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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Starfest 2016

Discussion in 'Denver, CO' started by Nerfherders, Jan 26, 2016.

  1. Nerfherders

    Nerfherders RMFF Treasurer star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 26, 2002
    Starfest is March 11-13 this year at the Crown Plaza near the airport.

    I wanted to put this up here because I did not see it mentioned in the January notes, and there is only one more meeting before this which is only 3 weeks before.

    I am wondering if we want to have an official presence there, i.e. a table? I assume the parade is that Saturday, but that is usually over by 1pm.

    So what are people's thoughts on attending, official or otherwise?
     
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  2. AuttyBot

    AuttyBot RMFF Secretarian star 1

    Registered:
    Jul 21, 2014
    Hey Nerfherders It was discussed. A very brief note under the Float and Patch section, so I apologize I did not include more. It was noted that Start Fest is on the same weekend as the Parade. I hope this helps :D. I do feel it is good that you ask this question because we did not actually dive that much into if we should have a table since there are two events that weekend and there is quite a bit of focus on getting the float ready to go.
     
  3. DieWompRatDie

    DieWompRatDie Former RSA star 4 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Dec 2, 2008
    Based on how Starfest has conflicted with other SW events in the past couple years (Celebration or May the Fourth), and how we were told we had to be present for the whole weekend if we were going to have a table, and the less than stellar treatment we've received regarding table placement (moved from the hotel foyer into the open area, which has less traffic), and that we wouldn't be receiving any comp badges for hosting a table, and that we wouldn't be allowed to staff the table unless we buy a pass, and the poor experience of Kim and Ben and others who have dealt directly with them, and that the event hasn't been a successful member recruitment tool based on the time and energy invested...

    I think we decided not to get a table at Starfest anymore going forward.

    Although that could always change. However, this late in the game, and that we haven't been offered a table (since we haven't heard so from our contact with the Grimby) I suspect this year would just be an unofficial get together. I haven't heard anyone excited to go this year...
     
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  4. nnaydolem

    nnaydolem Jedi Master star 6

    Registered:
    Nov 8, 2002
    Wait they are not giving badges for manning a table? That seems a bit much.
     
  5. nnaydolem

    nnaydolem Jedi Master star 6

    Registered:
    Nov 8, 2002
    I just emailed Susan, this is the official word. personally, i think it's pretty crappy to have to PAY for a table.

    If your group does a panel you’d get 2 passes for the day of the panel. Passes can be upgraded to a weekend for a fee. Other discount passes are available if you have more people on the panel or have others who want to man the table.

    If your group does not do a panel, there is a $120 fee for the table which includes 2 weekend passes. Other group members can purchase a discounted pass (we offer 15% discount). Everyone manning a table needs a wristband.
     
  6. DieWompRatDie

    DieWompRatDie Former RSA star 4 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Dec 2, 2008

    Considering the difficulty we've had getting people to commit to staffing the table all weekend, let alone doing a panel, I vote we pass. Starfest just isn't the con it used to be, IMHO.
    I leave the final decision up to the RMFF council.
     
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  7. Obey Wann

    Obey Wann Former RMFF CR & SW Region RSA star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jan 14, 2000
    Pretty sad. Starfest used to be such a great con. So many good memories.
     
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  8. he-guy

    he-guy RMFF CR star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 19, 2002
    Yeah, unfortunately there's just not the excitement for this event like they used to be from the group. Combining the facts that many from our group are now involved with DCC, and that our group has had a ton of fun there the past few years it just makes sense for us to stick with DCC for our big con experience.

    Also, Stan Lee?
     
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  9. Grimby

    Grimby Technical Consultant & Former Head Admin star 7 Staff Member Administrator

    Registered:
    Apr 22, 2000
    Just for the record, I did receive the annual email a couple weeks ago from Susan at Starfest about signing up for tables and panels. I did want to bring this up at the January meeting but I couldn't attend. I agree with the consensus though. I don't think doing a table at Starfest is worth it unless we can get a significant break on the ticket price, and the only way to really do that is to do multiple panels on multiple days.
     
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  10. DieWompRatDie

    DieWompRatDie Former RSA star 4 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Dec 2, 2008

    Good to know. And, yeah, I agree that our ROI for a Starfest panel just isn't what it used to be and not worth our group's efforts.
     
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  11. nnaydolem

    nnaydolem Jedi Master star 6

    Registered:
    Nov 8, 2002
    yes sadly i agree. i think there was a lot of missed opportunities for cooperation & growth instead of being isolationist. sometimes you have to do what you might think is the hard thing and suck it up, aka let go of your pride and do what is best for the organization. it just makes me sad, it is where a lot of us all met & joined.
     
  12. gra-co_o_hun

    gra-co_o_hun Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    May 5, 2005
    I can easily understand the disappointment here. I, on the other hand will continue to create their Promo Art as long as they would like me to. Please don't hold it against Me. [face_monkey]
     
  13. nnaydolem

    nnaydolem Jedi Master star 6

    Registered:
    Nov 8, 2002
    they are lucky to have you.
     
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  14. gra-co_o_hun

    gra-co_o_hun Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    May 5, 2005
    I guess We will see how long it lasts Nnay...
     
  15. Obey Wann

    Obey Wann Former RMFF CR & SW Region RSA star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jan 14, 2000
    There is a lot more to it than just ticket prices and whatnot. Maybe it is just us getting older. In the past, SF was a drink all night and still man the tables and get in costume, or hit the con thing. Then, over the years, the hotel started cracking down on room parties. Also... I think I'm just getting to old to drink like I did 5 or 10 years ago. And that was half of the fun of SF. It was like a safety relief valve where we partied hard and let off steam. Heh, I just can't do that anymore. Not if I want to function at all the next week. ;)

    Then, there is the hotel. The hotel in general treated con goers like we were scum. I've heard a lot of stories about room overcharges and general mistreatment of con goers by hotel staff. Granted, that won't be the issue this year at the temporary location, but for me, the new location is a total unknown. Will they be better? Worse? Dunno.

    Then, last year, they completely locked down the ENTIRE hotel with a door nazi checking badges as soon as you walked into the lobby. Not just at the entrance to the atrium or the panel rooms. The whole vibe has changed. Apparently, SF "bought out the whole hotel", so there were no public areas whatsoever. The second you walked up to the hotel, you were in the convention area and had to have a badge. She wasn't friendly, or courteous about it, either. Totally wrong vibe, man.

    It no longer felt like the "let's hang out with fellow geeks and have a good time" thing, it changed to feel like a "SF is barely making it financially thing," and it felt like they were doing everything possible to milk every last credit from anyone in a 500' radius of both the hotel and the parking lot.

    Last year, most folks were at Celebration in Anaheim... but I went to SF to do the #Iamnotatcelebration thing. While I had fun, I got the weirdest vibe from the SF staff. It was almost hostile.

    Absolutely not the vibe that we had back in 2008-2010ish.

    I can hope that at least the new hotel treats people better. Hopefully they don't over charge for parking (or charge at all?). Hopefully food will be available nearby and easy to get to without losing your coveted parking space that is impossible to get back once you leave.

    Bonus: I did check and "PARKING: The Parking at the Crowne Plaza and Country Inn is FREE for the weekend")

    Plus, DCC is both so much bigger, but for me, it has both a much better lineup of guests, but it is family friendly. Again, a big change from years ago, when the kidses were too young to go. Now, taking my kids to DCC is something we look forward to all year long. My whole family goes and we have a great time. I suppose if SF had talent we cared to see, then yes, we'd pay for entry for the one day.

    From a 501st/RL/RMFF costuming and recruiting standpoint, I honestly can't tell what the ROI has been. Ever. Maybe it is just me, but I don't know if we (any of the groups) have ever really kept track of how many members joined because of discussion at a booth. That said, we have done an awesome job of raising money for charity... but that is tougher to get people to do if they have to pay full price just to troop, or man a booth. At least at DCC, we are able to secure some kind of decent price cut.

    I love to troop, and I love to work a booth. But at $75 for the weekend.... it just isn't worth it, especially if there isn't a single guest I care to see.

    So yeah... at this point, barring any huge new guests for SF, I'll put that money into DCC.
     
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  16. DieWompRatDie

    DieWompRatDie Former RSA star 4 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Dec 2, 2008

    mic drop right there.
     
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  17. JawaJaka

    JawaJaka Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    May 24, 2011
    And for those who haven't taken a look at ticket prices: $54 for one day, $77 for 3-day. DCC one-day pass is $45. And DCC will probably be an early -bird discount for those not participating in the SW exhibitor discount badges similar to last year. Starfest has no discounts except the pitiful 15% for exhibitors/vendors.

    For those who have never been to the Crown Plaza DIA, it's the same place Starfest was held at before the Marriott DTC (it's also the same hotel as RMCC). It has two sides, the hotel side and the convention side. It is a very very long walk down a narrow hallway from the hotel to the con side. This hallway in the past was crowded with teenagers playing cards and dice (today's teens just plop in the middle of the floor on their cell phones nowadays), making it hard to get from one side to the other. I only counted three handicap spaces on the con side, I have no idea how many on the hotel side. It's a super long walk in the cold if you park on the hotel side (trust me, I've done that before, never again!). The rooms are small, the bar area is even smaller, the restaurant is very high priced for mediocre food (the bar food is so much better), parking is at a premium (get there super early and don't ever leave until Sunday), the convention area is small but open, there are only four panel rooms, and it's hard to get to for most (off of I-70 and Chambers on E 40th Ave). There are quite a few fast food places in the area (KFC and Pizza Hut are across the street) but no real restaurants in the area for a group dinner. The hotel staff is friendly but the hotel itself cannot handle a large convention. RMCC is looking for another venue as it has outgrown this hotel already (they might be stuck for another year or two, though, while looking).

    I'm going to rock the Jawa one last time for the St. Pats parade (same day as Starfest) and possibly do some float work on Friday if needed. I've never really been a fan of Starfest anyway, so I'm making my personal clean break from them permanently (which I kind of did last year anyway). And I'll be in Indianapolis for Droid Con (the R2 Builders convention) the same weekend as DCC, so I'll be missing that, too (with a heavy sad heart as I truly LOVE DCC!).