Overpriced.

Originally posted by MinionJoe:

Overpriced.

I would agree to an extent but it's a great place for community, meeting big celebs, and browsing the wares. XD

like burning man....last all meaning.....

Originally posted by Andrew R:

What do you think of large conventions?
Such as San Diego Comic Con or any mid -large size cons?

Originally posted by MinionJoe:

Overpriced.

Originally posted by Andrew R:

I would agree to an extent but it's a great place for community, ...

As long as you're only paying to meet your new friends, the first time, and not paying to keep seeing them afterwards, I guess.

If you have to keep going to expensive events to keep seeing them afterwards, then you haven't actually found a "great place for community" because you don't actually have community.

Festivals, conventions, concerts, etc so on. They're all terrible.

Overpriced and over crowded. Usually it stinks too because, apparently, the average person doesn't know how to bathe or use deodorant.

I have no opinion.

they never happen in my country.. and I not go fly to another continent for them.

I go/did go to some local christian events but I not really call some dutch christian event with 50000 visitors over a week.. the kind of convention you talk about here..

I also not really care for them.. I mean I like various scifi shows but I aint the geek who collects anything about them.. I see no value in owning merchantise.. or play dress up.
and I much rather artifacts keep being owned by studio's to use in future episodes than sold to fans... and likewise I see no use in meeting the actors.. it is not that I can pitch them my fan idea's for episodes.. and they are not the role they play and that I like.. and I am not a toddler that believs a dude in a suit is that character.. so best they keep in the studio making more of the movies and shows I like..

inn the past (as in 90s) I did go to hardware conventions and even than only in my own nation in utrecht.. as well there was no internet.. and it was a good place to get deals on pc hardware..

but with the rise of internet the need for such a place basicly is no longer.. and it is why many of the gamecon/hardwarecon events even international ones have since been discontinued too..

**we now do have dutch comicon (something that until a few years ago was no dutch edition off and traveling abroad for one was ofcourse always to much a hassle to most)
**we dutch do have a carnaval tradition.. while I am not of that side of the nation and not care much of it.. I can see how creating your own custom and show it off thee.. can be fun to some..

(I just think.. ok THAT part is fun.. for 2 hours.. but than what.. a whole weekend of walking in custom.. to get those 3 moments of recognision by stangers.. to get harassed by buying merchantise wait in lines to get the value of your comic higher with an autograph.. and sit in boring lectures?
...
at least with carnaval it's a big party...

so basicly I do not mind meeting with people who like the things that I do.. but I have no interest in all the commercial mumbo jumbo thats at the core of such events.. and only annoys me..

plus most the people going to such places... are fakers.. as in.. they walk in a full custome.. but have not even seen every episode and movie made.. heck it may be they only seen halve an episode or movie (most likely the most recent one thats crap) and than call themselves a fan.. while I don't do all that weird stuuff but can city any lore from any serie without any efford cause I seen it all many times... and think I am just "moderate fan" aka to me if you don't seen everything of a property you are a poser who just like playing dressup.. and thats true for most those commercialised bozo's attending such places..

As a person who go to conventions often it’s safe to say that most conventions (even the smaller ones) are fairly crowded at best and overcrowded at worst. The one I’m going to might be crazy because Weird Al Yankovic is gonna be there.

Originally posted by Xero_Daxter:

As a person who go to conventions often it’s safe to say that most conventions (even the smaller ones) are fairly crowded at best and overcrowded at worst. The one I’m going to might be crazy because Weird Al Yankovic is gonna be there.

he makes funny songs.. but what is likely going to happen?
is he going to perform life? ok that be worth attending.. but do you need to suffer a 2 day convention for that?
is he actually going to personally interact with you as in you can talk to him longer than 3 seconds.. nope... not going to happen.
is waiting in a 10 hour line to allow you to give him a hand say hi thank you for your great works..ask a signature.,. and leave again worth it.. no it is not,

sure I'd like to spend a day or couple hours with weird al.. likely be an interesting person to share a meal with / intervieuw/have a talk with..

but that aint going to happen there with you 1 of the gazillion people on that conferance..

besides I rather have him spend his time making more funny parody songs and share them online.. (of which recently far fewer apear than used to be the case in the heighdays) than waste his time on such conferences..

Most conventions are slowly dying out, there are a few exceptions like Comic con. Gun shows, car shows still are going strong but ones that focus on woodworking, computers and other hobbies have mostly died out or or have to be combined with outer events to be viable.

Most are overpriced for what they offer, and cities are still chasing the convention dollar, so taxpayers are on the hook for building and maintaining the facilities for them.

Originally posted by steven1mac:

Most conventions are slowly dying out, there are a few exceptions like Comic con. Gun shows, car shows still are going strong but ones that focus on woodworking, computers and other hobbies have mostly died out or or have to be combined with outer events to be viable.

Most are overpriced for what they offer, and cities are still chasing the convention dollar, so taxpayers are on the hook for building and maintaining the facilities for them.

retro computer "sales" and events still happen and are on the rise.. same for specific fans like a bommelsale in 1 day a weekend twice a year... or a stampsale.. or a coinsale..
but thats more like hire a local city center a localised event... and more fleemarket kind of sales...

it is a way to buy/sell the stuff you collect/are into.. and possibly find friends sharing that interest.
they also generally don't charge any money to enter and have at best a few hundred and often no more than a couple dosin visitors and usually last like 9-15 on 1 day... with possibly 7-9 and 15-17 for those who rented stalls (which usually pay for the thing) to unload/load..

stuff like "a lanparty" can also work well.. like they setup 1000 computers (no need to bring your own) in a big terrain. and you just pay like 200 euro for 14 days..

you get a bunkbed.. basic food and a pc to use.. the rest is just finding people also there to play the games old style lan with.. but than real life..

such style events are still populair..

I love them
It showcase how much progression humankind have taken.

To name a few I particular like.

- The Paris Agreement
- The Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage
- WIPO Convention[

one event that I loved to go to was Floriade... a once a decade world fair for agricultural products.. that had world pavilouns and nice parks and gardens (prepare for a lot of walking.. to see beatifull ideas for your own garden.. to have a few pavillions with spectecturail setups that are just beatifull to look at... or the wwf pavillion that was the first to have 3d glasses, moving chairs and even smell and water splashing to make the movie truelly interactive.. such things..
my first one was in 1992 when I was just 10. I went to the next ones too..
but sadly they have decieded that the last one will be the last there never will be another floriade..

basicly it was a world fair..kind of event.

but I would not call a world fair "a convention"

Originally posted by Andrew R:

What do you think of large conventions?

You can fit really big Chickens in 'em

I hate crowds.

Like SO many other things, they were better in the '90s-00s; nowadays they are designed to extract as much money as possible from as many people as possible