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Thoughts about the 2013 Symposium

AlanZ

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The 2013 symposium is over.
Lets use this thread to share our thoughts about the event.

It was great seeing familiar faces, as well as graybeards newly met. Lauren and I had a fine time, and hope the folks who attended our demos enjoyed them as much as we did. The feedback we received was lovely (and someone bought one of our instant gallery pieces... A nice bonus)

Although totally unanticipated, I think the highlight for me was getting to know the turners with physical challenges. Andi, Dennis, Tony and Adam had a very interesting panel discussion about overcoming their challenges (two turn from their wheelchairs, and two are blind). Talking with them, and watching them turn in the Robust booth was a real pleasure. Great people. There were even some visitors from Lighthouse for the Blind who got to experience woodturned pieces, and were introduced to turning.

I think that the AAW forum can and should be used to continue the conversation about ways to introduce turning to people with various challenges,and more importantly, to leverage the creativity and inventiveness of our member to suggest ways to make turning easier for those with special physical needs.
 

AlanZ

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Lauren and I were just talking about the conversations she had with some wonderful women at the conference. She was impressed with their turnings (in the instant and 'currents' galleries).

Oh, and several time they noted, happily, that there was never a line for the ladies room.
 

hockenbery

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Hi Alan,
Was nice meeting you and Lauren. Sat next to Charlie too.

I got the pleasure of watching the turners with challenges come together over the past 15-16 months.
The idea for a panel came from a bunch of local turners working the clubs' booth at the Tampa woodworking show in March 2012 including Tony and Adam, both fine turners, who are are active in our local clubs and sort of grew from there. The local volunteers mentioned the idea to Kurt Hertzog, the symposium committee chair.. Andi was student Kurt had and Dennis was working on a project with AAW.

for a symposium that's all about sharing. This was special.

Another highlight for me was helping as an assistant in a youth class. Jared from Louisiana is fine young turner.

A little footnote. The AAW Grinders missed their first symposia since they were donated to AAW 12 years ago. They were put on the wrong truck by the delivery company.
Thursday night local AAW members ran home and brought 14 grinders.

Al
 
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This was my first symposium, at some level I was in overload state. At another level I was in heaven. Getting to attend the various sessions/demonstrations. Talking to the turners both demonstrators and others with the same passion as I have for turning.

I appreciated the AAW providing a forum for those turners with challenges like myself to share thoughts and tips. Many people approached me during the symposium to share stories or to ask for suggestions on how they could help local turners in their clubs.

The highlight for me was to attend the hands on pen turning session for those who were blind visiting from the local Lighthouse for the blind. Some of the new turners were crying with joy over making their first pen.

I appreciate the warm welcome I received from the AAW members. I enjoyed turning a lidded box in the Robust Lathe booth. I was able to finish the piece in the time allotted.

Thanks to Andy Sullivan who organized the panel discussion on turning with challenges. She had it all very well organized.

Dennis DeVendra, The Blind Woodturner www.blindwoodturner.org







The 2013 symposium is over.
Lets use this thread to share our thoughts about the event.

It was great seeing familiar faces, as well as graybeards newly met. Lauren and I had a fine time, and hope the folks who attended our demos enjoyed them as much as we did. The feedback we received was lovely (and someone bought one of our instant gallery pieces... A nice bonus)

Although totally unanticipated, I think the highlight for me was getting to know the turners with physical challenges. Andi, Dennis, Tony and Adam had a very interesting panel discussion about overcoming their challenges (two turn from their wheelchairs, and two are blind). Talking with them, and watching them turn in the Robust booth was a real pleasure. Great people. There were even some visitors from Lighthouse for the Blind who got to experience woodturned pieces, and were introduced to turning.

I think that the AAW forum can and should be used to continue the conversation about ways to introduce turning to people with various challenges,and more importantly, to leverage the creativity and inventiveness of our member to suggest ways to make turning easier for those with special physical needs.
 
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I returned home early evening yesterday, tired but upbeat about the symposium. Absolutely great event! The few glitches were overcome and attendees had no idea because the many, many wonderful volunteers (Rudy Lopez rocks!!) were ever-present and helpful, and they cheerfully overcame glitches.

There was a large number of first-time attendees and from comments I heard and overheard, they were overwhelmed with the vast amount of information shared. That's how I felt at the first symposium I attended in 1989. After the first day, I had already gotten my money's worth --- and there was more to come!

I also attended two-and-a-half days of Board meetings, the best I've been at yet. Dale Larson is an excellent Board president, the AAW is thriving with the leadership of our new ED, Phil McDonald, and the future will see continued growth and development, the AAW leading the way.

I met the two representatives from the Chinese organization, International Wood Culture Society (IWCS). That organization is partnering with the AAW to help spread enthusiasm about woodturning around the world. For instance, they sponsored two AAW members on recent trips, Terry Martin to China, and Avelino Samuel to Tanzania. You will be hearing more about the IWCS in the future. (Not to be mistaken for the other IWCS -- International Wood Collectors Society.)

Of course the Instant Gallery was awesome! I even had work on display, three small bowls I managed to turn in my spare time away from editing.

I heard that some vendors had the best sales ever at a symposium! The tradeshow was large and well attended.

Thanks to everyone who made this event successful!

Betty Scarpino, Editor, American Woodturner
 
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I believe that it has been 6 of the last 7 years that I have helped my friend in his booth at the symposiums. I have not ever seen before a symposium that had as little traffic on the trade show floor as this one did. I do not know the reason, I can't even guess nor will I try. I do know that the time between the second to last and the last rotation has always been a busy time. This time for what ever reason the biggest crowd I saw on the level of the trade show was gathered in the back while they were reading off tickets for prizes and using the loud speaker system to do so. During that time when I think they might have been giving prizes perhaps donated by the vendors there was no one on the actual trade show floor to sell to.
I heard more than a couple vendors who stated that they would not come back, whether they do or not we'll see as I believe they do this for a living. I know you can't march people to the vendors area but I hope that the powers that be can perhaps come to an understanding as to what might of happened. I'll be in the same booth next year and I hope this was an aberration that won't repeat itself.
Bill
 
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There were several vendors who reported their best sales ever at any symposium.

Betty Scarpino, Editor, American Woodturner
 
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Betty I'm just stating my observations about the sales floor, I don't know who had a good show. The traffic on the trade show floor was not normal is all I'm saying. Whether it was that there were many new visitors to the symposium or that the trade show was located as far away from the demos as it was I'm just stating that again, the traffic was not there.
I'm just hoping that the AAW does not believe that it was a normal trade show attendance.
Bill
 

hockenbery

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Bill,
Not sure about how the trade show traffic compares.
A
Had a few more attendees than San Jose.
We have about 40% first timers which is normal.

I talked with quite a few vendors. Several did very well. Some not so well.
One said they had topped previous years sales by 6pm Friday.

CBNs were hot this year!
From my unscientific view. Anyone selling CBN wheels sold a lot.
Trade show customers who bought a CBN did not have a lot of money left to buy anything else.

Al
 
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Will any symposium be perfect and the answer is no... you do the best for what you have and it changes every single year. This one had the vendor area to far from the demo's so people didn't have time or didn't want to walk that distance. It went with the space we rented so it happened... oh well. The common question in the vendors area was "where are the people" the traffic was way down from past years. It was the location of the room not the number attendees. Next year it will change.

IMO - The convention centers we rent are huge for the size group that we have, 1,200 people get lost in a place that holds 10,000. We can save money by going to a smaller city. Take a look at SWAT at 800 attendees it does very well and doesn't cost everyone a arm and leg to go. I think we should follow this format because it works. We don't need the biggest most expensive place in the country just a place that fits this size group. People will drive 500 miles to attend and our largest symposiums are in the middle of the country so stay away from the coasts... fish don't turn wood LoL
 
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Part of the problem with finding the perfect venue is the break-out rooms. Our symposium requires so many of them that the smaller venues simply don't have enough. Indeed, the expansive convention center in Tampa was .... expansive .... 1200+ attendees in that large space looked sparse. But, what if the attendance had risen to the level of the Louisville event with around 2,000?

Definitely having the IG and tradeshow on a different floor (with a short flight of stairs in addition to the escalators) was not the best for attendees to wander into those areas. At any rate, the symposium planning committee is well aware of what didn't work well in Tampa (and elsewhere), so they will continue to try to find the best venues possible in the future. Phil McDonald, Executive Director, and the symposium planning committee chair visit every perspective venue. Send Phil an email with your observations and suggestions to ensure that your viewpoint gets heard (phil@woodturner.org).

Betty Scarpino, Editor, American Woodturner
 

hockenbery

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The demo rooms are the main issue with a banquet facility being the second.
All locations seem to have adequate exhibition space for the trade show instant gallery.

We need about 2000 seats in demo rooms. This makes it comfortable for 1600 attendees with a few demos ending up with standing room.
We expected about 1400 this year and got over 1200. Disappointing to not surpass the expected.
When the final counts come in, Tampa will be the second or third largest in the last four years and likely the 6th largest in attendance for all symposiums.
 
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