Crochet Camp cost questions

[LadyBeBop]

Now, another issue is whether we could get good quality teachers to attend, and how much we'd have to pay them to teach 6 hours' worth of classes. Plus how much it would cost to pay their hotel, airfare, meals, etc.

 

There's enough of us in C'ville who knows enough about one form of crocheting (Tunisian, bead crochet, freeform, hairpin lace, etc) but wants to learn other forms of crocheting. For example, someone who's an expert in Tunisian may take that course in exchange for having his/her $150 registration fee waived (NOT the hotel or travelling fee). That way, the teacher would have a free class and two free meals.

 

I'd also need to talk to DH as he'd need to drive (long story for another day). But if a good golf course or two is there he'd have more incentive (smile).

 

He's in luck there. Huntsville is at the beginning of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail which consists of some of the best golf courses in the world.

[Amy]

Well, I finally heard back from the Embassy Suites with a very basic price quote. They would give us a slightly discounted room rate of $120 plus tax for single or double occupancy per night. But here's the kicker: facility fees for all the rooms we'd need to use (large meeting room, classrooms, etc.) was going to be $1500!!!!

 

Then when you factor in that we'd need to pay expenses for any teachers (travel, hotel room, meals), I just don't see that this particular hotel will be an affordable option. Which is a shame, because it's a beautiful hotel with lots of amenities.

 

But the good news is that there IS a Holiday Inn (formerly a Hilton) right next to it, so we'd still have all the location advantages. Granted, the Holiday Inn is not as nice as the Embassy Suites, but it is definitely a nice hotel and more than adequate for our needs. So now I'm waiting to hear back from the Holiday Inn (spoke with them yesterday) about their fees.

 

Hopefully their facility fees will be quite a bit more reasonable!

[Redheart]

There are designers who are members here-maybe they would attend and be willing to share their ideas, thought processes, etc. and in return we could test a pattern for them? Do you think a manufacturer would be interested in being a sponsor? I really like the idea of visiting LYSs in the area. And we could have a charity corner where we could meet and yak and snack and make squares or comfortghans. Just brainstorming here...

[Addey]

Coming from someone who has spent over 70 nights in hotels in the past 12 months... the initial question seems like it isn't that far out of line. I often pay $150 a night for single occupancy in 'decent' hotels, such as a Fairfield or Hampton Inn.

Like you found out Amy, the facilities can cost a bunch. I do software training and it is not unusuall for me to rent a (small-ish) computer room for about 14 people including snacks only for at least $1000.00 a day. and that's just one small room with computer equipment.

For example, without airfair, meals or other 'travel' excpences a 4 day trip to Disney in Florida, including a room is at least $700.00 and that was looking for just 1 adult. this would be about $175 a night, compared to $177 a night for the knitting workshop.

I think the price for without the hotel room is a bit steep, but if you're from out of town and staying, it makes sense.

 

As far as a crochet get-together. It would be great, especially if there were exhibits/vendors from local yarn stores and the like. Classes, I'm on vacation and I want as many as possible. I would like to see 4 1.5 hour sessions. I don't sit well through 3 hours and 1.5 hours should be enough to at least familiarize myself with a new technique or pick up some new tricks. Besides, more classes means the oppertunity to talk with more people.

Just my $0.02 worth.

[kimbo]

Amy,

I used to work for AC Moore as a classroom coordinator, we had a coordinators conference in NJ a few years back. The company was able to get representatives from many companies to attend. There were people present from several yarn companies. We got instruction in basic crochet, felting and several other crafts from the companies themselves. And there were samples of new products to view and touch! I have to wonder if some of the yarn companies would be interested in participating in something like this! What a great opportunity for them to show off new products and ideas!! Maybe we wouldn't need to have as many payed instructors if the manufacturers could be persuaded to join in. Maybe even have a booth to sell there items.

Just a thought,

Kim

[trin]

I haven't done anything like this, but not counting the hotel room. I've spent $60 or $70 for 3-5 DAYS at a Scifi convention. (Keep in mind that a "media" based scifi convention with actors from movies, or tv shows tend to be around $200 or more for a weekend, NOT counting hotel room or special event fees...)

 

Part of what determines the cost is

1) site expense... hold it in a hotel or convention center, and the committee has to pay for that space.

2) guest speakers and special guests may need to be paid to come teach, or give a talk.

though also to help defer costs

3) VENDORS (say yarn companies showing and selling their yarns and supplies) usually PAY the convention for a booth in the vendor room.

4) Some events may have a charge, usually not very high to participate in the event. I'm usually putting some of my work in the Art show... I pay maybe $10 for a 6 foot table, or a similar sized hanging space) and a small fee (50c) per item, and then the Art show is also AUCTIONING my work, or which I get 90% of what it's bought for at the auction with 10% going to support the convention. (I put the starting bid at what I'd sell the item for + whatever the fee will be, and a bit to cover my fees to enter the art show.)

 

A crochet convention might also be able to get financial help by selling "sponsorship" to yarn companies, and pattern publishers, who will have their advertising printed in the handouts,scheduals, and announcements of the event.

 

I've never been on the convention comittee so I don't know how things are negotiated with sponsors or the site. But it's information that's out there.

[Jeanie]

I absolutely love the idea! If I was going for the crochet aspect, the location is less important to me and I am thinking that a less popular location could cost less.

 

To rent a meeting room at a hotel is not inexpensive. Something that I have seen other groups do is to have the conference at an airport hotel - they tend to be a bit less expensive at times.

 

What about a camp type location? Many will rent their facilities in their shoulder or off season for a reduced rate.

 

I did stray from the topic a bit.... I think that cost is a huge factor - I would pay more for a well organized conference at a clean and comfortable location.

 

And, if you are ever looking for a smaller remote place to hold a meeting, please let me know. We have a guest ranch here in NW Montana that works well for families and small groups.

 

Jeanie

[Sockmad]

I wish I could afford something like this but I can't even afford to go and visit my sister in Nashville for Christmas!

[Craftlover10101]

I am still very new here and I don't know how ya'll work but I have a different idea on the subject. If ya'll get along well and someone has a big enough family room that they can rent tables, chairs, borrow family's sofas, and a large kitchen you'd be good to go. Find a hotel that could hold the occupancy of what, about 50 woman/men? For those of you who can plan the even, try and get many to fly into the same airport at the same time frame give or take a couple hours for everyone to come in. Have everyone pitch in to rent a couple of vans, and caravan to the hotel. Than the person supplying the house will meet up with them, everyone go to Denny's or Coco's for dinner or your local resteraunt, buffet that's inexpensive the first night. After make a trip to the grocery store for a couple of day's of PRE PLANNED meals, with everyone pitching in, with the cost of the food, the drinks, the preperation and clean up. You get 20 or more woman/men together cooking and cleaning and it will get done in no time and leave ya'll plenty of time to play. Make breakfasts easy, like donuts, toast, bagels, fruit, etc.

Now it might get a little loud so if you have a husband tell him to go golfing, hunting or for a ride lol till all the women, men leave lol

Lots of paper plates, napkins, forks etc and tons of tea and coffee lol.

I'd even have it at my house! But I don't know anyone yet lol. But I'm sure if ya'll wanted to save money theres always a way to do it. You don't have to have classes and whatnot, everyone can pitch in helping someone else learn something. Or you can make a schedule prior on days that you are going to do certain things in paticular.

Remember it's just an idea lol.

[Amy]

Thanks for the suggestions! Holding the main event in someone's home would be a lot of fun, and would most definitely make things very low-cost. But then you run into problems with logistics of transporting everyone back and forth between hotel and home, necessitating some people renting cars. Then we'd also incur a bunch of additional legal liability with transporting all these people back and forth as part of the official event.

 

Now smaller groups might want to arrange private get-togethers in this manner, and that's perfectly fine.

 

But if Crochetville were to ever arrange a crochet retreat, since we're an official legal entity now as a business, there's all sorts of extra things we'd have to consider. So, unfortunately, we'd pretty much need to host an event like this in a hotel or some sort of retreat center.

 

My family and I love to go to Walt Disney World on vacation, and I'm on several of their email lists. I got an interesting email from them the other day about planning events at one of their resorts with conference center attached. So, just out of curiosity, I'm having them work up a price quote for me, based on having the event at Coronado Springs Resort at Disney World. We'd get a discount on hotel rooms reserved for the nights of the event. If members wanted to turn this into a family vacation, they would also get to use the discounted rate up to 3 days before AND 3 days after the event, so their stay could end up being about 8 nights or so with the discounted rates.

 

Of course, I have no idea what types of fees that would charge for our meeting room space in their convention center, or for the lunch or dinner meals we wanted to include in a retreat. It's probably going to cost enough that the amount we'd have to charge for the retreat would make it hard for people to come, but we'll see. Maybe Disney will surprise me!

 

How many people would be interested in attending a crochet retreat at Disney World (and turning the event into a family vacation as well)? Would holding it at WDW make you more likely or less likely to attend, if costs for the retreat part itself were similar no matter where we held it?

[kimbo]

Very interesting Amy! While cost is definitely a huge factor, I would be interested in Disney.

KIM

[auntbubbels]

I was just talking about Disney last nite stating that its time we went back!!! I would love it

[HappyOldCro]

Sounds like great fun, but can be expensive. I think the yarn companies providing classes and samples is a great idea and would take the frustration and costs off of your shoulders. From past experiences with conventions when I worked retail, invitations were sent to vendors explaining what the event was to be, and told if they were interested in representing their companies to contact the hotel and make arrangements to have space reserved for classes and samples, and amazingly they paid for it themselves.

All our company did was reserve a block of rooms, the hotel provided buffet breakfasts, coupons for lunches and a big dinner the first and last nights.

The hardest job we had was making a schedule, and coordinating with the vendors to ensure timeframes were adhered to. What may be an issue you will need to address is some of the attendees may be handicapped or disabled and may have special needs, would the hotel be able to accomodate them?

[darncat]

Have you thought of using a place like the VFW or a banquet hall? When I got married I found that using a place outside of a hotel was way less expensive. As for how every one would get there, public transporation. I live in a town with 12500+ citizens and you can arrange public transportaion (city bus) to go to a certain location at vaired times as long as you give them notice and that the people using the bus purchase a bus pass.

As for Diseny, that would be way out of my price range.

[Amy]

Have you thought of using a place like the VFW or a banquet hall? When I got married I found that using a place outside of a hotel was way less expensive. As for how every one would get there, public transporation. I live in a town with 12500+ citizens and you can arrange public transportaion (city bus) to go to a certain location at vaired times as long as you give them notice and that the people using the bus purchase a bus pass.

As for Diseny, that would be way out of my price range.

 

Tricia, unless we choose a destination like Disney, any Crochetville-sponsored retreat/conference will most likely be held in my hometown. We do not have a public transportation system. Our town is much larger than yours, but we still don't have this type of bus system.

[darncat]

Tricia, unless we choose a destination like Disney, any Crochetville-sponsored retreat/conference will most likely be held in my hometown. We do not have a public transportation system. Our town is much larger than yours, but we still don't have this type of bus system.

Bummer. Oh well if it does end up at Disney, you all will have to take a bunch of pictures. Maybe even make a podcast from there. So we all can hear about it.

[CrochetWithDee]

Just for an idea on driving times to Huntsville:

 

From Atlanta: 3.5-4 hours

From Orlando: 12-13 hours

From east coast of North Carolina: 13-14 hours

From Minneapolis: 16 hours

From Chicago: 9.5 hours

From Washington, DC: 11 hours

From New Orleans: 6.5 hours

 

 

From Danbury, CT: 16 hours

 

For me, it would need to be scheduled in the summer time AND with a major airport nearby.

[Amy]

From Danbury, CT: 16 hours

 

For me, it would need to be scheduled in the summer time AND with a major airport nearby.

 

Huntsville has an international airport right here in town (HSV airport code in case anyone cares). Well, pseudo-international anyway. We have international cargo flights, but I don't think we have any direct international people flights! People usually hop a puddle-jumper plane to Atlanta to connect with the real international flight.

 

There are also airports in Nashville and Birmingham that are only 2 hours away.

 

If we ever do a conference/camp/retreat, it would definitely be in the summer months to make it easier for everyone to attend.

[Amy]

Bummer. Oh well if it does end up at Disney, you all will have to take a bunch of pictures. Maybe even make a podcast from there. So we all can hear about it.

 

Oh, I don't have much hopes that we would end up at Disney! While it would be a lot of fun, I have a feeling the costs involved would put it way beyond the reach of most people. If we were able to put on an event like this, our goal would be to price it and locate it so as many people as possible could come.

 

But maybe CGOA/TKGA ought to consider moving their conferences down to Disney!

[CrochetWithDee]

Oh, I don't have much hopes that we would end up at Disney!

 

 

I would love if we could teach Mickey & Minnie how to crochet! Daisy & Daffy too!

[mrsperales]

This sounds like a great Idea the weekend away from hubby and kids doing something that I enjoy. Count me in

 

$150-$200 doesn't sound bad

 

Gina

[Craftlover10101]

Thank you for the kind words. i can't type well right now sharpened my knife to cut tomatos and cut my finger lol at dinner. Anyway I would love to meet and get to know a lot of you. And hope to possibly have a stitching get together in the future and my home will always be open. As long as you don't mind chickens, dogs and kids lol. The animals are outside except one dog is inside right now. We just picked up another dog because hubby's passed a few weeks ago. But as soon as his incision is ok he's going to be an out door dog. Besides he'll enjoy the land and the chasing critters and balls. I can only put up with my allergies for so long.

Anyways if you all manage to get together I wish you all the best. I can't afford a trip like that right now. With the kids and critters i don't have the spare cash to go. Maybe when they are all in college or have careers I'll have more money for myself lol.

[Yarn Duck]

I could definately attend something in Huntsville. We were just in Chattanooga and Scottsboro a couple of weeks ago and it would be a good reason to return.

 

And there's a quite a few things to do in Huntsville and the surrounding towns. It's a beautiful area, with the mountains and scenery. Hubby plays golf so anywhere there is a golf course he is happy.

[RunningMommy]

I'd say that the prices including hotel stay and meals are relatively reasonable but $495 just to attend sounds a little steep.

 

I would say that $500 would be the absolute MAX I could manage to spend on something like this... but its definitely something I would LOVE to attend

[Addey]

I hope Disney surprises us... sometimes they do. It would be a great excuse to get DH to take a few days off... I'd be willing to pay more to go to one at Disney if park admission of some kind was included in the pricing. I wouldn't want to go down to Florida, stay at a Disney resort and have to then pay even more to go to the park for a few hours between events at the 'camp', or in the evening.

I really like the thought of going to something like this, especially if it was held/sponsored by the 'ville. (I have issues being in social situations where I don't know anyone... but I know lots of people here!)