JRM at 2015 DC Sakura Matsuri Festival - National Cherry Blossom Festival - April Fools!

[cteno4]

Thanks, it is a very long day! Pack vehicles at 6.30a to be down there by 7.30a to unload and the event ready at 10.30a. Close at 6p and usually we are packed up by 7.30p. We tried to design things for as rapid a setup as possible, still a lot of pieces and work. It's a very intense day, but fun.

 

It is a lot of people! The usual 2 day train shows here draw 4-6000... It can be daunting at times, but we are now in one of the more open areas near the entrance and there is a little more room for crowd movement.

 

Jeff

[katoftw]

Fun times.

[serotta1972]

San Francisco is having their Cherry Blossom Festival right now - last weekend and this coming weekend with a Parade along Japan Town on Sunday. Hey Brad and Paul, have you guys considered doing an exhibit similar to what Jeff and his gang are doing? I'm not sure what the logistics are in becoming an exhibitor and I'm sure it's a lot of work. I'd be willing to volunteer my time for something like this.  Actually our organization has been running a food booth for years - I can ask them about how we can get involved in next year's festival.

 

-Junior

[serotta1972]

In regards to the April Fool's joke, wow - that's pretty elaborate.  Well done Jeff!  It would've had me as I'm a compassionate human being. 1954G was the only victim in mine and I'm sure he'll be more mindful of this time next year.

[nscalestation]

San Francisco is having their Cherry Blossom Festival right now - last weekend and this coming weekend with a Parade along Japan Town on Sunday. Hey Brad and Paul, have you guys considered doing an exhibit similar to what Jeff and his gang are doing? I'm not sure what the logistics are in becoming an exhibitor and I'm sure it's a lot of work. I'd be willing to volunteer my time for something like this.  Actually our organization has been running a food booth for years - I can ask them about how we can get involved in next year's festival.

 

-Junior

 

Sorry I did not see this until now.

 

I could not imagine doing a 1 day or outdoor setup with the AsiaNrail layout.  But if it were inside the Japan Center complex and for a weekend then maybe we could.  Another option for us is that most of the BCA churches in the Bay Area have a bazaar in the summer.  About 10 years ago I did a setup like that by myself at one in Union City.  The president of that church saw me running a Shinkansen at a show and asked me to do it.  They gave me a couple of tables indoors right by the entrance that I filled with Unitrack and had trains running the whole time.  With the idea of teaching visitors about train travel in Japan I also included some story boards with photos of the trains and maps showing where they run.  It was a lot of fun but would have been even better with an actual layout with scenery.  Funny thing was that everything at these events is for sale and I had several visitors interested in buying my trains.  I had to politely explain they were not for sale and on the second day had a sign set up "Exhibit only, not for sale".

[cteno4]

Brad and junior,

 

Contact the organizers of the festival and see what they can do for you. The festival here has found sponsoring for our tent, event fees, and generator hookup each year so it is no cost to us. The trains are a huge hit at these kinds of festivals and you can help promotem japan rail, travel, model trains, and culture. It is a lot to do for a one day event, but we see thousands of folks in the 7 hrs!

 

A few years back they did a survey of festival goers and the layout was one of the most remembered and loved things at the festival! Folks love the trains!

 

Cheers

 

Jeff