Would you attend a yearly herp show in Minneapolis?

Also...most folks I know that attend the state fair make it an all-day affair. With the nightmare it is to get in and get parked, etc. from my experience at the Iowa State fair, no one is going to want to leave and then come back....and are too pooped at the end of the day to bother doing anything else.

Cat,

You may be right, I haven't thought it from that angle.

Regards.

Dan, I know you were just "thinking out loud" about the possibility of having a show ON the fairgrounds...aside from all the complications that it would present...reptiles are represented at the fair by 3 different "vendors". The MN herp society has a small display in the DNR building showcasing 6 native snakes and 4 native turtles. There is a very small "vendor" called "The Snake Shack" that displays a few snakes and lizards. Then there's "Monty's traveling reptile show"...a large custom trailer with windows that displays quite a few venomous snakes, some very large Burms and Retics, a few large lizards, and 1 good sized alligator. The DNR display is free to see but the other two cost a few bucks to enter. Judging from the comments of people I've seen attending those 3 sites, it seems more like a freak show to them. I just like looking at a 18 foot albino Retic...lol! Oh, there is nothing for sale at these places...just a lot of gawking.

But seriously, like Cat and Kare said...you do not want to be anywhere near the fairgrounds when it's going on...it's a traffic nightmare. And why try to compete with the fair? Most people I know do NOT split their day between the fair and something else....it takes all day to see most everything at the fair.

In my opinion, it just seems a lot easier to have the show on a date that does not compete with some other big happening. Think of it this way, if you advertise the heck out it, people will come simply BECAUSE there is nothing else happening that weekend! I'm still thinking next October. Also, like Kare mentioned, we should see what Larry's going to do next year. Nothing says we can't have two fall shows...Larry's and this one.

Scott Nellis

Also, on support for this venture - did anyone notice only 8 people have voted to attend? We would need more people to show interest in attending before locking up space/hotels/etc. Seems like this thread is virtually unnoticed to the people we hope to attract.

count me in as a vendor!

Well......considering all of the discussion we had about the Mankato show in this same forum, and Dan never even knew about it......it's very likely that folks that we're wanting to notice just don't look through this forum.

Id be willing to vend and lend a hand with whatever I could. I do think that throwing support behind Larrys efforts is a must, but i see no reason why a state like MN (with its high standard of living, and high population of reptile enthusiasts) couldnt support several shows a year.

If you want to get a show in the Tc area going, why not take the same strategy Larry took with the show in mankato and contact the various Civic centers about renting out a banquet or meeting hall?

promotion is a serious must, it has to be a multi directional approach, with fliers plastered in any area that makes sense, the internet (Kingsnake, fauna, any forums you frequent), and the various reptile publications that are out there, not to mention radio, newspapers etc. I see no reason why we couldnt have a high caliber show here, it will cost money and take time to get established however. The first event is rarely as succesful as the promoters/organizers would like, so be prepared for a possible loss, or to just break even.

That said, for a good, established show of decent size and attendance, Id be more than willing to spend $100 dollars to vend, a more practical beginning would be start humbly, a smaller room, as many vendors as can squashed into it, and the big thing is advertisement.

And btw, as far as time frame, why not a show in late winter/early spring?

The problem with late winter early spring is that people who sell CB species don't won't have animals to sell.

well once we get a date and all of that figured out maybe we can talk Gus from Rio Bravo to come up for the show! I think I am going to try my luck on getting him to come to atleast the Mankato show next year!

Hmmmm? Only 10 voters so far...We need to get to a critical mass by spreading the word!