Festival Banquet

[retzev]

What are the banquets like? Is it worth $65?

[BuzzH]

What are the banquets like? Is it worth $65?

The food's pretty lousy but the programming is usually good, unless they're running behind and you don't get any programming.  I look at it this way, it's WAY too expensive, but the money goes to charity so I can justify it that way.  Plus it's the last broohaha before the Fest officially closes for another year.  The best part is the AFTER Banquet get togethers we all do.    If you end up going let me reccomend the vegetarian meal, even if you're not a vegetarian.  The chicken is like rubber and don't get me started on the beef!    But the vegetarian meal is pretty good.

[CyrusL]

The best part about the banquet is the fellowship of fans. If you want a good meal while in Brooklyn, there's some good restaurants nearby. But the meal is adquate and the service problaby would get more than a $1.00 in most places. Try getting your first glass of ice tea, much less a refill! The program is really a lot of fun for the dedicated fan, such as ourselves. Most of the actors are still at the festiavl, (don't count on all of them being there), and some mingle around, like Marie who  loves to drop by every table usually to say hello. If you're lucky, you may get an actor at your table, Diane and I sat with KLS about two years ago and she and her husband were very gracious and a delight to be with, but  I can tell you its just as much fun to sit with new and old friends. While its okay to ask to have a photo made with an actor at the banquet,when its not an intrusive moment, it's not polite to ask for an autograph at it. They have usually spent hours signing by Sunday night. Its a little overpriced, but worth it to me in memories.

Michael 

[retzev]

What type of stuff does the programming consist of? If the programming sounds good enough for $65, maybe I'll do it, but otherwise I don't think I'd be interested in mingling with the stars. I'm not anti-social,  it's just that when I've met artists whose work I admire in the past, I usually find the experience disappointing in one respect or another.

[CyrusL]

The programmong usually consists of films, which can vary from DS clips edited together, DS actots on commercials, fan videos, videos made by actors just for the fest who couldn't be there, and one memorable collection of film trailers featuring DS actors, including a cheesey but racy one for Robert Rodan's "The Minx". The vdeio programming can run anywhere from 20 minutes to over an hour.  There is usually a fun, random giving away of door prizes, sually done by the DS actors like Roger Davis, Donna Wandrey, Diana Millay or Marie Wallace, with Jim Pierson hosting it all. There's usually some "thank you's" and some general announcements. It may not sound like much, but it can be very entertaining.

Michael 

[Nancy]

Well, it depends on what you enjoy.  The food has always been just okay and the programming usually consists of showing clips of some rarer material - old commercials the DS actors did or whatever else has been found.  The actors get up and talk about how wonderful everyone is.  There are raffles for DS related merchandise to win.

 Personally, I despise the banquets and haven't attended in the past few years even though I am offered a free ticket for working the weekend.  I've never been interested in the programming.  I would rather go out with my friends to a restaurant or cater-in in my room and have friends hang out up there and wind down from the weekend.  That's the route I go now.

Nancy

What are the banquets like? Is it worth $65?

[Charles_Ellis]

Wow- I seem to be the only person here who enjoys the banquets!  After all you get to dine with the stars, and I've shared tables with John Karlen, James Storm, Donna Wandrey, Diana Millay and Dennis Patrick (RIP).  Also there are door prizes and rare videos shown of the DS actors.  Who cares about the food?  I come for the stars and the fun!  Everyone (including the stars) lets loose, and BTW, it's a great opportunity to get autographs without waiting on those long lines.  Also, you can have really intimate conversations with the cast and have your photos taken with them.  It's the climax of a fabulous weekend, and as the banquet ends, people will go off in their own separate groups for more celebrating, while others call it a night to prepare for the journey home.

[MsCriseyde]

How new and exciting the programming is to you depends largely on how much you've already seen over the weekend. Sometimes the material presented at the banquet was screened at various points during the weekend as filler between programming segments.

[LdyAnne]

Wow- I seem to be the only person here who enjoys the banquets!  <snip>

You are not alone. I enjoy the banquets but for the reasons touted by my friend CyrusL, It is the friendships with the other fans and a chance to say goodby for a year. a Last hurrah before we all go back to our real lives. Is it worth $65 well if you have to ask then maybe not. I for one would not miss it.

LdyAnne

[BuzzH]

You are not alone. I enjoy the banquets but for the reasons touted by my friend CyrusL, It is the friendships with the other fans and a chance to say goodby for a year. a Last hurrah before we all go back to our real lives. Is it worth $65 well if you have to ask then maybe not. I for one would not miss it.

Yes, how else could you have won your autographed copy of the Dan Curtis book if you hadn't gone to the banquet last year?      Regarding sitting w/the stars, I couldn't care less about that honestly.  I would much rather sit at a table w/friends and let the stars sit somewhere else.  

[Julia99]

If it's your first time  you should go. . .. if its' your 17th. . maybe not. .

[Teresa]

I'll put my two cents in. No the dinner itself is not worth the $65 but the charity is. This will be my 7th and I do the banquet every year with my dear friend Renee. Every year I have met someone interesting at my table. A few years a cast member at my table  but I usually don't talk to much to them. I enjoy meeting someone new each year and usually Renee and I end up hysterical over something said or done.
My dinner over the years has gone from horrid to not quite so bad. The servers are rushed and dinner never starts on time. I am starving by the time the bread arrives so I load up on carbs.
My suggestion is while you are there to go to a nice restuarant and have one nice dinner because the banquet ain't going to be it. I made that mistake the first time.
Teresa

[Bobubas]

If it's your first time  you should go. . .. if its' your 17th. . maybe not. .

Hey Julia,
This coming banquet in August will "only" be my 16th, so I'm still good.    
I really enjoy the banquet and the fellowship with friends. I don't look at it as a $65.00 event, but rather $90.00 for the whole weekend. ($25.00 for the three day Festival and $65.00 for the banquet.) That breaks down to only $30.00 per day for a weekend full of wonderful memories.  Not a bad price at all. 

                                                                             Bob

[LdyAnne]

I don't look at it as a $65.00 event, but rather $90.00 for the whole weekend. ($25.00 for the three day Festival and $65.00 for the banquet.) That breaks down to only $30.00 per day for a weekend full of wonderful memories.  Not a bad price at all. 

I agree with Bob, considering what other fests cost this fest is a bargan!

LdyAnne

[Teresa]

I agree with Bob, considering what other fests cost this fest is a bargan!

My friend went to a science fiction fest in Indianapolis and had to pay for a reserved seat. Which I guess was nice because you always got the same seat but the total fest cost her about $200.