After reading John Chidester's post about Harbour Lights not going to exhibit at Rosemont this year I had a conversation with Bill Younger about it on the phone. He explained that the show itself almost didn't happen and due to the small turnout the last few years of both manufacture's and dealers the show itself is going to be changing. It will be 1/3 Collectibles/Gifts, 1/3 Gun & Knife Show & the other 1/3 will be an Antique Show. He said at first it sounded like they would continue and come to the show this year but the more people they talked to (including the organizers) the more they found out that the people coming would just go to their specific interest, be it guns or antiques or the like. As collectors would have to pay separately for each venue for entrance and we don't think that will allow crossover

It just has become a huge expense for little return for Harbour Lights (my words not Bill's). Bill said he might like to maybe get a suite or two of rooms at the Comfort Inn that all of the Wackos stayed last year and still bring the new 2nd half of the year releases for collectors to get a preview of and maybe sponsor a gathering at the restaurant (located right next door to the Comfort Inn's parking lot) that we had our Wacko gathering at last year.

I asked Bill if the new releases were going to be at a possible Midwest regional before Rosemont and he said that they are planning on it. I said that the reason that a lot of the collectors came to Rosemont was to visit Harbour Lights at their booth, go to his Seminar's and to get together as a group of Wacko's. I said I wasn't sure how many would still be coming to Rosemont without Harbour Lights involvement especially given the opportunity to see him and the new pieces at a Regional during the same time frame.

Now to the point of this post... I told Bill I would float a trial balloon (pun intended) to see the interest for him having the Suite at the Comfort Inn and a Wacko Gathering at Rog's Pub & Eatery next door..

What time frame are you talking about Paul?

Ron
(CT Keeper)

Regional may be just a couple of weeks before Rosemont.... probably in Michigan!

Sounds like the Rosemont show is taking a major change of course. Not sure I like the way it seems to be headed, but I can understand it given this time of decreased sales of collectibles.

Personally, I would rather see HL introduce the second half pieces at a regional event scheduled around the same time. From a standpoint of cost, Rosemont area would not be my first choice. It would be nice to move the regional to a new spot for a change, and southern Michigan would be fine.

Dave

The regional isn't going to be at Rosemont that is for sure...

What Bill is wondering is whether to set up the suite for collectors to see the new lighthouses in addtion to showing them at the regional... plus sponsoring a gathering at the restaurant near by... he is trying to see if there are still going to be HL collectors coming to Rosemont and to provide an avenue for them to see the new releases at that time.

No interest here in that type of thing Paul, especially at that location. If HL isn't going to be at the show I have no interest in spending a weekend in Rosemont.

Maybe if we knew the location of the Midwest Regional some of us would be more interested in a gathering there?

We have family in central Illinois and in the past, planned our visit there to coincide with the Rosemont show. We only attend the collectible show at Rosemont because Harbour Light is a participant. As far as we are concerned, no Harbour Lights, no Rosemont.

A Midwest Regional in Michigan sounds great.

If a regional event were scheduled sometime in the June-July time frame with introduction of new pieces, and if the regional were in the general vicinity of Rosemont (upper midwest?) I don't think many folks would be interested in trudging back to Rosemont. I think most of this crowd went to Rosemont because of HL and enjoyed the rest of the show for what it was and offered. However, without a HL booth, these folks aren't going to make the trip.

Dave

The location and date for the Midwest Regional should be coming soon... right now they are looking at the weekend on the 7th or 8th of June.. I told Bill that the Old Michigan City Historical Society is celebrating it's 30th anniversary on Saturday the 7th of June at the Old Michigan City Lighthouse and it would be great if the Regional would be on Sunday the 8th... then we could make it a Wacko weekend! Tthen there could be also be a lighthouse tour before or probably after like the one that several Wacko's enjoyed last year before Rosemont... Bill said they would look in to the possibility holding of the Regional on Sunday June 8th instead of the 7th which is the penciled in date at this time.

The Midwest Regional will be on the 7th of June and it will be held in Grand Rapids, MI... that was the only date that the room was going to be able..

I will check with June Jaques, Director of the Michigan City Historical Society about their event and find out if it has to also fall on the 7th, hopefully it could work as well on the 8th..

more to follow..

I've started a thread about interest in a WACKO gathering around the June 6-8 weekend in Grand Rapids.

http://www.lighthousekeepers.com/cgi-bin/forumscgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=25&t=000339

June Jaques, Director of the Old Michigan City Historical Society has changed their date to Sunday June 8th so their 30th Anniversary celebration will be at the lighthouse on the Sunday after the Regional and Bill told me to pencil him in to be at Michigan City on the 8th for the celebration...

Of course that is where the Bradys will be, also!!

I talked to Bill again today and he has canceled any plans for the Suite at the Comfort Inn saying they will concentrate their efforts for the Midwest Regional... he thanked people for their thoughts on the idea of the suite..

He also said as it stands now he will go to Michigan City on Sunday... I suggested that we could have a Wacko gathering either before, during or after the celebration at the lighthouse and he concurred!

Sounds like a blast! I will start working on the wife now.

Chuck

Thanks Paul for all your leg work in finding out just when and where the midwest regional event was going to be. Of coarse, Larry and I will be there, where is everyone staying (hotel wise that is)?