends, to fill them up.  If the fans don't mind being split up like that, and there's some fairly-priced means to get them to and from the main convention area, and a day trip to Lyndhurst, I don't know why this can't be done.  

But it would take "thinking outside the box" on the part of The Planner, and a lot of co-operation from the customers--- er, I mean, fans.

Lorraine

Many, many thanks to those that assisted in circulating the petition, and to everyone that signed and in some cases added their comments.  At year's end the list will be compiled for mailing, so if anyone is still interested in being heard on these issues in this way there's only a handful of days left to participate.  I've received far more names via email, so in addition to making use of this thread please be assured that if you prefer to sign using Midnite@dsboards.com, the only place your name and/or comments will appear will be on the 2 copies sent to the individuals listed at the top of page 1.  Thank you again!

Count me in?

jennifer

Hey Midnite...  (How are you, my dear?)

I don't know that I find the Fest dates necessarily a problem for me personally (it's so far off, I have NO idea what might conflict).  But since it seems to be such an impossibility for so many, please feel free to add my name to the petition if you think it will help.  (The more names the merrier?)  lol

As long as it's in the NYC area, and Selby will be there, I'm happy I suppose.

-CLC  

Hi Midnite!
Well, the change to Labor Day is not a good one by any stretch of the imagination.  Schools start here over a week before the holiday.  (LeBrat will have to miss a day or two of school.) Add to that the frustration of the date change for those of us who must request our vacations IN WRITING well in advance of the time needed.  It will not prevent me from attending, but I am really disappointed that many of the folks who are regulars (such as you) will not be in attendance.  I don't think the PTB could have picked a more inopportune time.  Sign me up kiddo.    Dawn