Pros and Cons

The Show: ACen 2010
Where: Rosemont (Chicago), IL
When: May 14-17
Which Fandoms: Anime, etc.
Demographic: The standard; perhaps less Steampunk fans than usual.
How Many Days Did You Attend: all of 'em
Why Did You Attend: the Alley
How Many Years Have You Done This: This was my second.

Review of Con-Staff interactions: Philip's candor and efficiency (in regards to interactions with artists and the doling out of tables) is the standard to which I hold all other Alley heads.
Review of Pricing: One 8' table was $60; badges were $50.
Review of Location: Finding the Alley was a bit tricky--especially when check-in was in the Alley and there was thus no hope of finding a map in your bag o' con stuff. In a show of ACen's size, it might be nice of them to put up maps in the convention center.
Review of Guests: I met Hawk from Applegeeks. :D
Review of Artist Alley: There continues to be a problem with people photographing an artist's work without permission. There's also a growing problem (seen across a few Alleys lately) of people selling mass-produced items as handmade.


Other Thoughts: We got a deep dish pizza from Gino's East. It was really expensive but ridiculously fabulous and extremely filling. Four of us took two days to finish it. If you have a car in the area, be sure to check out Niko Sushi and/or Mitsuwa marketplace.

Net intake from this show (for me) was only a little less than ABoston's.