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Thread: Mer-Palooza (Mer-Con 2)

  1. #1

    Mer-Palooza (Mer-Con 2)

    My fishy sister of the Desert. who will be attending Mer-Palooza (Mer-Con 2) it's being held in Florida this year and I think if we put our fins together we can swim on over there and make a huge splash as the mermaid of the Desert! Show of hands who's interested lol!
    Sea Of Dreams, where fantasy becomes reality
    Proud to be a Carni Mermaid!

  2. #2
    I'm interested, just not sure I'll make it. I'll try though!
    Hugs, fishes, and mermaid kisses!

  3. #3
    http://www.mer-palooza.com/event-talent.php
    here's the website and all the info! i hope you can it will be big. just look at all the acts and talnet we'll have there and there's alot of things in the works mer-palooza (mer_con2) is getting bigger and bigger by the day.
    Sea Of Dreams, where fantasy becomes reality
    Proud to be a Carni Mermaid!

  4. #4
    I am going to try to go. Not promising anything. I do have a table / booth reserved to put some tails on display.

  5. #5
    Senior Member Pod of The South
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    I'm not sure, honestly. I'm kind of iffy on the whole thing

  6. #6
    i hope to see you there merman jesse it would be nice to meet you! lol
    Sea Of Dreams, where fantasy becomes reality
    Proud to be a Carni Mermaid!

  7. #7
    @ Sirenia Solaris well i am sorry to here that. I know for a fact mer-con is 100% legit we have soooo much talent and so many people already wanted to go it's going to be like the first mer-con but better. i hope you decide to check it out since you are already in florida
    Sea Of Dreams, where fantasy becomes reality
    Proud to be a Carni Mermaid!

  8. #8
    I wish you nothing but the best of luck at this event, but could we please stop calling it mercon 2? It is not, and we do not want to misrepresent to anyone who did attend mercon looking for the next one.

  9. #9
    Senior Member Pod of The South
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rain Hauger View Post
    @ Sirenia Solaris well i am sorry to here that. I know for a fact mer-con is 100% legit we have soooo much talent and so many people already wanted to go it's going to be like the first mer-con but better. i hope you decide to check it out since you are already in florida
    Well, since it is being brought up so much, I'll tell you all the ways in which I came to my current feeling of it seeming somewhat fishy.
    First, here, on the forum, when talk of it first came about, many people were under the impression that it was a big, mer-hang out; which would actually be a ton of fun. Then, all of a sudden, BOOM! To be a part of it was $50 entrance per person (very expensive for even an individual, and if you have a family, then, you're kind of out of luck). Many were confused as to the high amount, and it was said that the money was going to the pool rental (no pool rental costs THAT much) and later it was said that remaining money was going to charity, though no organization was named until later. Then, after that, as more information was released, it showed that on top of the intial fee, you had to pay another $10 to enter the trade show - so you had to pay more to spend money. And when I looked into the vendor fees, they were incredible - more money than I pay for a two month long vendor fee at a fair. The most I've paid to have a table at any convention was $45 for the entire 3 day weekend.

    I see no panels advertised (at past conventions I've headed crafting panels, dance panels, and other instructionals. I thought about offering, but I certianly would not want to be the only one) and so to have nothing like that going on seems even more a rip off of money, and then perhaps all of that caught up with the event because now, suddenly, prices for tickets have cut in half for adults and one cannot find information on the other things that were being charged. What happened to the people who paid full price, if any? And would the other things still be charged and attendees get 'surprised' with extra fees after they are already there?

    I know of at least 8 other FL mers besides myself that had previously decided not to go because of the multitude of fees to attend this event, and as much as everything has completely changed so abruptly with this, to me it seems the classic recipe for those events that you get there, and if it even happens as advertised (which often doesn't happen; look at the last mer event for instance), there are bunches of financial surprises which effectively nullifies any joy one might have felt for the whole thing.

    This is my personal feeling on it, based on what I have seen thus far. I may be (and I hope I am for the sake of those who are attending) 100% wrong and it may be a blast. But as stated, I know many local FL mers who already wrote it off after seeing the initial heavy fees - many of which you cannot find mention of on the site anymore. Perhaps if I start to see some stability in the organization of it, and more things that would compensate one for their money spent, I may reconsider in the future.

    Otherwise, if I see none of that happen, I'd much rather sit this one out and wait to hear reviews on the event and just consider the next one. My fourth grade teacher actually had one of the best life lessons: Better safe than sorry.

    And that is my opinion on the matter.

  10. #10
    I can respect your feelings on the matter I did here the the last mer-con was alittle wonky so to speak. I can say for the price cuts it was due to getting sponsors. the reason for the prices at first was because we had no sponsor and mer-palooza needed a to secure the resort and when talk first started it was just coming out and trying to get hype
    as for the people who had paid already I feel the price cut is like any other sale. there are people who pay 300 for an xbox when it first comes out and a few months later the price goes down. the people decided to pay what they did cause they wanted to be the first to have tickets. the last mer event from what i here was rushed and half-assed so to speak and lot of things went wrong due conflicting sides. this year there are no corners being cut and everything hopefully goes right but no one can predict the future so I do thank Sirenia for you thoughts on the matter you tell me how you feel can help us make the event that much more better! once we know the concerns we can fix them!
    Sea Of Dreams, where fantasy becomes reality
    Proud to be a Carni Mermaid!

  11. #11
    The Xbox is not a good analogy. Those who paid $300 got to enjoy their games months before everyone else did. What do those who paid more for their tickets get? Punishing earlybirds is not good business.

    Other than that, it sounds reasonable.

    Alveric

  12. #12
    Sorry to everyone I wasn't trying to cause any drama or anything I was just excited about mer-palooza was just
    Sea Of Dreams, where fantasy becomes reality
    Proud to be a Carni Mermaid!

  13. #13
    Sorry, didn't mean to pick on you or shoot the messenger.

    Alveric

  14. #14
    I was just trying to see if any of my mersisters in az were going
    Sea Of Dreams, where fantasy becomes reality
    Proud to be a Carni Mermaid!

  15. #15
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    Chris, I agree it should not be called MerCon 2...and the organizers themselves are NOT doing that. Key people, however, who were involved in MerCon 1 ... are also interested and involved in this event ... so I can see where Rain might have used the terminology.

    Mer "Con", as in a Faery Con, etc. - Since people use the "Con" "Mord" to be synonymous with "Convention", this will get confused from time to time...Not only with this event, but future Mer-"Cons".
    Last edited by Stephanie Sims; 03-29-2012 at 05:27 PM.

  16. #16
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    Here to set the record straight.

    I was integral at the tail end of MerCon last year, helping to facilitate/gain excitement for the authors that were there, doing pre-event press releases and overall p.r. to get the media there, producing the pageant, negotiating everything with the Silverton, etc. While I am not the person who originally had the idea for MerCon, I was the person who linked all the right people together to make it actually happen in the last several weeks when it looked like it might not, due to the Mirage.


    The problem here with the "adverticing call outs" on this forum about Mer-Palooza is that the originators are Mer Enthusiasts, not p.r. people, web designers or party planners. BUT THEY LOVE MERMAIDS AND WANT TO HAVE A FUN, TERRIFIC EVENT. I am all of the things mentioned above, so you will see the site looking better and better daily. There were many details that the organizers did have secured - They just did not know exactly how to convey the message (or in some cases, when to let info out.) *I wish the web site would not have been published until all details were solid. *Sigh*

    *So, this is likely why you feel the way you do...and I can totally understand based on what you saw in the posts here and on the web site. This event was actually planned for a while (the Pageant and Convention part, which I produce)...and the existing pool party (that was initially slated as a separate event offsite) was added to "my weekend" or I was added to "theirs". lol, Either way!


    It seemed silly for me to have a Mermaid Pageant/Trade Show and to have a Mer pool party elsewhere, so we joined forces. I contracted the space so it can all happen on one weekend. There are some solid, solid sponsors who have supported the hiring of terrific talent and it's going to be really nice. The pool party is going to be amazing and we have some of the most fun events planned!

    When the event was going to be ONLY a pool party at a rented mansion, the expenses were gonna be crazy if there was to be food and any entertainment at all. *The old pool rental plan that had been in place WAS INDEED GOING TO BE CRAZY EXPENSIVE, as you couldn't rent the pool without a ridiculous insurance policy that named all residents and board members of said pool community, etc. The mansion rental for a few days was ridiculous. it was a very nice idea...But way too high priced. By partnering with the trade show and pageant, the pool party expenses can be reduced substantially. *And, of course, the sponsors.

    Regarding the charity, it's Make-A-Wish. And it wasn't named before because the charity has hopes that any event that does an event for Make-A-Wish can indeed be substantial enough to fulfill a wish for a child, if not more than one. *I assure you, we can.

    Prices for tickets have dropped because of the new restructure - That's the answer to that concern. The trade show tables are $245.00. If you saw any other amount, please disregard it, as I am handling all aspects of the trade show and pageant - and that was always the plan. You don't simply get space at the show, you get press, press, press and more press about your service, product, etc. We do have speakers and panels, and I will be organizing those. At this point we have artists, authors and VERY significant mermaid V.I.P.'s.

    Please, anyone who wants to contribute, give advice or help - We need you! I/we welcome any constructive criticism, suggestion or ideas. The party is now $25 for adults/$15 for kids. *I was not initially in charge of ticket prices, but I am the one who encouraged early bird discounts to try to secure/determine an accurate headcount. We have food to buy, swag bags to prepare, etc. The cost of $25 represents no profit, honestly. The trade show is $10 to attend. It will feature, as stated before, a lot of personalities worth seeing. It's March - The roster for August is being enhanced literally daily.

    With only MerCon as my one frame of reference - and let me please state that I RESPECT and LOVE Sita for doing that event - I must say that I think her vendor tables cost more than that, although it was vegas. i think her ticket prices were about the same for the trade show and to watch my pageant, ?? And I don't know at all what she charged for access to the pool party. I feel the prices in place now are very fair. And we will be crowded, crowded in a good way due to this being in Orlando. Vegas is terrific and I want to go back there, too. I think Orlando will be super fun and magical and have a different feel to it, also. And it's what we could do NOW, in August (in season).


    The pool party, I am sure, will be great Saturday night and Sunday will be a FREE all fun, Mermaid play time for those who attended the party Saturday night. If you are a vendor, you get a free party ticket for the weekend, one per booth. And we are able to be very flexible with the space you need. I.E.: A tailmaker needs more room than someone who has a book. We can scale your booth to what you're promoting.

    I look forward to this event - This is what I do and I love it!

    Steph

    P.S. The International Mermaid Pageant, which is solely my event and was the Pageant featured at MerCon, will also be fun and fantastic - a visual feast. *If Vegas had worked out for August of this year, I would be there...but it didn't. Why did I jump in and jump aboard this event? I'm local, I can make sure things go smoothly and make sure my pageant happens annually at the very same timeframe this year that it did last year, which is important in pageantry.


  17. #17
    Senior Member Pod of The South
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    Stephanie, I thank you for taking the time to address said concerns and explain everything in full, as you have. It has, indeed, lifted many doubts and worries I had. I will direct others to this post as well, as I find it most informative. Thanks!

  18. #18
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    Thank you...Working hard to get all pertinent info on the web site!

  19. #19
    Im going!!!!

    i will have my art availible once again

    Cant wait.. going mad with trying to get ready and create new inspireing mermaid art for everyone!

  20. #20
    Thank you steph for clearing up everything I suppose I can be a total ditz at times and thank you for everything you and gary are doing I'm excited for mer-palooza! Can't wait to meet ya'll at there
    Sea Of Dreams, where fantasy becomes reality
    Proud to be a Carni Mermaid!

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