Yurt Luau open to the Public

[YurtGirl]

The World Yurt Maker's conference is coming up in February with yurt professionals coming in from all over the place to discuss common challenges and celebrate. We decided it would be a good idea to make a day open for the public to come, talk to people in the yurt industry, ask questions, enjoy good music, dancing and refreshments. We're still in the planning stages now, so if you'd like to attend and can think of anything you'd really like to see there, let us know and we'll see what we can do. It'll be at a great private location, just past Pahoa. There will be plenty of demonstrations, discussions, slide shows, discussions, food and drink, etc. And Lots of great info! If we end up needing to charge (I think we will, just to cover costs for food and drink), we'll give Puna Webbers a discount on admission.

[dmbwest]

YG,

Charging a fee will kill it.

aloha,
pog

[Nalu]

It's Hawaii make it a suggested donation of some sort of food or dish..potluck!

[YurtGirl]

If we have to then we'll keep it minimal. I don't see any other way to pull it off and have it be great without either charging a bit or tacking it onto the yurt maker's conference attendees tab, which doesn't seem right. They've got enough costs just making it to the conference and pay for food and lodging. We'll need to be able to provide food, drink, music and space, all of which cost $$. The demonstrations/discussions/good times/good people are all free though! So far we've had a good response, even with the likely charge. Pot luck/Donation might work... anyone know the legalities of that?

[dmbwest]

Headline:

"Yurt makers have to pay for lodging" LOL

aloha,
pog

[Ed Smay]

If this group is looking to make any kind of sales, then charging
admission is not right. I have stayed in Yurts before and would not
attend if there was an entrance fee. What is the main purpose of
this event? Sales or Information?

"From knowledge comes understanding"

[rusty h]

too funny Pog, thanks for the chuckle
peace

[Ryan.]

I'm curious and moderately interested in coming to explore the yurt options, however I second the sentiments of previous posters. I would never come if there was an entrance fee. Why not just nix the food and leave it free admission. I don't think many visitors would be expecting food & drinks. Consider it an open house, like those offered by various home manufacturers.

[missydog1]

Why not sell the food and drink from booths like they do at most festivals, fairs, benefits here? That way people pay for what they personally consume. I don't know how these things typically finance the music, or if that would be necessary.

I imagine that vendors of food and drink typically pay those putting on the event for the opportunity to have a booth.

[YurtGirl]

These are good ideas and you've given me something to think about. I'm pretty attached to making it all inclusive, with the music, dancing, refreshments and entertainment alongside the yurt discussions. If I see the small entry fee hurting then I'll be surprised, but able to alter things a bit if needed. For now we're asking people, if they want to come, to send us an email and we'll get you on the invite list. When we send the invites in February, we'll know if we'll be charging and how much. I expect it would be something like $10, with no charge for kids under 10. We're giving plenty of time to save up your pennies, right?

Ed, this isn't an event for sales. Obviously it would be tacky, to say the least, to have people come and pay in order to sell them something. This event is solely an invite to share information, share ideas, ask questions, get answers, discuss various topics, meet some of the leaders in the industry and mostly to celebrate the people in the yurt industry coming together for such an event. Last year's conference was in France. This will be the first of its kind here in the USA. Yurt companies have always been notoriously competitive w/ each other here, so it's a chance to lay that mentality down and come together as one industry to face common challenges. The Public Luau Day is secondary to the World Yurt Maker's Annual Conference, that's the main event which is only for yurt makers and runs almost a week.

The guest list includes authors Becky Kemery, and Bill Coperthwaite, (who is also the founder of the Yurt Foundation. Bill is an amazing man with incredible vision and wisdom, who I am so thankful I got a chance to meet last year. Yurt makers from Mongolia attend along with, makers from the UK, Sweden, modern yurt makers from the states, possibly even some panel yurt makers. We'll be discussing the yurts conception all the way up to it's more modern state and uses.

If you like yurts or are curious about them, then it would be a great thing to attend. A lot of work is going into it, and a lot will come out of it. I don't think it odd to charge, but again, we'll see. I expect our attendees will mostly be people who are seriously curious or already know and love yurts.