Anyone else notice this about the Games lately?

[mcvarmit]

attended the elizabeth celtic festival in colorado this last weekend. i live in new mexico, so it was about a 6 hr. drive from where i live.was just looking at my on line visa statement cost me about $400 bucks, vendor prices were a tad bit outta line, no gifts for the wife this time. the festival was also a tad bit disorganized, web site was a mess, and i drove right past the place for a few miles, before i turned around, almost a complete lack of signs. on the plus side i did enjoy myself. will probably attend next year?

semper fi

slick

[RamsayClanCommish]

I would agree with all of the posts made.

Now how would you improve on these problems or what would you like to see happen at games and events that doesnt? Any pet peeves or suggestions?

[vmac3205]

As a clan commissioner, we get in for the price of the clan tent, but Portland Games went up to $20 entrance fee. For a family of four, add some food, drink and a few trinkets, and that's pushing the price to unmanagable. We are attending three of the smaller ones this month, so it will be interesting to compare attendance. A few of the comments I've heard is .... changing venues too often, too many non-games type vendors (siding sales, etc) poor organization, and of course the universal price of gas.

[Colin]

I've noticed the opposite locally. We seem to have record breaking attendance each year and more and more people seem to be wearing kilts. Despite more and more things to divide their attention, the games have grown, but I feel like the quality of the local games has gone down a bit in the last 2 years or so.

There are more casual kilt companies with booths (usually busy), but many of the other booths are now rubbish with little to nothing to do with Scotland or the Games. This year we had a booth run by a South East Asian family selling slippers, knock off baseball caps, and silk (not tartan). I would be surprised if they made back the entrance fee in sales.

[Macman]

Our local games has grown in duration, attendance and quantity over the last four or five years. It keeps getting better and better. I attribute it to management by the games committee; they are doing a really good job of getting the news out about the games beforehand.

[vmac3205]

Macman,

Did you get to the Bellingham games? How was it?

[Macman]

Macman,

Did you get to the Bellingham games? How was it?

No, I didn't. I haven't been to the Bellingham games since my daughter danced. I remember it being one of the nicest games I'd ever been to.

[vmac3205]

No, I didn't. I haven't been to the Bellingham games since my daughter danced. I remember it being one of the nicest games I'd ever been to.

And now it is back in Hovander Park, which is the original spot and I guess it is just delightful. Perhaps some year we'll get there.

[skruse]

Reduced attendance is a global phenomena. There is too much going on in too many places. Attendance is down at professional conferences and meetings, even the best. People can read a journal, participate on line, but getting to a conference is another matter. The economy just compounds what is already going on.

[Alan H]

Here in Nor Cal I notice much the same thing as Panache....the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer

Woodland is big, Pleasanton is big. They don't seem to be getting smaller despite the fact that both venues are incredibly HOT.

Livermore and Campbell were small-ish and getting smaller. It doesn't help that the weather was brutally hot to the point of dangerous for some folks, for Campbell. If Campbell doesn't get a bigger turnout and some more vendors the festival might be gone in a couple of years.

But then again, as Panache points out, the Ben Lomond Games are small, but the venue is so nice that I will come back again and again. I don't see them getting any smaller. So it's a mixed bag.