Pros and Cons

Dealer room table reservations are currently live for Anthrocon 2011. Current prices (with badges included) are as follows:

Half Table--$75-----4'x30"
Full Table------$125----8'x30"
Double Table----$350----16'x30"
Triple Table----$550----24'x30"

If you're waiting for their Artists' Alley, remember that their process for that is a bit more . . . chaotic. (Tables are free, seats are awarded by lottery and on a first-come-first-served basis at the show, & there is a turnover every day.) Basically, if you want a guaranteed spot you'll want to buy in.

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Also, ACen's Artists Alley reg goes live at 5pm CST today. You'll need a sign up/login before you can apply, so do that before we all nuke the site come opening time.

ETA: CST, guys, not EST. The site died an hour ahead of schedule.

ETA2: The site's now opening at an undisclosed time because of its being epically broken. :P

ETA3: The site is officially good and screwed up. In theory, the application will go live tomorrow at 5pm CST (which is not EST or MST or PST).

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.