Re: Autocratting an event

["Heather Swann" <swann@Intercon.Com>]

Poster: "Heather Swann" <swann@intercon.com>

>  
> Poster: Wynn Klosky <klosky@meeker.UCAR.EDU> 
>  
>  
>  
> On Thu, 5 Dec 1996, Bards keep wrote: 
>  
> >    Is it just me or are events becoming more expensive, in this 
> > Kingdom? 
>  
> I've heard this same question every year since I've joined, every 
> place I've lived. It's led me to believe....that events are costing 
> more :^) 
>  
> I dunno, it seems to go in cycles. You can find some real bargains. 
> Winter events like Twelfth Nights for some reason seem to really, 
> REALLY hit the purse around here. There are some groups that seem to be 
> in the business of making money, keeping upwards of thousands of 
> dollars in their accounts. I'm sorry. You don't need to hold on to 
> $10,000 of your friends' money. They can do that for you. 
> Maybe a thousand, or maybe two if sites are stiffly deposited where 
> you are...<snip>
>  
> But then, there are the refreshing events that cost $8 for the weekend 
> and food, and we are all amazed. I always like Cariadoc's idea of 
> each group HOSTING the neighbours, like you do when you have someone 
> for dinner...then the neighbours reciprocate. Obviously, that would 
> have to start somewhere... 
>  
> > BdeB(who def. believes in spending money on Toilet Paper! :) ) 
>  
> snip>

I think the high cost has to do with high rent costs for halls.  Some rental 
fees I've heard are outrageous.  If we'd had to shell out $1000 for a hall in 
the old days in Isenfir, we couldn't have held an event!  We barely had enough 
for a $35 hall in those days....
Also, I think some feast fees may be a bit extravagant, as well as some day-
trip fees.  Why should anyone have to pay $7 to day-trip and not get anything 
to eat for that?  I think some folks also don't know how to estimate a feast 
cost, or they don't realize how little it sometimes takes, even for a really 
good feast. 
 Whenever I've cooked or autocratted, I've always liked the system of deciding 
how much the feast will cost, and then trying to turn out as much food as 
possible for that cost, with the nicest presentation possible.  For example, 
if the site fee per person comes to $2, I would try to bring the feast in 
under $7/person, preferably $5 or $6.  My thought is keep it under $10 if you 
can.  Events over $10 used to be the exception and they had to be really 
fancy.  These days many events are in the $12-$15 range, cutting down on the 
number of events you can attend if you have to factor in gas money.  I'd love 
to attend some events in NC or SC, but the gas money and event cost prevent 
me.  
If the event needs special tokens or tourney field markers, or SCA signs or 
anything, those should be kept by the local group so that money won't have to 
be spent for them in future, thus cutting future costs.  The person who stores 
that stuff should bring it to the group's attention if money needs to be spent 
to maintain it.  
It's also possible that if thank you's are sent to sites after events, we can 
build up enough goodwill to get lower rental fees...one can hope, anyway...

Miri

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