is the banquet worth the fifty bucks?

It's my first time also. Since I know I'm not recieving any awards I'm not going to it. I gave it some thought, but figured it's not for me.

I'm sure it is worth it, as part of the experience. But I'll have my family with me and that is our last night there. My travel plans are tight also, that was a consideration too. We leave early sunday morning. I'm told it does take a while for everything, Starting at 6, I doubt you'd be out of there before 9.

Is the food the equivalent of what you'd get for $50 at a high quality restaurant? NOt even close. Attending the banquet helps defray the cost of putting on the event. The organizers have to guarantee a givennumber of plates.If they don't make that number, they have ot pay. (been there, done that at the region 1 convention in 2007).

As far as travel schedules, I hope you've done you're homework. Typically, the room will be closed about 4:00 pm on Saturday and not reopened until after the awards banquet, usually about 10:00 pm. The awards are placed on the tables in the display room and only annoucements of who won are made. Except for the major awards, no one goes up to pick up anything like at your average local event. If you need to leave early, you need to make arrangements with the organizers.

Also, if you are entering anything, you have no way of knowing if you have a chance at an award until the last model is put on the table. Even then, you don't know what the judges will see. Remember, there are no quality requirements at the nats only that you've paid you annual dues. The first one I went to (VA Beach 2002), one of the judges, now a national officer, told me the best dio went to a model with the model with the least eggregious errors.

Now that I have officially "been there, done that"  I can answer my own question regarding the awards banquet. Worth it: No.  Ten dollar steak with no flavor, raw vegetables and a smear of potatoes served cold with your drink choice (after consuming all the alcohol standing around in the hallway like cattle in the pen) being pool water. At least the announcments went mercifully fast before the mad dash to the models room.

 I asked convention staff about time lines and got different answers.  There was a level of confusion, but most agreed that the modelroom would be reoponed around 930-10PM at the earliest.

This was my first time out for a National and if I ever get the opportunity ( I was rudely informed by my boss this morning that I will NOT be getting that many days off in the future at one time and he has the Corporate Standard Practices manual to back him up on it!) to attend, I can better have an idea how to plan.

David

PatlaborUnit1 wrote:

This was my first time out for a National and if I ever get the opportunity ( I was rudely informed by my boss this morning that I will NOT be getting that many days off in the future at one time and he has the Corporate Standard Practices manual to back him up on it!) to attend, I can better have an idea how to plan. David

Not that many days in a row? With a screen name like yours, sounds like you need to talk to your steward and get yourself a better contract!

Despite the banquet style food, did you have a good time?

Should have contacted me.  I was bbqing on both days, and I live about 10 minutes away from the event.  Granted on Saturday our meal schedule was so messed up, we didn't actually eat dinner until around 12 midnight...

 Odd that they were charging $50 bucks a head when that could have easily been spent over at Ruth's Criss or even Mortons for a MUCH better steak...

gamerabaenre wrote:

Odd that they were charging $50 bucks a head when that could have easily been spent over at Ruth's Criss or even Mortons for a MUCH better steak...

Typically, the hotel or the venue where the event is held "hosts" the banquet at any event and the cost helps keep the sponsoring club's rental price down. It's all part of the contract negotiations.

AL you mean typical banquet/wedding food  aka

rubber chicken  prime shoe leather and of course the famous wall paper paste aka mashed potatoe

I have NEVER gone to a banquet for the food

I have upon occasion been surprised by good food, but over the banquet is for the meeting not for the food.

TRY it you'll like it

Hi all

after beginning this thread over a year ago prior to the '07 Anahiem Nats and writing this on MOnday the 11th after the Tidewater Nats, I have to agree that this years dinner was superior. We had a great group at the table and I was joined by my wife.  And the look of shock and disbelief on my face must have been priceless for her when one of my figs was shown and my name announced.  Honestly I had no idea I would ever win any award at a National-- I mainly put my stuff out to have someone take home some pics of my work.  I have to admit it was nice to have my piece flashed up on the screen!

David

Jafo wrote:

Yes the profit goes toward the event host.

Having chaired and worked on several regional events, I can tell you, there is likely no profit to the sponsor from the banquet. In fact, the last one I worked on (as head judge) cost the organizers an additional $1100 because we didn't sell enough dinners at $30 a pop. We have always rounded the price up to the nearest $5 increment, e.g., if the cost was $27.95 a plate, we'd go to $30.

Banquet facilities charge outrageous prices because they have a captive audience.

Ceremonies go on because winners want their ephemeral moment of glory. Somehow, closing the room down and placing awards on the tables then reopening the room a few hours later would make for a pretty unglamourous event, as would telling the attendees to go find some place to eat and come back in a little while to pick up your stuff.