Advice? GIRS Future Events Discussion

1) What do people like at fests? What makes you show up?
Scheduled speakers is what got me to show up for my first fest but I also was drawn in by wanting to meet others in the hobby and learn from them. Also was wanting to see what vendors had and the opportunity to score some goodies in the raffle.
I visited this site often as a visitor for a few years. What got me to finally be a paying member was that members get in to fest for free.

a) Vendors? High end? low end? Hobby sellers only? Dry good vendors?
I say leave it open, maybe put some form of limits on or not have big time vendors so we don't overshadow the smaller....but I'd like to see a variety of goods.

b) Food? Do you care about this?
Absolutely, fund raiser for a good cause!!!...and Smouse is a great cause. I would add this to my list of reasons to go!!!

c) Raffle? Do you care about member only? Do you like big or small prizes? Few or many?
The more opportunity to score goodies the better(on my why to go list) I've always liked the auction option. 20-25 yrs ago when I was fresh into the fresh hobby I never missed a GIAA auction. Face it, this hobby can be pricy and who isn't wanting more. GIAA events would have all the members bring in whatever hobby related equipment and livestock they wanted and have it sold. It was a great way to get some bargains on new and used equipment or livestock. It also helped veterans clean out their basements of goods that really weren't worthy of putting out on individual for sale posts for but there was a market for it. somebody will buy it in an auction and it is a great club fund raiser.

d) Members only? Open to the public?
Open to the public, no doubt! Idea of the club is to promote the hobby gain interest, and help others in it or that want to get in it. Remember the thread "what does GIRS mean to you"?...and fest is the pinnacle of this club goal.

2) If there was a spring fest in DSM would you volunteer to help plan/coordinate/etc.?
Unfortunately with current events both at work and in my personal life, I cannot make a promise that I don't know I could keep.

3) Use the voting buttons to give your opinion on combined saltwater/fresh water events.
Please all vote. I know I was in fresh for many years and always wanted to move into salt but didn't because I was afraid of what I did not know. I believe a properly put on and promoted combined event would bring in a lot of salty want to's and help grow the hobby and the club. Keep salt and fresh segregated but not too far apart if you wish but allow free traffic between areas to promote non salties from exploring. I would have one vendor area but separate fresh from salt without a "neutral zone" in between.

...that's what I think.

 

I think maybe it would be cool to have a reef table (maybe GIRS table?) with a sign "Have all your reef questions answered!" So can direct people with questions to others who are not busy trying to sell items and can give basic info for anyone interested in reefing or even FOWLR. Maybe even with a flyer with basics?

 

Sorry, I didn't notice you had suggested the table for questions!

 

OK my 2 cents
1) i am neutral on mixing fresh and salt. I will note that when it comes to speakers both groups are going to want completely different subjects. There will be little to no mixing in the speaker audiences.
2) Fall fest 2016 was an epic fail. Nothing there justified even a 1/2 hour drive.
3) For the event to be worth going to it needs the following
a) A set of livestock vendors that is 3 timers that of the recent fall fest at least.
b) Speakers with enough credentials that an experienced hobbyist as well as a newcomer can learn something. The Clam expert at the spring event is a good example. If I had bought nothing at the event the classes were still worth it.
c) Drygoods are nice but not essential.
d) Livestock vendors need enough setup and access time ahead of the event that their stock looks good and it is practical for them.
e) If the vendors and speakers are good, even as a club member I would be OK with an entrance fee.

 

Couple suggestions:

1. Have one great speaker, maybe two. Have them early like it was a couple years ago before the main floor opened up. I think a great idea would be a hands on workshop(wet bandsaw fragging corals, etc.) Having the speakers during the event makes it so sellers and volunteers both don't get to hear the speakers.

2. Have one big fest per year and a revolving members get together once a year. It's hard to get enough volunteers to put up twice per year, let alone big vendors and donations. If more emphasis was put one one big event you could bring in more of everything. Some people only have enough money to afford one big event. Keep an eye on other areas and have them before or different parts of the year. Omaha has a couple coral swaps nowadays even.

3. Have a fest in council bluffs. This is just because it would be easy travel for me...

4. Have less $0.50 raffle items and more big raffle items. No one wants to win tetra flake food.... just saying. I think quality over quantity would be better. I always buy more tickets when there's more $50+ items.

5. Food fundraiser would be good. I still remember the year someone (definitely not me) microwaved a Doritos bag for a walking taco and started a fire. I understand a fundraiser for other organizations, but the club could use the food funds to pitch in towards bigger raffle items or attracting bigger vendors, bringing in higher attendance. I myself like benefiting other non profit related organizations in our hobby, but to be honest I bet 90% of the members don't really care. I've got mixed feelings on this.

6. I'd volunteer to help with the food booth or on the ask saltwater questions booth, but not while a saltwater speaker is going on. With traveling from Omaha and convincing the wife to come, it's hard for me to get her to come early or stay late. Give me something to do in Omaha and I'll do it. I remember for Macna our time volunteering paid for our entrance fees, why not give volunteers a sheet of raffle tickets to help get more help? With me bringing this up, I don't need a sheet of tickets...

7. I personally go to catch up with people, but I've been in the club/hobby since 2007 so it's different now. Thinking back to then, I went first off to buy cheap corals and try my luck at the raffle. The year there was tables to sit down and relax a bit were great for socializing.

Sorry for the Bud sized post.

 

For a hands on demo, a couple other ideas are reef aquascaping and two part dosing. I bet BRS/Marco would donate major supplies for this. When I was trustee years ago BRS donated about 10 one gallon 2-part kits for a local 2-part demo, I think everyone that came left with a complete kit. If we told them about doing a large scale hands on demo I'm sure it would be exponentially bigger. I'd volunteer on either demo and could help get donations toward this.

 

Great idea on the raffle tickets for volunteers Adam! I also like the 2-Part Suggestion. TNT CORALS will donate if I can get things there, which I should be able to☺ I have some friends who could bring my donations, I'm sure

 

I hear where you are coming from David and I understand from what I've done and seen when volunteering at the Fests. When I volunteered, I helped but didn't do very much because I had to set up also. For what I did(tables & chairs)(, I wouldn't have wanted anything whether I did a lot or not so much). That's why it's called volunteering...some don't understand as some "want" something in return... Your suggestion for planning and guidelines is needed to be effective, I agree. Policing volunteers is difficult and no one wants to do that. But maybe something like manning the registration for 1/2-1 hour would X amount of ticket(s)/other, helping with setting up tables, chairs, etc would equal X ticket(s)/other, etc.

 

The success of club members raising more and more "difficult" corals could be a reason for vendors being a little gun-shy. There are several members who do a very good job with corals and don't have to travel (relatively) far to be at a fest. Personally, if more than one vendor has something I'm looking for I'll try to buy from a club member first. As far as dry goods, etc. are concerned - with free shipping thresholds getting lower and lower it's easier to shop online when you need it rather than anticipate if you will need it. I actually wonder if some of the online vendors I support will still be around in a couple of years.

As far as volunteering I have done so in the past - MACNA (still have one of those green shirts around someplace) and some past fests. Not worried about raffle tickets to volunteer. Willing to volunteer for this fest but as usual everything depends on timing and location.

 

We're combining a couple of separate subjects here so I'm breaking up my posts. As far as the combined event goes I'm ambivalent. Been to a couple of combined shows and the FW attendees far outnumbered the SW group. For the SW vendors patience is a virtue. Many people think they want to be in SW but once they find out they can buy 10 FW angels for the price of one inexpensive SW angel and not have to buy salt, etc...

Besides my SW tanks we also have a small water garden in my back yard. Usually not hard for me to find something I can't live without from either group - until I get home and am informed that I could have lived without it.

 

I personally don't think it's a good idea.
I'm pretty heavy into both sides of the spectrum and freshwater events are very abundant.
In the last year alone there have been at least 2 new clubs formed as well as multiple people taking it upon theirselves to hold events such as swaps and auction. There's at least 1 freshwater swap a month now with new stuff popping up everywhere.

But then when it comes to salt water GIRS for the most part is it.
That's one of the factors that goes into why I give money by sponsoring as well as paying more for a regular membership just to get you guys more money.
I offer my place for free at any time for events or meetings because I don't want to see the only major saltwater hub in Iowa go down.
You realize this whole portion of the country belongs to us. If something happens, be it internal drama or literally anything at all then that is it. No more major reefing club in the state. That's just how I feel anyways.

I really wouldn't like seeing any of that money going towards a freshwater event because it's directed to you guys for a reason. Even if you do implement fresh I will continue the support but consider each other sponsor and how they may respond. How many of them are solely saltwater and how would they react when they find out their cash went to a hybrid event?
I can't predict the future I'm just saying it's something to think about.

My day consists of about interacting with 90% freshwater leaving the other 10% the reefers. Which for the most part are some of the coolest people I've ever met.

I work all day craving salt water enthusiasts to come in. Honestly it's almost a class of its own. The people that are drawn to it and withstand the trials and tribulations needed to succeed, hands down are just different than the freshwater people. I'm not stating one or the other is better but the elitists that direct their focus towards marine biology are in a league of their own.

When one comes in, I pretty much ignore anyone else and chat with them. I try to divide attention evenly but I can't help it.
Then it almost becomes annoying cause in the midst of tantalizing conversation, debate, and theory craft comes constant interruptions from the freshies which usually consists of if they have a nemo fish in their tank or wondering if a betas or oscars will live in salt. Things they dont even want to know or care about such as the number of coral you have or how many colors there are just to be a part of the conversation.

I may be bias cause it happens on a daily basis or people might think I'm wrong because they feel I should try to get them into the hobby.

I'm just one person but I live fresh and saltwater mixed events daily. By themselves they are each great but for me I've always noticed an uneasy feeling when both were combined.

 

They weren't saying any of GIRS's money would fund the freshwater event, rather both clubs would split costs. This would actually help save GIRS money, provide a bigger target market, and a few vendors/hobbyists are on both sides, so it would attract more buyers and sellers. It would get people to travel from farther away since they would have two events in one. I personally think vendors would love the idea of both. Both clubs would be paying for the event.

 

You made some good points Bronsonsfish. Personally when I wanted out of FW/Cichlids, I sought out information to learn the basics to decide whether it was something I "really" wanted to do, could do and, could afford to do. It pains me to think of all the fish and corals that have died from those who didn't "really" want, or know what all it can take to be successful in reefkeeping. Anyone can succeed if they "truely" want to but it does take a lot as compared to FW. Not saying everyone but I've witnessed many FW people who have lost (a) fish and thought not much about it, ie..just was a $5 fish.... Our oceans are very important ecosystems and sustainablity shouldn't be taken for granted or with such flippant attitude........just sayin'

 

There are a lot of FW events and shows, but lets not forget that there are high end FW keepers and fish too. Not everything is $5 fish, I don't know if it's possible or how it would be done, but perhaps we could attract come of the high end stuff? I mean personally in the past year (or two) I dropped a couple thousand bucks on discus and another grand on stringrays. That is more than I ever spent on reef livestock at one time and I know there are FW people in Iowa that have tens of thousands in livestock.

Then getting into planted tanks that have controllers and dosing systems as well.

And if it stinks... live and learn. It's just one fest. It's not like it will be a ton worse than the last fest.

 

Sure Hart, there are people who do spend a lot of money on FW tanks. I wasn't saying there aren't:0) The FW people should have the ability to bring in highend fish,etc. just as GIRS can bring in highend fish and corals. That's not a problem but what is a problem is when the vendors bring them, they expect some sales. If the highend doesn't sell, the vendors may not bring highend the next time...or if the sales are really bad, they won't come again. It all boils down to the bottom line...for the hobbyists/buyers and sellers.

 

Also the vendors should possibly do some research on what could or would sell. In that area! Call around or phone shop some local stores.

 

Aye. One way to find out huh?