Running a Convention

[neverblue]

hey guys, i'm working on yamicon's artist alley for jan 2008 and it will be my first time running an alley, can someone point me in the right direction for getting tables and chairs? maybe a good company to rent from or how much average rates are? thanks alot!

[Spizzy]

raid the local church >_>

Lori I believe is running the Sakura-con AA, I'd PM her and see if she can help you

[neverblue]

lol, what, with torches and everything? XD

thanks, i shall do that.

[Loriofpandora]

Good information to give in order to help better is:

Where is the con being held? A Convention center? A hotel with meeting space? A college campus?

Does your convention use a decorator? Most conventions have a contract with a company to supply the materials needed for a con space. (i.e. tables, table cloths, pipe and hangings, skirts, etc) And so you may have to go through them in order to get your tables.

Often times, hotels are equipped to supply all the tables needed in the meeting rooms. You'll have to talk to your Director of Relations (or whatever the equivalent is for your con) to see what is provided for in the contract for the convention space you are using.

I'm a little curious as to why you are even asking this question. Most conventions don't tell their coordinators "just... get tables. XD"

Also keep in mind that conventions usually lose money on their artist alley, so be prepared to start SMALL (10 tables or less) and build up if you're a baby-con

[neverblue]

lol, ok well first of all, we're not quite sure which hotel it's going to be at so far b/c the director had a contract worked out with a hilton (i think) but there might've been some scheduling conflicts so it hasn't been signed yet. also, i just joined in like a week ago, so i was trying to see how exactly one organizes the artist alley. of course, most of these questions will have to be answered after they work out the kinks in the schedule and location. thanks for the tips, lori.