There is a convention going on. I haven’t seen much of it, but all of the usual suspects are hanging around the hotel so I have to conclude that there is indeed a con. I’ll be able to report more tomorrow when I have seen some of it.
The one thing that is obvious is that food is an issue. We are in a posh hotel close to a US-sized convention center at which nothing is happening over the weekend. The hotel food is OK but very expensive. There is a convention food service that is not very good and over-priced for what it is. A few food outlets in the NEC were open today, and may be tomorrow, but probably not in the evening or on Sunday and Monday. By far the best option is to take a train into Birmingham (only £2). Kevin and I did that last night (with very excellent company — thanks Charlie and Feorag), but things we need to be at for the convention conspired against us doing so today and will do so Saturday and Sunday. On Monday we will flee for London in search of decent food. Thank goodness for free breakfast.
Internet access is patchy. I can get the iPhone to work on the hotel wifi in convention space. We have free wired internet in our room, and the MiFi also works here, but not in the convention space. Thankfully we don’t have to do much. I’ve been banned from doing official Hugo coverage, but the Renovation people have kindly taken up the baton and will be doing their own live event. Details of that and other award coverage is over at SFAW.
Next up, we have panels. Kevin is on one at 9:00pm. I have one at 10:00pm. We expect an audience of close to zero for both events. After all, anyone with any sense will be in the bar.
I’ve noticed a few people I know with schedules having them on post 8pm panels – this doesn’t seem all that conventional for an Eastercon – is this something new they’re trying out? I’m not convinced that at a con the size of an Eastercon having things late into eating and drinking time really makes a lot of sense.
Per the Eastercon Programme, programming runs until 23:30. (Program items are a nominal 60 minutes in 90 minute slots, so the final program item ends one hour after the 22:30 start times.)
Because the only decent food is a train ride into the city center, you pretty much need to allow at least three hours for it. There are plenty of trains, and the trip between Birmingham New Street and Birmingham International isn’t long (especially if the next train out is one whose first stop is at International instead of one of the stopping trains that makes up to four intermediate stops). The GBP2 return fare is quite good. But it takes time, and if you can’t free up at least a three-hour block of time (more is better or you find yourself rushing), you’re stuck with the rather dire food choices here. I wish we had a mini-fridge in the hotel.
Programming well into the night is perfectly normal for an Eastercon, and has been for many years. Panel items are rarely scheduled to run past midnight, although it does happen. And entertainment often carries on until about 1 a.m. Green Room runs until about 11 pm, Ops that bit later.
Not everyone who comes to Eastercon wants to spend the evening eating, or actually know anyone to eat with. Some panellists who want to discuss “adult” themes prefer to do them after a watershed, real or imagined.
What used to be called “the fan programme” – items about fannish lifestyles, interests, experiences, informal drama events, whatever, now usually doesn’t start until around 8 at the earliest, and is integrated with more regular programming to give a reasonable number of options.
Just to be clear, I know there are evening and night items, but my, perhaps faulty, memory doesn’t really remember panel items per se.
I’d be interested to know what attendance and feedback on evening things is.
Evening programming is indeed normal. Mostly it is “adult-themed” material, game shows, filking and the like. I’m struggling to understand why the convention’s only panel on ebooks was relegated to a 10:30pm slot.
Also, if your food choices on site are so poor that many people want to get away, trapping them in the hotel with lots of evening programming is a sure way to make them grumpy.
Yes, basically this. 🙂
I have seen a lot more “conventional” programming at Worldcons but I don’t recall at Eastercons except for the occasional alcohol fueled game, quiz etc…
I cant speak for others but my capacity for serious stuff is limited post about 6pm… But then that’s usually bar time 🙂
I just read the blog post where you discuss your banishment
o_O
http://www.cheryl-morgan.com/?p=9436