Please report on the Long Beach show

There was a coat check/bag check on the upper level from the main
floor [had to go out and up the escalators, around the corner]. The
vendors were on one half of the main floor, then a big floor to
ceiling support wall with a couple of pass-throughs, with the quilt
exhibit on the other side. Yep, guaranteed traffic jam. Some of those
with scooters had their purchases dangling off the assorted basket/
grips/seatback whick created a larger profile as the day went on.
Definitely a hazard for everyone.

I don't begrudge anyone's desire to see the show. I attempt to work
patiently with anyone, but scooters run amuck, baby strollers pushed
into my heels while the pusher is yakking on a cell phone makes my
enjoyment pretty strained.

Ginger in CA

On Jul 27, 10:13*pm, Sandy E wrote:
Howdy!

The Rosemont & Long Beach shows are put on by the Texas bunch of
The Really Big Quilt Show in Houston.
*Here they have a pkg/baggage check, no need to haul around
a ton of goodies thru' the entire show.
(Do they have that in Rosemont & L.B.?)
Some years they've put the vendors on the outer aisles of the show,
w/ the quilts in the middle; some times they've smooshed all the
vendors to one side, creating a guaranteed traffic jam
(remember that, B-fly? *Houston was a crush that year).
*Shopping is easier later in the day, as much of the crowd disperses
to "beat the rush hour traffic" (this actually means "to help create"
that mess g). *
* The Ft.Worth & Dallas shows usually have plenty of space,
well-organized traffic flow; same for most of the other local
shows I've attended (altho' Arlington's is kind of crowded, the Center
is too small for us). Buggies of any kind are a pain if the driver is
careless; too often the wheeled shoppers are in doofus mode.
Doesn't bother me to push back when required, w/ a smile, of course.
Perhaps the bigger shows are paying so much for the facility they're
trying to pack in too many vendors, to recoup the expenses?
* People run the quilt shows; surely some of them will respond to
comments from the crowds. *Ms.Bresenhan & her team do.

I think it's awesome that any group puts on a quilt show;
many of us know what a big project this is.
Thanks to all who help, in any way.

Cheers!
R/Sandy *

On 7/27/09 10:20 PM, in article ,
"Susan Laity Price" wrote:



Thanks for the report. Glad they worked out the crowd control a
little. Would those big guys help with carrying bags at the end of the
show?

Chicago (Rosemont) does not allow wheeled carts and somehow they
control them so you don't see any. I don't think they allow baby
strollers either. The motorized carts are another story. The first
year in Rosemont they rented the carts to anyone with $50. I think
wheel chairs were less. Some gals rented the wheel chairs to push
their purchases around. Now if you want to rent a wheel chair or
motorized cart you must show a doctor's permission. I don't know what
they do if you show-up with your own wheel chair. It is a pain to drag
your bags around the show.

Someday I will make that show. Had my hotel reservation last *year but
Mom got sick so spent the week end in her hospital room. My husband's
family lives in the LA area so he can visit while I shop. No, I won't
invite any of my sister-in-laws to attend with me at least not while I
am shopping. Maybe I could go back a second day and take the
sister-in-laws to see the quilts.

Susan- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Yes, Rosemont has a baggage check but as Ginger describes it is a long
ways from the vendors. The Rosemont show has the quilts displayed
straight in front of the entrance and the vendors are all together in
one area at the far end of the show floor. Since I avoid the high
customer times I don't see the bottleneck. Each year I allow myself
one antique quilt purchase (within reason) so the first thing I do at
the preview is visit the booths selling antiques. They are somewhat
grouped together. I then do a quick walk of the show floor stopping
only to greet someone I know or when I spy something really new. If
there is time left I begin the systematic walk of the aisles. My final
stop is always Quilt Books Unlimited as they usually have quilt
history books that other vendors or LQS do not carry. I learned the
hard way to buy my books on the way out the door. I return to the show
Friday about 5 p.m. after the bus tours have left. The show is open
until 9 so I have four hours to do the systematic tour of the vendors.
Sunday after church my husband and I go together to see the quilts. He
enjoys the quilts but not the shopping. The Rosemont Show is always
near my birthday so he is relieved of the responsibility of purchasing
me a birthday present. I purchase several things at the show which I
declare my birthday present. Since this is the only show I am able to
attend currently I probably spend more in the one week end than if I
were able to attend several shows each year as I did in the past.

Susan

On Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:13:02 -0500, Sandy E wrote:

Howdy!

The Rosemont & Long Beach shows are put on by the Texas bunch of
The Really Big Quilt Show in Houston.
Here they have a pkg/baggage check, no need to haul around
a ton of goodies thru' the entire show.
(Do they have that in Rosemont & L.B.?)
Some years they've put the vendors on the outer aisles of the show,
w/ the quilts in the middle; some times they've smooshed all the
vendors to one side, creating a guaranteed traffic jam
(remember that, B-fly? Houston was a crush that year).
Shopping is easier later in the day, as much of the crowd disperses
to "beat the rush hour traffic" (this actually means "to help create"
that mess g).
The Ft.Worth & Dallas shows usually have plenty of space,
well-organized traffic flow; same for most of the other local
shows I've attended (altho' Arlington's is kind of crowded, the Center
is too small for us). Buggies of any kind are a pain if the driver is
careless; too often the wheeled shoppers are in doofus mode.
Doesn't bother me to push back when required, w/ a smile, of course.
Perhaps the bigger shows are paying so much for the facility they're
trying to pack in too many vendors, to recoup the expenses?
People run the quilt shows; surely some of them will respond to
comments from the crowds. Ms.Bresenhan & her team do.

I think it's awesome that any group puts on a quilt show;
many of us know what a big project this is.
Thanks to all who help, in any way.

Cheers!
R/Sandy


On 7/27/09 10:20 PM, in article ,
"Susan Laity Price" wrote:

Thanks for the report. Glad they worked out the crowd control a
little. Would those big guys help with carrying bags at the end of the
show?

Chicago (Rosemont) does not allow wheeled carts and somehow they
control them so you don't see any. I don't think they allow baby
strollers either. The motorized carts are another story. The first
year in Rosemont they rented the carts to anyone with $50. I think
wheel chairs were less. Some gals rented the wheel chairs to push
their purchases around. Now if you want to rent a wheel chair or
motorized cart you must show a doctor's permission. I don't know what
they do if you show-up with your own wheel chair. It is a pain to drag
your bags around the show.

Someday I will make that show. Had my hotel reservation last year but
Mom got sick so spent the week end in her hospital room. My husband's
family lives in the LA area so he can visit while I shop. No, I won't
invite any of my sister-in-laws to attend with me at least not while I
am shopping. Maybe I could go back a second day and take the
sister-in-laws to see the quilts.

Susan

In article
,
wrote:

I don't begrudge anyone's desire to see the show. I attempt to work
patiently with anyone, but scooters run amuck, baby strollers pushed
into my heels while the pusher is yakking on a cell phone makes my
enjoyment pretty strained.


It sounds as though there's a bit more room in the Houston set-up, but
those scooters drive me nuts. It seems as though people rent them
without any idea of how to use them, so they bump into people and
things, or else the rider decides to stop right in the middle of the
aisle and block all traffic. You'd think the riders could at least have
a bit of consideration for the people who are trying to walk around. I
do try to be understanding of the ones who need help, but I wish they'd
also be understanding of the rest of us.

And then there are those who obviously don't need the scooters -- the
minority, I'm sure, but still they exist. Last time I saw a young teen
riding next to her mother, who was walking. The girl parked the scooter,
hopped off and ran around to several booths before climbing back on and
riding more. A few hours later, the mother was riding, and later still
yet another girl was riding -- same scooter with mother and other girl
walking close by. It's hard to believe anything other than that they'd
rented the scooter to rest tired feet.

I'm sorry to sound like a grouch, but it gets *really* irritating. :S
--
Sandy in Henderson, near Las Vegas
sw.foster1 (at) gmail (dot) com (remove/change the obvious)
http://www.sandymike.net