anyone else think this shit is a little outta control...

[boxfan willy]

just wondering what everyone else thinks of the 4 trade shows in August. Currently seeking cloning process. 4 fully mature clones needed by August 1st, so I can take the month off. Flameworking and sales experience a must...

http://www.americanglassexpo.com/

http://www.champstradeshows.com/newsite/Champs25.html

http://bigindustryshow.com/

http://atatradeshow.com/Home.html

[Pogo]

Add all that to AGI and August gets shitty to plan for.

[boxfan willy]

damnnnn, that is ruff. C'mon Tom, make it easy for everyone. Start a trade show!

[l33t:weasel]

the trick is to get someone to promise to be your slave in the afterlife... and ideally have also done the same thing in your previous life.

[Gathering]

Its quite simple, just don't go. I don't know where they think we can keep coming up with 2,000 for booth space per show.

[themoch]

i don't know where they think they're going to get tallent for these shows... Aug is the worst time of year to have a convention/trade show... it's when EVERYBODY else does them... Aug IS trade show month.

If i were going to host a show i'd do sometime when there was a lul in activity to guarantee the most attendance. from both vendors and artists alike.

my $0.02

[Gathering]

Yea, but who is doing a January show? And who would attend? ;P

[standard28]

If you go to AGE you can hit up 3 out of 4. Just booked my airfare! I'll let you know how they all do...

[SNYD]

Not a big deal if you live in Vegas I guess, and have a team of oommpa Loommpas.
And how fitting for Vegas, you just have to gamble on what show to attend and hope it pays off.

[Groundjoints.com]

Buyers Industry Guide= Full of imports, have fun at that show.

CHAMPS= Adding an import section to the trade show along with the grow section to fill it out.

ATA= Who? This guy just got busted for stealing $500,000 from CHAMPS. Promising big CHAMPS customers half-price booths for life. Smart for the well being of the customers and longevity of the show.

AGE= The show to see. 100% made in USA stuff, 1 controlled and secure entrance, and the pool area and bungalows. Last seasons show was huge and this one promises to be even bigger.

[vetropod]

Buyers Industry Guide= Full of imports, have fun at that show.

CHAMPS= Adding an import section to the trade show along with the grow section to fill it out.

ATA= Who? This guy just got busted for stealing $500,000 from CHAMPS. Promising big CHAMPS customers half-price booths for life. Smart for the well being of the customers and longevity of the show.

AGE= The show to see. 100% made in USA stuff, 1 controlled and secure entrance, and the pool area and bungalows. Last seasons show was huge and this one promises to be even bigger.

Adam, that red text just gave me a seizure trying to read it... :tongue2:

[Mac Maestro]

Will, DON'T DO IT!!

I successfully cloned myself years ago to get more work done.
Now all these f*ckers want to do is lay around, eat my food and try to get at my wife!

Moral of the story - Clone the wife.

[Gathering]

ROFL, Chimps is adding an import section?!?

I remember my last show, (3 years ago), with them. Right between Habib Imports and another import company, coming by every hour to check out my stuff and tell me that they could make it for me for $4. Seeing anything I made being copied an in someone elses' import booth by the next show.

Reminds me of why u stop hitting yourself in the nuts with a 2x4. After u stop, it feels sooo good.

[vetropod]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZO4cqJ5IGro

[Julian]

damnnnn, that is ruff. C'mon Tom, make it easy for everyone. Start a trade show!

A trade show in Western Pennsylvania, sounds perfect! At least that way nobody has to ship to PA.

[Groundjoints.com]

Update: The ATA Show appears to be cancelled although it hasn't been announced yet. I am getting my information from the South Point Hotel directly, who said that the ATA show was not able to raise their deposit money and the show was taken off of their schedule.

I hope people will be able to get their deposits back.

[daveabr]

That ATA thing looked crazy from the get go. The Dear Abbey letter on the website was bad enough. Hope those deposits get honored......hmmmmm

AGE should stand out in the Vegas shows. All the others are just continually trying to reinvent the wheel.

[Greymatter Glass]

All the cool kids are at AGI in August....

p.s. Dave you're a jerk for not being at bead and button. Corey was cool, but we missed you.

[jedi glassworks]

My resolution is,

Glass Roots Art Show in November
and
AGI in feb/march

Should be great and all these other trade shows will just fazed out!

Bryan

[themoch]

... you don't want to be up in that part of PA in Feb/March... you won't be able to get out of the snow/ice.

[Greymatter Glass]

Update: the ATA show was not able to raise their deposit money

You mean the deposit alone is more than $500,000?

[Greymatter Glass]

AGI in feb/march

Bryan


AGI = Art Glass Invitational, a semi-private glass retreat for blowers in August in rural PA. It is _NOT_ a retail/wholesale trade show.... Attendance is usually capped at around 80-people.

AGE = American Glass Expo, a wholesale (some retail) trade show in Las Vegas in early march (I think?) and August. For the Vegas shows, it's the only one to attend. attendance is not capped, and is free (vendors rates vary, check their website)


it's a common mistake, and I really hope it doesn't cause problems for the event organizers... I've heard of one or two people showing up at AGE thinking it's AGI, but with all the glass and demos they're not really dissapointed to be there. Don't think I've ever seen someone show up at AGI thinking they're gonna set up a booth and sell glass.

But it does highlight the need to be diligent in show bookings and knowing where and what you're going to.... it would be hilarious if someone showed up at Toms in PA with a truck load of pipes and a CC machine ready to blow up their game... or someone showed up at AGE with a torch and a tent ready for demos and tube sausage.

[jedi glassworks]

aww fricken duuuh, thanks Doug.
I mean AGE

Bryan

[Aymie]

I just wanna go to Agi. And I can't, because I am broke. Sent them a drunken late night email offering to remodel the showers and be a slave in return for letting me in. Didn't get a reply.

[Islandglass Man]

To All
Remember that AGI is more then 10 years old. The event is not a trade show it is a teaching and learning event that has given many on this board their start or improvement of their skill level.

All art disciplines have their own summer event where artist can practice, play and learn new skills among their piers. For lampworkers AGI is their summer event.

Tell the trade show promoters to schedule their events in another month. The artists have the ability to sway the trade show promoters . Vegas in August is probably the cheapest rate for the promoters.

I have been associated with The Glass Center from the beginning of AGI. It has affected me to the point that I have retired and bought a home next to Tom And Elaine . It's exciting to think of what is planed for the future of The Glass Center.

Bear

[Aymie]

Well said. I couldn't care less about the future of the trade shows, but I hope AGI lives on forever.

[daveabr]

Doug......would've liked to be in Milwaukee, but I was at GAS the week before. That's where you guys should've been! For fun's sake. Bead and Button for money's sake. But GAS was great this year. Dizzle's party was f'n sweet

[Mr. Wonka]

I don’t want to hijack a thread here, but I will be posting some more info about Wonka World / The Glass Blowing Center in the near future. I promise that it will be very exciting, and please check the AGI forum for updates : )

Tom

P.S. - Aymie- I thought I had sent you a response, and I apologize if I didn’t. We stopped selling tickets in February because we have no more room.

The last thing I want to do is overcrowd the show to the point where it’s not “AGI” anymore, and attendance is maxed out. Elaine has to turn down people at least once a week… many of them longtime friends which is difficult for us : (

Oh yeah: AGI and the glass center will live on forever... we made sure of that!

[Greymatter Glass]

FWIW, last year was too many people... IMHO. Even then things went really smooth from an outsiders perspective...

[Aymie]

I know and I understand Tom. I could have had a place held and I didn't think it was possible I could go. No hard feelings.

And y'all don't get to hate me if I show up and just stand on the corner and cry.

[Greymatter Glass]

can we throw dirty underwear at you?

[Aymie]

Sure. Sounds like fun.

[Greymatter Glass]

Well, the ATA show webpage is gone...

And I suspect the South Point wasn't feeling them from the start. It's a total NASCAR / rodeo venue, so anything drug related doesn't really seem like their cup of tea... but who knows... I'm sure they were happy with the IHGI money..and that's really what talks in Vegas.

[BlueHair]

This might help some of you when deciding how to see it all...

You can watch the CHAMPS August Flame Off Live and for FREE courtesy BlueHair Media and its sponsors.

[yinzer]

agi in feb/march would be hilarious! Here that's the time of year when we talk about how little snow we got all winter and then 2 hours later look out to see feet of snow have just appeared or our cars are covered in a 2 inch layer of ice. And if it is warm, there's a flash flood warning from 5pm to 7am the next season. Good luck camping in that!

[Bruce Dille]

What would you call a Mid winter glass event?

[Greymatter Glass]

snow blowers?

[Emmett's Glass]

Glass & Ice?
E

[Aymie]

That sounds like a meth fest